The 32 Most Handsome Men’s Haircuts & Hairstyles

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There are few better ways for a man to put his best face forward than with a new, handsome haircut.

Whether you’re rocking locks that would put Jason Momoa to shame, a buzz cut that would make Jason Statham proud, or anything in between, finding the right hair style to suit your face shape and overall look is one of the easiest ways to elevate your appearance.

Young Black man with short cropped hair and sunglasses

(Of course, it’s also totally fine if your hairstyle has nothing to do with a famously jacked guy named Jason…)

In this post you’ll find dozens of the most attractive men’s haircuts, in a broad range of styles, textures and lengths.

Use the hairstyles listed here to inspire your next cut and (almost as importantly) give you a handy reference point to show your barber.

Your Guide to the Best Men’s Hairstyles

Rounding Up the Most Handsome Mens Haircuts

Sharp Mens Short Haircuts

Classic Side Part

Side part haircut
Don Draper may have lived in the 1960s, but Jon Hamm’s side part has become one of the hottest haircuts of this millennium

One of the most classic men’s haircuts (and, for my money, one of the most attractive), the side part is exactly what it sounds like:

You part your hair at roughly the point where the side of your head meets the top, then comb the hair on either side away from the part.

Even though it’s a classic cut that men have been sporting for decades, it can either look super vintage or have a modern twist, depending on how high you choose to taper and how short you decide to go along the sides.

In more modern styles, it’s often combined with a taper or fade (on which more below).

Best Product for a Side Part: Pomade

According to FashionBeans, the best product for styling a side part is pomade, “which works especially well with medium-length to longer hair and has a distinctly wet look without all the crunch and clumps you get from a gel.”

One of the best options is American Crew’s “smooth control and high shine” pomade, which has 4.6 stars on Amazon (after a whopping 2,800 reviews), and should be the perfect way to get that Draper-esque sheen.


Crew Cut

Crew cut haircut on actor Colton Haynes
Crew cut photo: Thibault, via Wikimedia

Another classic cut that men have worn for decades, there’s not much to the crew cut—and that’s exactly the point.

Reminiscent of the short-cropped cuts issued to military men, the crew is a clean cut that features shaved sides, which are buzzed quite short.

On top the hair is a little longer (not buzzed, but still quite short), and the front is left longer than the hair at the back.

Best Product for a Crew Cut: Hair Wax

You can also use gel to style a crew cut, but I wouldn’t recommend it – gel tends to clump, and can make your hair look brittle, which is not exactly a great look.

Instead, try a hair wax like Bed Head for Men’s matte separation workable wax. It will give you the hold necessary to keep your short hair in place, without the gross “I accidentally glued my hair in place” brittleness of gel.


Undercut

Undercut haircut
Zachary Quinto sports a classic undercut (photo: David Shankbone via Wikimedia)

With an undercut, the hair on the sides is buzzed short, while the hair on the top is quite long.

The idea is that when the hair on the top is worn down (as opposed to being slicked back), it hangs long over the ears, while all of the hair underneath is cropped super short.

Best Product for an Undercut: Pomade

The same American Crew pomade recommended above for a side part can be used for an undercut; it’s really just a question of quantity.

If you want to slick your hair back and keep it in place, then you’ll probably use almost the same amount of pomade as you would for a side part. But if you want it to roguishly fall out of place, the way Zachary Qunito’s is above, then you can use 3o to 40 percent less.


Disconnected Undercut

Disconnected undercut haircut
Photo via menshaircuts.com on Pinterest

This is a vintage men’s haircut that was probably the most popular style of the 1920s, and can be seen in Depression-era shows like Boardwalk Empire.

With a disconnected undercut, the hair on the top of your head and the hair on the sides of your head are “disconnected,” meaning that instead of being separated by a side part (like Zachary Quinto sports in the undercut pic above) they’re totally separate.

It’s almost as if you have two different haircuts: the hair on the top is long and often slicked back, while the hair on the sides is a super-short buzz cut.

