4 Hot Men’s Hairstyles for Spring
A new season calls for a new look.
From Colorado to Virginia, New York to North Carolina, Minnesota to Texas — yes, even Texas — it’s been a rough, rough winter in America. But there’s good news on the horizon, gentlemen: Spring is coming.
For lots of guys, spring means spring cleaning. Maybe you’ll clean out your garage. Perhaps you’ll primp and prep your lawn. You’ll probably reorganize your closet and your shed, and give your car a desperately needed wash. But what about your look? Doesn’t that deserve a spring cleaning, too?
Heck yeah it does. And a good place to start is with your hair … especially if you haven’t been combing or cutting it much during the COVID-19 pandemic. With warmer, sunnier days ahead — literally and figuratively — now is an ideal time to give your mane a makeover. Here are four of the hottest men’s hairstyles for spring:
1. The French Crop
A worldly guy deserves worldly hair. If that’s you, the French crop is your cut. European in all the best ways — trendy yet also timeless, like men’s fashions in Paris, Prague or Milan — it’s short, simple and stylish.
The Look: The French crop is short and faded on the sides and slightly longer on top, with a cropped fringe in front. (A fringe, by the way, is the wispy hair that’s cut and styled over the front hairline, covering part or all of the forehead. With a French crop, the fringe is typically cut straight across, creating a blunt line across the top of the forehead — which makes this a great cut for men with widow’s peaks.)
How to Style It: Wash or wet your hair, then dry it. French crops are typically styled towards the front of your face, so you can either push your hair forward with your fingertips and let it air dry or you can use a brush to comb your hair forward as you blow-dry it. It depends on the length and texture of your hair, and where it naturally falls when it dries. Once it’s dry, work a small amount of wax or clay — try Billy Jealousy Slush Fund Styling Mud for a strong hold, or Billy Jealousy Soft Rock Texturizing Clay for a medium hold — through your hair from back to front. Keep it flat for a neat look, or give your hair a tussle for a more textured appearance.
2. The Crew Cut
The crew cut is a classic men’s cut. Always has been, always will be. Named for the Ivy League rowers who popularized it in the 1920s and ’30s, it will keep you cool in the summer and is as low-maintenance as men’s haircuts get — short of a full-on buzz cut, that is.
The Look: Like the French crop, the crew cut is all about short, faded sides and slightly longer — but still quite short — hair on top. The big difference is the hairline. Whereas a French crop is worn forward with a cropped fringe, the crew cut is usually worn up.
How to Style It: Wet or wash your hair, then dry it. As with the French crop, you can air-dry or blow-dry your hair — as long as your dried hair lays forward. Next, apply a small amount of product to your hair, working it in from the back to the front. Finally, finish by pushing the front of your hair up so as to create a lifted or even spiky look. To achieve the lift you’re looking for, a product with strong hold is ideal, like Billy Jealousy Slush Fund Styling Mud, Billy Jealousy Headlock Hair Molding Cream or Billy Jealousy Sculpt Friction Fiber Paste. Or try Billy Jealousy Controlled Substance Hard Hold Gel, which is the best hair gel for men who want their crew cut to have a shinier, spikier look.
3. The Faux Hawk
The faux hawk toes the line between edgy and urbane. If you’re a dude who’s professional during the week but punk on the weekend, it’s your perfect look.
The Look: Named for the indigenous Mohawk nation of upstate New York, but popularized by the punk rockers of the 1980s, the mohawk has shaved sides and a stark strip of hair in the middle. The faux hawk is slightly less dramatic. The sides are clipped short but not entirely shaved, the front is a tad longer than the back, and the longer strip in the middle blends in more than it stands out. Although you can sculpt a faux hawk from shorter or even longer hair, medium-length hair typically is best for achieving the signature contrast between short hair on the bottom and long hair on the top.
How to Style It: Wet or wash your hair, then pat it dry with a towel so that it’s damp but not soaking. Apply product, working it in from the back of your head to the front. You want something with high hold and a volumizing effect that will lift your hair so that it stands up like a mohawk. Billy Jealousy Sculpt Friction Fiber Paste and Billy Jealousy Headlock Molding Cream are good choices. Next, blow-dry your hair while combing it forward, then brush it to each side — left, then right — while continuing to blow-dry. When your hair’s dry, it should be thick and standing up, at which point you can shape it. To do so, rub a little bit of pomade between your palms until your hands are sticky, then gently sweep your hair toward the center of your head from both sides at the same time, “sandwiching” your hair between your palms create the tapered wedge for which faux hawks are known. Billy Jealousy Plaster Master Strong Hold Pomade is the best pomade for men who want a shiny finish while Billy Jealousy Devil’s Delight Matte Pomade is the best pomade for men who prefer a matte finish.
4. The Pompadour
Elvis Presley’s music never goes out of style — and neither does his 1950s haircut: the pompadour, which is a slick style for men with slightly longer manes.
The Look: The pompadour is instantly recognizable thanks to its large, rolled shape, which is achieved by taking a large volume of long hair (usually about 3 to 5 inches long) and styling it up and back, away from the forehead in a rounded fashion. It’s retro, but in a classic way — like a ’57 Chevy.
How to Style It: Wash and towel-dry your hair, then comb it backwards away from your forehead, using a blow-dryer to dry it as you comb it. Once your hair is almost dry, rub a small amount of product in between your palms and run it through your hair. A water- based pomade like Billy Jealousy Plaster Master Strong Hold Pomade or Billy Jealousy Devil’s Delight Matte Pomade typically works best. Next, resume combing, again going back from the forehead and temples to the crown of your head. While combing with one hand, use the other hand to gently pat, smooth and shape your hair, pushing the whole mass forward carefully so that it stands up. Finally, finish with a mist of hairspray.
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