Men’s Sunglasses & Face Shapes Guide
Men’s SS13 Colour Trend: Orange
Five SS13 Menswear Staples
New Year: New Hairstyle?
Whether you are clearing out your wardrobe, hitting the gym to shift a few pounds, giving up smoking or trekking half way around the world to save the giant panda – we all have our New Years resolutions, big and small. For whatever reason the start of a new calendar year seems to stir something inside of each of us, an innate desire to start a fresh, or change something about our lives that we couldn’t possibly have done in December.
Many of your New Years resolutions will naturally feature either your wardrobe, your look, or your general style outlook for the year in an effort to make 2011 your most stylish yet. While it’s tempting to hit the high street or the online sales armed with nothing but a credit card and a penchant for chunky knitwear, there is one New Years option from the grooming world that could get your year off to the most stylish of starts, and that’s a new hairstyle.
A few guys have been commenting on the site recently that they want to change their style but aren’t sure which way to turn, and this is where I come in. I’ve compiled some of the best hairstyles in the world today, and focussed on one style in particular that’s been catching my eye of late. But more importantly I wanted to give any guy who is thinking about changing his hairstyle the platform and inspiration to do so. Failing that I’m sure the pictures that follow will give cause for a good healthy debate, so without further ado here is my FashionBeans New Year, New Hairstyle Inspiration…
Style Focus: The Quiff
From sleek and sophisticated to a towering statement of quirkiness, the current crop of style savvy gents all have one thing in common – the quiff. Cropped around the sides, and longer on the top, the en trend style of the season is one part preppy Topman model, one part Morrissey, with a handful of your individuality thrown in for good measure. What makes this particular style stand out for me is that it gives you the freedom to be as smart and preppy, or as dishevelled and quirky as your look dictates. Office worker? A comb and a high hold styling product leaves you sleek and sophisticated. Friday night out? A back comb and some matt clay and you’ll make Mark Ronson’s barnet look tame.
It’s not just for the young ‘hipsters’ either. Check out recent photos of George ‘the silver fox’ Clooney and you’ll notice a sophisticated quiff forming as part his salt and pepper look. It’s all about how you tailor the style to your age and your look that makes the quiff accessible to everyone. If you still need convincing that this is the style of the moment, then take a look at how the style elite are making the quiff their own….
The Look Book
The Products
Sleek and Sophisticated
Quirky Volume and Impact
The 2011 Hair Style Inspiration Look Book
Short Styles
Short hair styles most definitely don’t have to be the boring ones. What you may lack in versatility and ‘quirkiness’, you’ll gain with sharp sophistication and subtle style brilliance.
Recommended products:
Mid Length/Long Hair
It is perfectly possible to do longer hair without looking scruffy – as these gents quite aptly demonstrate – but if you wanted to add a bit of ‘rock star’ then this is where you’ll earn your stripes.
Recommended products:
Curly Hairstyles
Like me, you may have struggled with your frizzy and unruly curls in the past. But once you’ve found a style, and a range of products to get the most from locks then curly hair can look the business, just ask this lot.
Recommended products:
Men’s Grooming: Scouting For Girls (Products) – Part 2
The Ultimate Streamlined Grooming Routine
How To Tell If You’re A Men’s Grooming Addict
Men’s Grooming: The Benefits Of Using A Face Scrub
Back To Top
Why the lack of afro hairdos? what products would you reccomend
@SockandSole
A lot of work has obviously gone into this piece, Duncan. Great job.
The problem I have with mens hair is its stagnant nature. Over the past 5 years, there haven’t been any massive changes in trends, only variations on staples. Case in point, the quiff style that you have showcased is only a slight progression of what we have seen for the past 5 years. I’ve worked as a hair model for a big hair company and the shoots that I have been on have been more or less the same style. This is in no way a criticism of this article but more of the hair industry as a whole. Are men supposed to lag behind female trends in the same way that we do in the clothing world? Rant over. Sorry.
Well, you could argue we lack the changes that women have, but then that’s one of the benefits of being female…they get to do wild and extreme things with their hair without looking like a total whopper, whereas men don’t.
I like the quiff and this is a good, useful article.
The problem I have is that I have quite thick hair and I can never work out which is the best type of hair product to use (paste,clay,wax) Any tips? Cheers
There’s a product called ‘vo5 texturising gum’ after hairs washed apply the gum whilst hair is still wet. Then blow dry till its semi dry and you should be able to get the style you want :), this product is around £4.00 and is available in almost any store.
@Bashmore. If you want to maintain a good quiff, with a decent amount of hold, I’d recommend 1) getting a fair bit of weight taken out of your hair but keeping the top reasonably long so that it sits properly. 2) Don’t wash your hair ever day. I wash mine every 3/4 days because having a little bit of grit makes the hair sit better. I’d go with a paste when it comes to product put it really depends on whether you want a matte or a hi gloss finish.
Ha, the fav thing about my quiff is that I can get it to look different and suit the individual look/style of each and every day! A cheeky tip for those with reasonably thin/fine hair like me is to use a brand called ‘Fat Hair’ – run it through your hair whilst still wet and then use a diffuser when you blow dry, and your quiff will be thicker than the collaborated intelligence of Jedward ;)
Hi I’m looking to have my hair cut short (maybe a 4) on the back and sides, then the top left fairly long? How do you think this would look? Unfortunately I can’t find any good pictures
Ed westwick is master of the quiff!
You are forgetting the bald guys!;)
Thanks for all your comments guys, and some great points for discussion!
@Olly – I agree with you that the men’s hair care market from a professional point of view may have become a little stagnant, but what I think is great about the ‘quiff’ trend is how much it has diluted into the mainstream, not just the catwalk and high end salons. Do you agree?