What’s a buzz cut, you ask? Well…


Buzz Cut

Buzz cut haircut
Buzz cut rocked to perfection by Michael Jordan in GQ

In addition to being the shortest of all the short hairstyles on this list, buzz cuts are also about as basic as a haircut gets.

They work equally well with any hair type, whether you have thick and curly hair or thin hair that’s straight as an arrow.

With buzz cuts the more important factor is your head shape, which can be the difference between looking bad-ass or just looking… well, bad.

Pro Tip:

With a buzz cut, don’t use the same number guard all the way around your head.

Try something like a number four or five on the top so it’s a bit longer, then go for short sides by doing a high fade that goes from a three down to a two or one near the bottom.


Caesar Cut

Caesar cut hairstyle
The late Andy Whitfield rocked a classic caesar cut in Spartacus

As the name implies, the caesar cut is an ancient men’s haircut, but don’t let its vintage fool you—today some of the most fashion-forward guys sport a caesar.

With a caesar the hair on the top is pushed forward, as opposed to slicked back or combed to the side, and hangs over your hairline so that it falls near the top or middle of your forehead.


French Crop

French crop haircut
Photo via menshaircuts.com on Pinterest

The basic form of the French crop is the same as a caesar.

But the French crop maintains more hair length on the top, and is usually cut more uniformly along the forehead, so that it forms an almost-straight line.

As the name suggests, it has a distinctly European feel, making it a more fashion-forward alternative to the caesar, which is seen more widely in North America.


Classic Taper Fade

Taper fade haircut
Taper fade example via xxyingfang on Instagram

One of the most classic and unimpeachable men’s hairstyles, with a taper fade your hair is at its longest on top, and gradually gets shorter as you move down your head towards your neck.


Low Taper or Low Fade

Low taper hairstyle
Low taper image via Babershopconnect.com

A low taper or a low fade follows the same basic principle of long on top and lower at the bottom, but it stays longer for… well, longer.

It doesn’t start tapering/fading until around the ear, leaving you more length on the sides.


Mid Taper or Mid Fade

Mid taper haircut
Mid taper image via doubleocuts on Instagram

With a low taper or fade, the hair doesn’t start getting shorter until a lower point on your head.

But with a mid taper or mid fade, the faded sides start somewhere in the middle, usually around the top of the ear.


High Taper or High Fade

High taper hair style
High taper image via directoriotab on Instagram

At this point you can probably figure it out:

A high taper or high fade means that the hair on the side of your head starts getting shorter almost immediately, so that the entire side and back of your head are much shorter than whatever length you have on top.


Stylish Mens Medium-Length Haircuts

Pompadour

Conan O'Brien Pompadour haircut
Conan O’Brien rocks a pompadour –not to mention a denim jacket – to perfection (Photo via Team Coco)

The pompadour means different things depending on the time period.

It gets its name from Madame de Pompadour, a mistress of France’s King Louis XV, whose hair swept up in a huge wave that extended up from her forehead before falling back down toward her crown.

The modern male version is not quite that extreme, but features medium length hair that follows the same basic principle.

It’s usually combined with a side part, but sweeps up and back before falling down and away from the part.

Best Products for a Pompadour: Pomade and Sculpting Clay

According to hairdresser Phillip Adam, the best way to attain the full pompadour look is to mix two products together to get the right combination of volume and hold that you need.

Try taking the American Crew pomade recommended above, and mixing it with a styling clay like this one from Seven Potions.

Alternatively, you could opt for a clay-based pomade like this one from Man Made, which combines both types into one product.


Slicked Back

Slicked back hair cut
Photo via nextluxury on Pinterest

The key to making the slicked-back look work is making sure that your hair looks styled, but not soaking wet.

When your hair is relatively dry and you use the right product, like a good pomade, the slicked-back look says “stylish rebel.”

But when your hair is soaking wet and you use gel or mousse, the look is less “stylish rebel” and more “Wall Street douchebag.”

And I think we can all agree that “douchebag haircut” is not what you’re going for. (It’s not… right? Please tell me it’s not.)


