Men’s Hairstyles from 1950 to the Present
Hairstyles for men have gone through many changes in the last 50 to
60 years. The thing that may, or may not, be noticed is just how the
hairstyles have recycled over the years. Many lengths and styles are
seen over and over again, with only a few differences.
Men in the 1950’s wore many types of hairstyles taken from famous
movie stars. This was considered to be a rather conservative time in
America, but a lot of men wore their hairstyles in any way BUT
conservative. One hairstyle for men during this time was the short lived
Apache. With its close cropped sides and a shaved center strip, it is
often called the reverse Mohawk. Another popular men’s hairstyle then
was influenced by the Apache. It was known as the Flat Top Crew Cut. It
looked a lot like the Apache but was more conservative and seems to be
what most people consider representative of that era. The Ducktail
hairstyle was quite popular for younger men during the 1950’s. It was
called this because the cut sides were brushed back behind the head and
then flipped like a duck’s tail. The Pompadour was one of the more
interesting hairstyles for men during this time. In this style, the hair
was pushed up high in the front then swept upward and high over the
forehead, and the sides flattened out. Don’t forget that this is also
when sideburns became popular. They usually were cut an inch from the
ear.
The introduction of The Beatles in the early 1960’s heralded the
beginning of some of the worst arguments between teenaged sons and their
parents over hairstyles. They all wanted desperately to sport the
longish shaggy look of the Fab 4 so that girls would swoon and scream
over them, too. Most parents hated this look and found it too “messy”
and “girlish.” This Mop Top or Shag look caught on in spite of parental
outcries and this hairstyle was sported by many male teenagers as well
as young adult men. Later in the 60’s, the hippy movement of love and
peace caught on and men began letting their hair grow longer and longer.
These hairstyles were either soft and flowing, or curly and tangled in
appearance. It was not surprising to see men during the later 60’s with
hair down to the middle of their backs and longer. The 60’s also
introduced the Afro hair style which was worn by both African-American
men and Caucasian men.
As the 60’s blended into the 70’s, long straight hair was still most
popular for men, even if it meant ironing it to get it straight. This
style was usually worn with a simple part down the middle of the head.
While there were variations of this style, the Shag and Mullet were also
introduced during the 70’s. The Mullet sometimes was a compromise
between teenaged boys and their parents, because it was short in the
front and long in the back. This way, their hair was not in their eyes
or over their ears, but the guys got to have the long hair they wanted.
Moving into the 80’s, versions of the Mullet were still around. Added
to that, were the long, layered, and razor cut big hair styles. These
were sported by many rock groups of that era and had symmetrically cut
long layers with a lot of texture and wave added in. This hair style
generally went past the shoulders and was very full. There was also the
shoulder length style which was swept back on the sides and cut fuller
on the top. The Shag was still around to an extent. These were shorter,
shaggier and fuller than the 1970’s counterpart.
With the advent of the New Wave music, asymmetrical and edgy
hairstyles entered the 80’s. Some of these styles featured chin lengths
on one side and just above the ear on the other side. These were some
very dramatic hairstyles but tended to die out rather quickly. The
exception to this was the Mohawk. That particular hairstyle made it
through from the 80’s to present day. Frizzy styles were also quite
popular for men during the 80’s. This style included many bold and wild
colors. The Jheri Curl was introduced and became quite popular during
the 80’s. This hairstyle originated with African Americans who used
techniques to relax their extra tight curly hair. This resulted in the
curly style that so many people loved.
Many of men’s hairstyles in the 90’s were an extension of the 80’s
styles. One of these is called the Rat Tail. It is another version of
the Mullet, only with a thin strand of hair left really long in the back
and braided. This “tail” could also appear on the back of a shaved or
cropped head. The 90’s also witnessed an influx of spiky hairstyles on
men. These were quite extravagant in both style and color. Guys spent
quite a bit of time on this hairstyle just to get it to look perfect.
The hairstyles of the 90’s started to become less restrictive as to how
men were “allowed” to wear their hair. While there were many fashionable
styles for men, there was also the freedom for men to choose what they
wanted to do with their hair.
Moving into the 21st century, there seems to be a revivable of many
of the past hairstyles for men. The punk and Goth influenced Emo
hairstyle is something that you may see on many teenagers to young
adults. This hairstyle is more of an expression of personality and self
than it is a style, as it is individual to each guy who wears it. It is
cut in many lengths and is usually dyed black with bold colors
highlighting or tipping the ends. There are still short hair cuts for
the men who prefer that, just as there are still many longer hairstyles
for men who enjoy that particular look. With all of the different gels,
sprays, and mousses on the market today, it’s even easier for men to
attain the perfect look.
The best way to decide what is going to work out best for you is to
visit your favorite hairstylist. This is where you will be sure to get
the best hairstyle that fits your facial features as well as flatters
you. Today, there is no limit to the possibilities a man can have in a
hairstyle. Whatever he chooses, it will be in style. |