A lot of people struggle to control their thick hair @Bashmore, and @Olly gives some great advice which I second!
@Tom White I currently have my hair cut a little different from my picture, and very similar to the style you’re describing. As you can see I have curly hair, which I have cropped to a grade 3 around the sides, and sweep the longer top section back off my face into a quiff. But the great thing with curly hair is that I can scrunch it and leave it wavvy too. What hair type do you have and I might be able to recommend a styling product?
Lastly @Coninhas – there are just so many new styles out there for bald guys that I thought I’d dedicate a whole article to it! :)
Thanks for all your comments guys – keep them coming!
Duncan
Hi Duncan,
Yes, I think you’re right. You make a very good point and there is certainly no denying the versatility of the quiff, providing that you have a good cut to work from in the first place. As Tom Bloomfield also points out, adapting the style to your outfit is easy to do; whether you’re head to toe in Dior or taking a more casual approach in workwear. In that respect it has also taken out the fear of trying something new, if that makes sense.
Whos the guy dead central in the Mid-Long, I have similar length/type of hair and dont use any products, never really happy with my hair, always wanted to have it cut to style better or improve it somehow. My fringe/hair comes across my forehead and is longer at the side it flows across to. Any advice?
Hey, I was just wondering if anyone will ever do an article on Adam Brody. When I think of male, curly, hair styles, I automatically think of him, and was wondering why he never gets any praise over here on FashionBeans, that’s all, good article btw :D
What a blissful article! i’ve been sporting the quiff for a long time now and now i’ve seen celebrities sporting it to just boosts the ego! Loved it so much!
Thanks for this showcase of different hairstyles that are accepted in Western civilization. I think you guys should show more of what the world also has to offer, mainly, the trends in male hairstyles in Asia. I say this because I have entertainer friends in China and when they come here to work and I’m out with them, they get a lot of looks and compliments from girls.
Their hairstyle would be considered gay to most people here but it still causes a stir with the ladies.
Fantastic article :)
However I were wondering which hair would suite my body type/face shape as I am a rather chubby 16 year old ?
I would have said RPatz had a quiff if anyone. Nice artical. Just a little pointer I have long hair but from short to the length it is now infact iv always sworn by ‘Fish’. I’v looked long & hard & for a volume gloss/matt style nothing comes close.
My hair isnt exactly curly, just wavy which i think is worse! The curly styles are cool, but mine just has the odd cowlick, so i end up getting it cut short on the sides and a bit longer on top so i can straighten it, and this is becomming a right pain! I think im gonna grow it out a bit and see if i can magic up some cool surfer, layed back style. Other than that idea, im struggling!
Great article. Would you be able to tell me who the guy is directly in the centre of the Mid Length section. Also what sort of product would you suggest for getting that look with thick hair.
My hair is also very thick! :(
@Joshua: His name is Djuan Antonov, you can find him on Lookbook.nu
i’m actually disappointed that in terms of hairtyles, it was mostly focused on caucasian men. Being an asian descent its hard to find a hairdo that does not conform to what typical asian men do with their hair. I’ve got straight black hair and i won’t want to use hair waxes to create that ubiquitous typical asian ‘emo’ hair.
my options really for a gentleman-ly look are based on military hair cuts like the hight and tight or jarhead haurstyles.
@ Tom Bloomfield – This ‘Fat Hair’ is by Samy? I see they make various products, can you recommend which to get? Pomade/Mousse/Serum etc..
Of course, one picture of tiny stryder and no advice on black afro hair. Typical neo-nazism, why doth one continure such baltent racism
@Chubbly – actually we are doing a follow up with more styles and hopefully more for black/Asian hairstyles as well. Unfortunately Duncan actually is white and so these hairstyles are tailored around his personal experience and the products he is familiar with. I wouldn’t want him to give out bad advice just for the sake of it, so if we do some research first and get some images together hopefully we can do a quality follow up which then won’t bring chants of “A white person doing black hairstyles?!” – sometimes you can’t win either way ;)
He is not a hairdresser or specialist in hair, he just has great experience with a whole variety of grooming products and information because he has worked for an online grooming store for years now. Like I say, leave it with us and hopefully we will have something more to contribute in the coming weeks.
great, and good to know about the future updates to this Ben. I have a “widows peak” developing (I believe i’m receding but my girlfriend thinks otherwise!) and I want to keep my hair at a good tidy length for work but then screw around with it during play…
maybe worth getting a good hairdresser as a hair editor on here?
amazing…………………………….
I’m really digging the styles on Boardwalk Empire. The short sides with the hair slick back is very stylish. I see those as well as Madmen coming into play this year.
I would like to add that your face shape is really what determines what style looks best on you. Just because you like a hairstyle does not mean it will work best for you. Just imaging Jay Leno with a Faux Hawk.
Hello there, great article, i have some questions that people could help me with – A – I have very thin air and it grows quite fast, however i want to grow my hair so i can have more versatility when it comes to style. I had my hair cut about 6 weeks ago on a grade 1 side and back v cut with it just longer on top and spikey (I comb my hair all in 1 direction so its sort of a messy flat top look,) and im just wondering how do i keep it under control when it gets to about the 6th week and my mum is begging me to go back to the hair dressers because no matter what i do to my hair it looks a mess.
B – where is the best place and cheapest to shop (other than online) for the military style work man boots. Long winded i know but help would be appreciated :) bye
I second Coninhas’ point – pitching an article at thinning or receding readers would capture the other half of readers who aren’t hair models.
Russell Brand is one of my style icons, though Ed Westwick’s quiff is pretty amazing.
@Owen Harper http://www.allsaints.com/ has some pretty neat boots. You could find nice cheap ones or even nicer a little more expensive ones!