Over the years behind the chair, it’s always been fairly easy for me to figure out the trends in men’s hair.
Today, it’s not so cut-and-dried.
Twenty years ago, television and movie stars largely dictated the trends.
When the movie Speed came out, everyone was coming and asking for buzz cuts like Keanu Reeves. When George Clooney popped up on ER, guys asked for the Caesar (or Clooney).
Today, however, with the evolution of men’s style and the popularity of social media platforms, men’s hair is a free-for-all. These days, guys are more comfortable with their skin and setting their own trends, and I’m here for it.
Generally speaking, in 2024, I’m seeing men opt for more casual, low-maintenance styles. Shaggier, more casual styles are replacing Slick, detailed pompadours.
Many guys are opting for the ultra-low maintenance style The New York Times has dubbed “The Travis Kelce Hairdo” (more on that later). We’re going more natural and less fussy than in years past.
In no particular order, these are the top 11 most requested hairstyles for 2024.
The Faded Buzzcut
The New York Times calls this cut the Travis Kelce as if he invented it. The truth is, I’ve been doing these types of haircuts on guys before Kelce was even born.
Due to its low-care aspects, the faded buzzcut has long been the haircut choice by police, military, and athletes alike.
It’s easy, masculine, and works with most face shapes, especially men with square faces (guys with round faces may want to add a square beard to enhance the jawline and offset the roundness of the buzz cut).
A common option to give this style a trendier edge is to bleach or dye it a funky color. As with any color service, I recommend having it done by a professional.
The Layered Shag
This haircut is an excellent option for men with wavy or curly hair. I recommend visiting a barber or stylist who works well with longer hair to get this look.
All you have to do is say, “Timothée Chalamet from Dune.” If your haircutter doesn’t know this style, they’ve been living under a rock.
For the layered shag, the hair is cut in long layers all over the head. For men with straight hair, a blow dryer with a diffuser and a bit of sea salt spray can help to add wave and texture. The layered shag is a run-your-fingers-through-it-and-go style for men with more natural waves.
The Textured Fade
The textured fade is a great option for most men. It is generally a very low-care style and is a solid alternative for the guy on the go who isn’t ready to buzz it all off.
For this cut, the hair is faded to the skin on the sides and back (the skin-tight portion can be high or low, depending on your preference). The top is cut short, texturized, and styled with a matt-finish clay or styling powder.
This style works well with many face shapes but is particularly well suited to men with oval, square, or triangular faces.
The Classic Taper
The classic taper is a timeless men’s haircut that will always stay in style. It’s suitable for almost any face shape or lifestyle.
The classic taper also offers several excellent styling options. For the office or a formal dinner, throw in some pomade and sweep the top back and to the side with a classic side part.
For a casual look, a matte finish styling product or powder can be added and styled with only your fingers.
The Curly Quiff
The curly quiff is a great option for a guy blessed with curly hair. It fades tight on the sides and back but leaves long enough on top so the curl takes center stage.
I love a good curl cream or pomade for styling to add shine and separation. Curly hair can often be a bit dryer, so adding a hydrating styling product and conditioning is often essential.
The Messy Pompadour
The messy pompadour is another great option for men who want styling options. This style is similar to a traditional pompadour but with more casual styling.
Simply adding a bit of powder or pomade and running your fingers through the top is all that is necessary. However, this cut can also be styled with a slick side part for a more formal look, making it more versatile.
The Messy Quiff
The messy quiff is all about texture. In this photo, my client Wesley’s hair has strong natural texture, so this was an easy look to achieve.
I faded the sides to the skin low around the sides and back, with about three inches of length on top. I added texture by drying his hair with a diffuser and salt spray.
This cut works for most face shapes.
The Business Cut
This style is a popular and safe option for a man who works in a more conservative field, such as law or finance.
The hair is clipper cut (or cut short with scissors) on the sides and back with a few inches of length on top.
For styling, a light pomade and brush can be used to sweep the hair back, and to the side, but for a night on the town, the hair can be scrunched with some salt spray to add texture.
Not too long, not too short, and suitable for all hair types.
The Modern Mullet
When I was a kid growing up in South Georgia, I had a mullet for a brief time. My haircut, however, was more of the Billy Ray Cyrus redneck variety than the modern mullet that we’re seeing today.
If I were younger and had better hair, I’d totally rock this style, which fades short on the sides and leaves it significantly longer in the back. You can have as much fun with this as you want—grow it long in the back for a more extreme look, or keep it shorter for something subtle yet still trendy.
For this client, I used shears to add a little texture to the top and styled it with powder for volume and a matte finish.
The Skin Fade
The skin fade is another timeless classic that will never go out of style. When asking your barber for a fade, I always recommend bringing in a photo because there are so many variations of this haircut.
A low fade (as pictured), mid fade, high fade, temple fade, and drop fade are all common variations.
Generally speaking, a low fade is best for guys who want to keep more length on top (although this is the most difficult fade, so a skilled barber is a must), while a high fade works best fif you want something lower maintenance or buzzed on top.
For the haircut in this photo, I did a very low skin fade blended into significant length on top, which was styled with pomade for shine and control.
The Faded Mohawk
In today’s almost ‘anything goes’ mindset, I’m seeing more variations of the mohawk popping up on heads and I’m not mad about it.
For this style, I buzzed Michael’s hair down with a number two blade and did a high skin fade on the sides. I blended the fade into the top, while the tale of the mohawk has a more distinct edge.
When I showed Michael the mirror, he asked if we could “make it more funky,” so I added a few diagonal lines to the back.
In the past, when we wanted to discover what was going to be trending in men’s hair and fashion, we’d look to Paris and the UK, but with social media connecting us to others all over the world, the trends change fast and often.
We really are in an anything-goes mindset for men’s hair. If you see something you want to try, go for it.
Stay handsome.
