Men’s Hairstyles: Long Men’s Hair Makeovers

Are you a man with long hair looking for a shorter men’s hairstyle? What I often found when I was working in a salon is men with long hair are often leery of getting it cut because they can’t picture what the end result will look like or they don’t know their options.

What you have to realize is that when you’re cutting off your long hair you have options. It’s not all about going from long to super short. There are many medium length men’s hairstyles that are so hot right now. Think Owen Wilson type hairstyles. You can still keep some of that length that you’re used to but give it a fresh look with a more flattering shape.

Shag-type hairstyles are an awesome choice for men who want to update their look but still keep some length. These types of men’s hairstyles are super trendy right now and don’t require as much work to style as you might think. Typically the hair is kept between collar length to just touching the shoulders in the back with long layers. The layers and length get a little shorter in the front to add shape but still blend well.

If you do decide to take it all off, think about keeping the sides and back short but leaving some length on top to play with and style. You might find you love the lighter feeling and low maintenance of that short men’s hairstyle after all.

Below is a video of a television show called Shear Genius. The premise of the show is that, like so many reality shows that are popular right now, people compete with each other through various challenges until one winner remains. This one pits hairstylist against each other to see who has the superior styling talent. In this challenge it was all about men with long hair getting it cut off. You’ll see some awesome examples of what new styles can be created out of long men’s hairstyles. Two things to watch for during this video: Do not attempt the men’s hairstyle where the stylist used the flat iron. Honestly, that stylist is an idiot unless that man is going to take the time to straighten his hair everyday. Pay close attention to the men’s hairstyle of the stylist who won. This is a perfect example of the popular men’s shag cut I was talking about.

I personally don’t like the look of men with all one length, long hair. I always think it look unkempt. I mean if Jon Bon Jovi cut his hair it’s time for every other man to do it too. If you’re a guy with long hair tell us why you haven’t cut it yet.

Subscribe to this blog's RSS feed

Tired of the same old men’s hairstyles? Well so are we! We know this blog is “her” hairstyles blog but we got so sick of the lack of great men’s hairstyles on blogs we decided to stage a revolt against the boring (we really hate the boring). So we’re bringing you three hot hairstyles to try next time you (or your man) visit the stylist.

The Buzz is…

Image details: Sony Ericsson Empire Film Awards: Winners Boards served by picapp.com

OK, so maybe your job demands that you must wear your hair short. That shouldn’t mean you can’t add a little style to it. For those with little options try a hairstyle such as Matt Damon’s. Instead of opting for the standard tapered men’s hairstyle go shorter on the sides and back to add some contrast to the length on top. Have your stylist cut your top layers with a straight razor to give them a little bit of a ragged look (unless your hair is thinning—then skip this step). Now style by applying pomade to the top layers and separating them with your fingers. The result is still business class but with a punch.

Just a little bit longer

Image details: Premiere Of Picturehouse’s “Run, Fat Boy, Run” served by picapp.com

This fresher take on the traditional short men’s hairstyle uses just a little added length to create a great new look. The majority of the length is focused in the front via a choppy bang which is pushed to the side when styling. The hair on the sides is grown to halfway down the ear and the back is left at collar length. To style simply ruffle hair with your hands while blow drying most of the moisture out of the hair. When the hair is only slightly damp distribute a small amount of styling wax to the palms of your hands and work through the hair. Style with your fingers to create a groomed look that’s not too straight laced.

Mid-Length, Yet Manly

Image details: You, Me and Dupree - UK Premiere served by picapp.com

If you dare to go a little bit longer yet this men’s hairstyle is a perfect mix of casual and sexy. Longer layers are cut all over the head creating a very laid back style. The sides are left below the ear and the back is grown to past the collar. Styling can be as easy as applying some gel to damp hair and finger styling or blow drying and finishing up with styling wax—it all depends on how “styled” you want your hair to look. While this men’s hair style probably won’t suit the boardroom it is a great option for those whose jobs don’t require such a clean cut look.

Now there’s no excuse not to live a little and alter that hair cut you’ve had since skinny leather neck ties were in style. If you have any questions about choosing a men’s hair style for you please leave a question in the comments section and we’ll be happy to try and answer it.

As a quick note I’m a firm believer that all hairstyles, even men’s hairstyles, benefit from a little product placement—meaning some styling products in your hair. If you’re unsure how to apply a styling product in your hair properly here’s a Youtube video that does a great job of explaining it. In the video she’s using gel on a man with longer hair but the principles of application work the same for just about any hair product on any length of hair (except you won’t have to flip your head with really short hair)

When I was searching for examples of men’s hairstyles to show you today I came across some pretty ridiculous ones. Let’s have a good laugh—find and link to the most hideous men’s hairstyle you can find and we’ll post the top three winners.