Quiff

Quiff haircut
Photo via American Crew

A classic cut with a terrible (and vaguely vulgar-sounding) name, the quiff is kind of like a pompadour, only it’s not just the hair at the front of your forehead that stands tall.

It’s a great style to pair with a side part, and adding a taper on the sides makes the whole thing look polished and put together.


Blowout

Blowout mens haircut
Photo via menshairstyletrends.com on Pinterest

If you’ve got thick hair and want a haircut that makes a statement, a blowout is a bold (and pretty bad-ass) option.

As the name implies, you blow dry your hairs so that it goes up and out, creating a big, unstructured – and unmissable – look.


Comb Over

Comb over haircut
Photo via hairmanz.com on Pinterest

The comb over is easily the most confusing men’s hairstyle because it sounds like what a balding guy with a receding hairline does to try and hide his bald spots.

And that’s a shame, because in truth the comb over actually looks like the side part and is an incredibly stylish look.

Haircutinspiration.com has a great explanation that clarifies things:

“The comb over haircut is a style in which the hair is combed to one side and paired with a hard side part. It’s similar to a classic side part, but its side swept look gives a different appearance… It’s also one of the few styles that gives you volume by its construction. Even though the hair is only a few inches long, it gives the appearance of much more hair.” 


Faux Hawk

Faux hawk haircut

A more mainstreamed version of the classic mohawk, the faux hawk maintains a bit more length on the sides (as opposed to going completely down to the scalp), but less length on the top.

It’s a short, easy style that’s great for casual looks and one of the best hairstyles for summer.


Bro Flow

Bro flow haircut
Photo via GQ


Coined by GQ back in 2017
, “Bro Flow” is an unforgivable name for an undeniably stylish hairstyle.

(Here in Canada we also call this look “hockey hair.”)

With this style, you maintain a lot of length all the way around your head, then sweep it back on the top, creating the titular “flow.”


Hard Part

Hard part hairstyle

An aggressive take on the classic side part, the hard part hairstyle is a pronounced part that clearly delineates between the hair on the top of the head and the sides.

It’s included here in the medium-length hair cuts section because it’s usually best achieved by maintaining a bit of length on the sides, which helps make the part – and the bit of scalp that it reveals – stand out.


Fringe

Fringe hairstyle
Photo via menshairstylestoday.com on Pinterest

The fringe hairstyle is similar to the French crop mentioned above, in that the the hair is pushed forward and the bangs hang over the forehead.

But with the fringe the hair is generally kept longer, and often styled in a messier/less structured way.


Messy Waves

Messy waves hairstyle
Photo via Pinterest

One of the most literal names on this list, the messy waves style is like the fringe on steroids.

It has slightly more length and way less structure, which give the style (and the man who wears it) more of a rebellious and care-free vibe.


Bad-Ass & Attractive Long Haircuts for Men

Loose Waves

Loose waves haircut

Want to feel like an ancient warrior or modern day Marvel God of Thunder?

The loose waves look evokes days of yore, when wavy hair and long, flowing locks were a sign of vitality, fertility and strength.


Loose Curls

Loose curls long hairstyle

A variation of the loose waves, loose curls give off a similar sense of virility, but with an added flare.

If your hair is naturally curly, growing it out into loose curls creates a unique style and bad-ass look that pairs exceptionally well with a leather jacket and a “no fucks given” attitude.


Straight Long

John Wick haircut

While straight long hair looks great when worn with casual attire, Keanu Reeves’ John Wick proved that it can also look lethal (pun very much intended) in a well cut suit.


Parted But Long

Man with long hair parted to the sdie
Photo via menshaircuts.com on Pinterest

This look is what happens when you start with a side part, then skip going to the barber shop or hair stylist for a few months.

The result is one of the more roguishly handsome hairstyles on this list, one that’s masculine as hell, if not as polished and put together as some of the other looks on this list.


Ponytail

Man with ponytail
Photo via menshaircuts.com on Pinterest

A ponytail isn’t just a great way to pull your hair back out of your face, it’s also a great look in and of itself.

