All fashion trends come back after a certain period of time, meaning they are cyclical and in recent years have gradually modernized the looks of the 20th Century and planted them firmly in the 21st. And so too it is with men’s hair trends in 2009: it’s out with the new, and in with the old. Or at least an old hair style with a new twist.
During 2009, it seems that men’s hair styles have fallen into two distinct categories: school boy and rocker. But while the rocker look is a 20th Century creation, the resulting hair style finds its roots distinctly in 19th Century Britain. And so it is in 2010; while the odd 2009 runway collection featured something akin to a grunge revival, the majority of us will live out 2009 with a refined, classically inspired hair cut.
2010 Hair Cuts and Styles for Men
The Fringe
Increasingly, current men’s fashion trends are being based upon last season’s women’s fashion trends so it comes as no surprise that the fringe will be a major feature of men’s hair trends in 2010. Thankfully it won’t take all it’s cues from the women’s fringe trend of 2010, nor will it be long enough to warrant accusations of being a medieval-bowl-cut revival.
How To Cut The Fringe
Thankfully, the men’s fringe trend in 2010 comes in a variety of lengths, so you’re going to be able to play with the look to suit your face shape. While you’ll be looking to keep shorter back and sides (British grade 4-5), the way of truly making it your own is to play with the length of the fringe itself. No better example exists than the Bottega Veneta Men’s Spring-Summer 2009 catwalk which provided two fringes in stark contrast to each other:
Of the two, the latter side swept fringe is the more preferential, with the cropped fringe looking a little too nondescript. If the side swept fringe does look like a hair style you might wear, be sure to check out Marni’s menswear Fall(Autumn)/Winter 2009/2010 catwalk collection where it was a look sported by most of the models.
Personally, I’d recommend something far more current and cut your fringe with texture and at brow length as seen on Burberry Prorsum’s Men’s Spring/Summer 2010 catwalk (below).
How To Style The Fringe
Whether you take a straightening iron to your hair or enjoy naturally straight hair, the men’s fringe trend in 2010 is all about texture. I’m not talking about afro-inducing curls akin to those spotted on Alexander McQueen’s Fall(Autumn)/Winter 2009/2010 runway (those were horrible) but light, layered detail. And in giving us the best length, Burberry Prorsum also featured the best textured styling for the men’s fringe:
Regency hair style from Burberry Prorsum’s Men’s Spring/Summer 2010
This textured hair style, with its longer fringe, is the 2010 incarnation of the ‘Caesar cut’, named after the hair style Roman dictator perpetuus Julius Caesar who is frequently depicted wearing his hair in a similar fashion. For a similar reason, it’s also become known as ‘the Clooney Cut’ after actor George Clooney. While cut to bring hair from the temples and crown towards the forehead, the overall effect depends largely on using a matte wax or pomade to create the rugged texture and is quite akin to something sported by men in the Regency era.
And if it’s a rugged texture you’re after, particularly if you have wavy or curly hair, then look no further than Gucci’s Men’s Fall (Autumn)/Winter 2009/2010 catwalk where the models oozed sex with a take on 2010’s fringe hair style trend.
Rocker fringe from Gucci Menswear Fall (Autumn)/Winter 2009/2010
The Slick Back
Though he’s given his name to an incarnation of the fringe hair trend, actor George Clooney has been a larger influence of another of 2009’s hair style trends for men: the slick back.
In being a part of 2009 hair trends the slick back drives home one major point: men’s hair styles in 2009 are all about the classics. In fact the slick back may actually be a little too classic for most men, with its popularity in the likes of Ralph Lauren catalogues it actually conveys a real American style that will guarantee it success in the States but probably little outside.
How To Cut The Slick Back
If you’re after the slick back look there’s one important thing to first consider: is your hair wavy or straight. From there on in it’s easy.
Guys with straight hair: stick to a longer cut on top. Guys with wavy hair: go for short hair on top, perhaps a few inches in length depending on the strength of your wave. The two models below, both from Jil Sander’s Spring-Summer 2009 catwalk, best demonstrate the different cut lengths for the two hair types.
Partless slick back on Jil Sander’s Spring-Summer 2009 men’s catwalk
For both straight haired and wavy haired men: short on the sides.
And for those who have neither straight nor wavy hair? Consult your stylist. You’re going to have a real time getting the slick back hair style with curly hair, and unless you’re willing to dedicate vast amounts of time each morning to your hair you might want to seek a chemical curl relaxer.
How To Style The Slick Back
Looking at it, you already know it’s not going to take a lot of effort to style the slick back (provided your hair is suitable, and cut appropriately). Using the right product, like good old-school Brylcreem if you’re after a classic wet look, the real trick is to make sure that the side you choose to slick the hair back towards actually suits your face. Try both ways, and don’t forget that your mirror doesn’t show your true image.
The other major choice is whether to add a part or not. Clooney wears it with one, as did many a model on Moschino’s Fall(Autumn)/Winter 2009/2010 catwalk, while the models at Jil Sander’s collection launch (above) wore the look partless.
The Classic Part
Wearing the slick back hair trend partless might not be the way to go, however, given that the traditional part figures in so heavily into men’s hair trends in 2009.
But while a part my seem simple enough, plenty of options still abound.
How To Cut The Classic Part
This one, I’m well and truly leaving alone. No, this is not a white flag of surrender. There are simply too many ways to cut a hair cut worthy of a part. See your stylist, but before you do so, here are some tips on the styling.
How To Style The Classic Part
There are so many options here, as you can apply a part to most any hair style. However, the classic part in 2009 is very much about traditional styling – the sort worn de rigueur by the likes of actor Cary Grant and The Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor; the 20th Century’s ultimate trend setter. And it is from the Duke (middle and right, below) that we can see two classic stylings: the side sweep (right) and the slick back (middle).
Cary Grant and HRH The Duke of Windsor
Grant too wears the side sweep though, unlike the Duke of Windsor, this is no ordinary part but rather the scalp revealing kind that arguably hasn’t been truly fashionable since Grant himself was setting the silver screen alight. You can also take your queues from another of 2009’s men’s hair trends, the fringe, and combine it with a part as seen on Roberto Cavalli’s men’s Fall (Autumn)/Winter 2009/2010runway.
A piece of advise: avoid the soft part we saw on Calvin Klein’s Spring/Summer 2010 men’s runway (below). It’s far too effeminate, and doesn’t cast a sleek nor stylish figure.
The soft part at Calvin Klein Spring/Summer 2009
As with styling the slick back, the trick here is to find a part that suits your face shape. Though some will argue that the side you part your hair on reveals great details about your personality (it doesn’t, some people just have too much time on their hands) the truth is that making the part look sexy really comes down to cohesion between your hair and facial structure.
2010 Hair Colours for Men
As far as 2010’s hair trends, celebrity hair stylist, and inventor of the pob, Ben Cooke answered shortly: obvious blond hair color for men during 2010.
That is, if you’re going for a really sharp look. ‘Obvious blonde’ is a color that will work for a sharply and well polishted cut. Nor will it work if it’s verging on on white blonde. The first picture at your right is from Dsquared2’s men’s Fall (Autumn)/Winter 2009/2010 catwalk is spot on in both colour and style for 2010’s hair trends, where as the second look from Moschino’s men’s Fall (Autumn)/Winter 2009/2010 runway misses the mark for its over-blonding and lack of sharp styling.
