Eight Timeless Men’s Hairstyles That Won’t Make You Cringe At Old Photos
Are you the kind of bloke who prefers a timeless look over chasing trends? Sure the mullet has skyrocketed in popularity again, but who’s to say for how long. If you want your next haircut to be something you can confidently look back on fondly, check out our list of eight timeless men’s hairstyles.
At the end of the day, some looks are just more reliable than others. That’s why certain people from the past still look cool (think young Harrison Ford or Marlon Brando), while others warrant a good chuckle (Justin Timberlake’s ramen hair, or Billy Ray Cyrus’s buzz-cut mullet).
Don’t get us wrong, we love trendy hairstyles, they let you experiment with your look and have a bit of fun. After all, we’re all going to look back at old photos and laugh at something or other; all that matters is if you had fun in the moment.
Check out our list of eight men’s hairstyles that have proven to always look good!
1. The Side Part
A perfect middle-ground of stylish and casual, the side part is as intuitive as a hairstyle gets. It doesn’t matter how fashion-focused you are, any man with fingers will gravitate to styling their hair this way if they don’t want it to look like a mop.
Depending on your personal vibe it’s easy to “dress” this style up or down to your preference. Essentially the basics of the haircut are a simple short back and sides that leaves enough on the sides to play with. While in the chair, ask your barber to taper the back and sides, and leave enough on the top to style as you wish.
Whether you want a dry look, or a wet style, multiple products will work here, but you should use one that can be worked in with a comb. For a dry look, Uppercut Matte pomade works best. For the wet style, a nice strong pomade like Uppercut Deluxe will keep you looking sharp all day.
2. Buzz Cut
Show off that money maker more! Men have worn their hair short for as long as we’ve been able to shave it off. The buzz is the ultimate low-maintenance style that lets your face do the talking. And look, if your mug isn’t all that good-looking, at least you’ll look tough! It can also be a great compromise for men with thinning hair, as it can fill out patches that would otherwise appear to be balding.
Even a buzz cut deserves style! Try applying a small amount of beard balm to smooth out the hair and give a little shine to that dome!
3. The French Crop
If you like keeping your hair short, but want to stay clear of a full buzz-cut, the french crop is the look for you. It’s a low-maintenance style that gives an athletic/effortless aesthetic.
Modern french crops (also called skin fade crops) tend to line the fringe up quite straight, but they can also be worn with a jagged fringe for a more natural look. As a whole, the look includes buzzed or closely cropped sides and a lot of thickness on top with a small fringe that falls onto the forehead.
For most crops, a dry look will be timeless. For the shorter style, try the Bearded Chap Matte Cream. This will have a strong hold that will keep the styled locked in. For the longer, more natural crop, a styling powder is perfect. Uppercut Styling powder provides the ultimate dry look, with a light hold that won’t make you feel like you're wearing a helmet of clay.
4. Slicked Back
The more formal cousin of the side-part is often brought out for race days and formal events. This style is the definition of ‘clean’ and ‘professional’, and works best with a bit more hair on the top and sides.
Good products are key here if you don’t want to look like Dracula, or that one kid during school photos. To pull it off, you want to have enough weight at the top that you can brush up and back from your face. Overall, this look works best if your hair will hold by using a light product like matte paste or pomade, which is why it’s usually not recommended for people with thick, wild curls.
Slicked back hair can be tricky. For a shinier look, try using Bearded Chap Pomade. This has a light hold, but from a natural oil base. The product is durable and will let you re-style throughout the day, so don’t worry about running your hands through your hair.
5. Afro Or Lock Styles
Nothing will be as timeless as a natural-looking haircut. If your hairstyle looks like it’s something you just sprouted without much effort, it’s going to be in favour forever. The same goes for long hair or medium-length. Still, the ‘grown-out’ look is far from effortless. If you want to avoid looking scruffy or overgrown, regular trims are a must!
6. The Shape Up
Afro hair is a challenge and a half to style. Longer afro styles come with their own list of struggles but also rewards when you finally get in the groove. But, sometimes you just want something that will look good with minimal effort. Enter the shape up.
The shape up is clean, sharp and best of all, quick. Traditionally it includes straightening the hairline and using clean lines to frame the face. The sides are clipped close, and the top is either cut short or left with a bit on top for height. This style requires regular cuts to keep its shape, but makes up for that by needing hardly any styling after.
7. Shoulder Length Styles
Like we said earlier, the haircuts that withstand the test of time are those that look like you grew naturally. You don’t want your hair to reach your back, but the men who want longer hair often choose to keep it around the shoulder because it seems more voluminous and stylish.
For straight or even wavy hair, a shoulder-length look lets you live out your male model fantasy without looking like a Bible character. To avoid looking too roguish and bordering on dishevelled, we recommend regular trims to neaten your luscious locks and add shape. This style needs very few products, as it tends to look best flowing naturally. Still, you can try sea salt spray or a texturiser to thicken out thinner hair types for some texture.
The Bearded Chap makes a great Sea Salt spray that is 100% natural and will give that perfect grit like you’ve had a day at Noosa.
8. Quiff
A quiff is your standard pretty-boy hair. Think of all the most popular celebrities of the past 50 or so years. Each one has worn a quiff at some stage, but that’s because it’s great for framing the face and making your hair look more professional. The quiff works for most straight hair types and lengths since it’s just a longer fringe brushed upwards. Just remember to fade it in, or leave some length on the sides as combining it with an undercut can seem disproportionate.
For a strong finish on the quiff, try a dryer look. Uppercut Clay has recently been re-formulated and will comb through the hair perfectly to lift up that fringe.
Want To Try Any Of These Timeless Styles?
After checking out this list of timeless men’s hairstyles, come into a HMB Barbers shop to try it for yourself. We offer luxury men's haircuts across Australia. Check out our locations to see if there's a shop near you. HMB Barbers offer more than just haircuts. Our team of skilled barbers know how to complete your look. If you want to turn heads, take a seat in our chair.