Depending on how tightly you pull back your hair, rocking a ponytail can combine the masculine strength of long hair with timeless cool of the slick back.


Half-Up

Jon Snow half up hairstyle
Jon Snow may know nothing, but Aegon Targaryen sure knows how to rock the half-up hairstyle

Skirting the line between a ponytail and long hair worn loose, the half-up is exactly what it sounds like:

You pull the hair on the top half of your head back into a pony tail, but leave the hair on the bottom down.

Random But Hilarious:

Apparently Google has a lot more respect for porn parodies than you might have thought. When I Googled “Jon Snow real name” to remind myself for that joke above, this is the result I got:

Screenshot of search results for Jon Snow

The truly crazy part? The storyline where the hero bangs his aunt was in the original — and won like a billion Emmy awards!


Man Bun

Man bun hairstyle

A controversial choice for this list, the man bun was born of functionality (when you have long hair, sometimes it’s just easier to put it up in a bun), but its form became famous.

When done well, it gives you a lot of the same advantages as the ponytail, but more convenience.


Braids

Young black man with braided hair
Photo via menshairstyletrends.com on Pinterest

Whether your braids are long, short or somewhere in between, a braided men’s hairstyle is a unique look that always makes a statement.

(And it’s usually something like, “I’m going to style my hair however the F I want.”)


The Man Bun & Braids Combo

Long braided hair pulled up in man bun
Photo via lovehairstyles.com on Pinterest

A combination of the previous two trendy styles, you don’t see this look very often because it requires braided hair that’s long enough to be put up in a bun.

Braids that long tend to make an impact in and of themselves, but when styled in a bun the look becomes basically impossible to miss.


Dreadlocks

Black man with dreadlocks

Dreads have always been a classic look, but as style has loosened up and evolved over the years, what it means to have dreads has as well.

Previous (and more judgmental) generations would look at guys with dreads and conclude they’re “hippies.”

More recently, dreadlocked men might be deemed “hipsters.” And today? Today they’re just hip.

(But don’t call them that—who says “hip” anymore?)


Topknot

Top knot hairstyle
Photo via coolmenshair.com on Pinterest

A variation of the man bun inspired by samurai warriors, with the top knot the hair is cinched closer to the top of your head, rather than the back, so that the bun/knot is visible from the front.

If you’re looking for a way to put your hair up that makes more a statement, the top knot is a great option.


You Know the Best & Most Popular Men’s Haircuts

Now Take the Next Step Toward Sharper Style

Now that you know which men’s hairstyles are the most classic, versatile and stylish, you can step up your hair game and help your head look (even more) handsome.

But while a man’s hair is an important aspect of his style, even the best haircuts are really only one piece of his overall appearance.

If the rest of your get up isn’t on-point, then rocking a fresh cut will only get you so far.

The good news is that stepping up your style to the point where you can out-dress the other guys is easier than you might think.

At the end of the day, the handsome devil is in the details: when you learn how to do all the little things right, they add up to make a big difference in the way people perceive you.

If you want to make sure your handsomeness extends well beyond your haircut, enter your email address below.

I’ll send you a head-to-checklist that outlines the Nine Details You Need to Nail if you want to look polished and put-together.

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More Resources ↓

More Men’s Grooming Advice From Irreverent Gent:
More Handsome Men’s Haircuts From Around Ye Olde Interwebs:

Banner image: Stefanamer / iStock Photo

About Dave Bowden

Dave Bowden

Irreverent Gent founder Dave Bowden is a style blogger whose advice on how to look good and live well has been featured in some of the world’s most trusted publications, including New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider and more.

When not obsessing over style and self-improvement, he can usually be found spending time with his wonderful wife and sons, indulging in a hoppy craft beer, or sobbing over the woeful state of Toronto's sports teams.

Check out Dave's Style Story to find out how a chance encounter with his friend's step-dad taught him the value of looking good and living well. (Don't worry—it's less creepy than it sounds!)

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