Tips for a Great Men’s Haircut
Like most men, you’ve probably dealt with a bad haircut before. Though nobody’s perfect, we’d be willing to bet that it wasn’t the skill of the barber that led you to be dissatisfied. The culprit is more likely a mistranslation between the haircut you imagined, and the haircut you described to your barber.This guide to getting the perfect men’s haircut has everything you need to clearly communicate your wishes to your barber the next time you stop in for a cut and a shave.
5 Steps to Avoid a Bad Men’s Haircut
The secret to getting the perfect men’s haircut is clearly communicating your desires to your barber. To do that, you first have to know what you want. The following steps will help you identify the best haircut for you, correctly communicate your wishes, and set your barber up to do a great job.
1. Do Your Homework Before You Visit the Barber
Getting an awesome men’s haircut starts before you leave for the barber. Before you do anything, you should identify your face shape, the type of hair you have and which hairstyles will best complement your overall look.
If that sounds like a nightmare, you can always barrow a page from the marketing textbook and associate the style you want with keywords that denote the look you wish to achieve. For example, if you sport a business casual approach to fashion, you could use words like:
- Traditional
- Clean-Cut
- Short and Tight
- Conservative
On the other hand, if you prefer edgier looks, you could try words like hipster, retro, or modern. No matter your style, there is a keyword that will help your barber capture the perfect look for you. You just have to know what that look is before he puts on the cape.
2. Bring Your Inspiration With You
If communicating is not your strong suit, you can always bring in a picture of the haircut you want. Use your phone to look up some celebrities with hair styles you like and show them to your barber.
Did you see the movie Fury? Google Brad Pit in that movie for great pics of a classic undercut.
Source: https://www.menshairstylestoday.com/celebrity-hairstyles-for-men/
What about Justin Timberlake? His nineties style was certainly questionable, but now he sports a low fade with a side part that looks great in every setting.
Source: https://www.menshairstylestoday.com/celebrity-hairstyles-for-men/
3. Show Up a Few Minutes Before Your Appointment
Now that you’ve done your homework and have picture examples of the haircut you would like, you need to give yourself enough time to have that conversation with your barber. Since hanging out with the guys in the barber shop is half the fun of getting a haircut, this step should be pretty easy.
That said, things happen and isn’t always possible to arrive at your barber appointment in advance. If that’s the case, it’s best to come armed with pictures and keywords that describe your desired haircut so you can quickly communicate your wishes to your barber.
4. Clearly Communicate Your Wishes for your Men’s Haircut
As mentioned, the best way to avoid a bad haircut is to clearly communicate your wishes to your barber. Though your barber will likely do a great job of interpreting your wishes, it helps to have an understanding of men’s haircuts, and the terminology used to describe them.
Short Men’s Hairstyles
Short hairstyles require some basic maintenance if they have well-defined features, but they’re easy to style and can be grown out if desired.
- Bald – Shaving your head is a bold and masculine statement. It’s also a great way to cast aside the taboo of male pattern baldness. Embrace your baldness. Shave it all off.
- Buzz Cut – Recognised by its uniform length all over the head, the Buzz Cut is a low-maintenance style that defines the face and looks particularly stylish with a light coat of stubble, or a beard of equal length.
- Caesar – The Caesar is a very old short hairstyle originating in the Roman Empire, and easily identified by the volume on top, with short, horizontally straight cut bangs styled forward.
- Crew Cuts and Fades – The fade is a component of many hairstyles like side parts and faux hawks, but it usually goes hand-in-hand with the crew cut. Varieties of Crew Cuts include the Regulation, the Ivy League, and the High and Tight, derived from the US Marines.
- Side Parts – The Side Part is a clean and neat way to conservatively style your hair, achieved by combing the hair then blow drying, waxing or gelling into place. It can be a natural look with a soft part or heavily styled with a hard part.
Medium Men’s Hairstyles
Medium styles typically require more maintenance than shorter cuts as the length of the different parts is usually quite precise, but they also tend to be more outgoing and offer greater personality.
- Comb Over – Often confused with a classic side part, the comb-over is a slightly longer men’s hairstyle that can be recognised by its emphasis on volume.
- Faux Hawk – A faux hawk or fohawk is a spin on the iconic punk mohawk haircut. A faux hawk can come in a variety of styles and length but is usually within the realms of a medium-length haircut.
- Fringe – A Men’s Fringe or bangs can be a significant part of a medium-length hairstyle that adds a certain panache to your personal style.
- Pompadour – The Pompadour haircut is a style that consists of lots of volume on top that is either swept back or to the side. It emphasises volume and lush, healthy hair.
- Undercut – The Undercut is distinguished by the sharp contrast between shaved sides and slicked back longer hair on top. The result leaves the hairstyle with a deliberate, calculated and fashionable finish.
Long Men’s Hairstyles
Though long men’s hairstyles require fewer trips to the barber, they require a higher level of maintenance. You will need to establish a precise washing, brushing and care regimen to avoid your hair looking untidy.
- Man Bun – A Man Bun requires at least six to ten months of growth to obtain around seven inches of hair length. The look is simply achieved by sweeping all the hair towards the crown from the forehead and nape.
- Natural Swept Back – Swept-back long hair can reveal the richness and complex layers of your mane. It’s a simple yet elegant look, which denotes tradition and Renaissance vibes.
5. Ask Your Barber for Advice
Congratulations! By reading this guide to avoiding a bad haircut, you already know more about men’s hair and style than the majority of men out there. But if this guide left any of your questions unanswered, your barber will be more than happy to answer them for you.
He’s going to know what styles are in fashion, but he’s also going to give you his honest opinion, and tell you which styles are going to complement your face and your overall look.
Every barber at Goodman’s feels that barbering is essential for men to look and feel their best. Whether it’s a quality straight razor shave, a quick beard trim or a precision men’s haircut, our high end barbers are ready to provide you with the best haircut, and the best barber experience you’ve ever had. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.