If you’re one of those guys lucky enough to have great hair that looks great long — I’m not, but hey, a man can dream, right? — and you’ve invested the time to grow it out, you might be confused or undecided about how to wear your long locks. Long hair is an amazing way to create a stellar first impression, and of course, the attraction potential is endless.
Still, you have to get your long hairstyle right, and you have to know how to take care of it, too. Few things are worse than having long-flowing locks that end up in an out-of-date style that comes up short, but fear not — we’re here to help. What follows is a breakdown of the most popular long hairstyles for men, along with some of the dos and don’ts and some haircare tips you’ll find essential.
The stylistic breakdown
To get a roadmap to help you choose the best long hairstyle for you, we turned to Nick Karel, Master Barber at The Barbershop Cuts and Cocktails in Las Vegas.
“When it comes to men’s long hair, both style and health are key considerations,” he said. “For styling, a messy crop cut is becoming a go-to choice for its low maintenance, while comb-overs remain a classic option for formal looks. Meanwhile, the mullet is making a comeback in the hipster scene.”
There are others, though, so let’s cut through some of the stylistic noise and give you some great choices.
The undercut and the messy crop cut
Stark contrast is a stunning way to create a deeply personalized look when you’re choosing from the available long hairstyles, and the undercut does that with style and flair — or rough and ready, if that’s what you’re after. It’ll feel pretty daring to spend months growing your hair out exactly the right way, then eliminating your hard work by buzzing part of your scalp to the skin. But it’s part of the drill when it comes to the undercut, and the results are more than worth it.
It’s important to sweat the details of this particular look, too. You can go with a swept-over look, or you can use a variable comb-over, with combinations that will attract attention in a half dozen or more different ways. The undercut also works even better with stubble or an outright beard, which will hold the attention of curious onlookers after they see what you’ve done with your long locks.
The low-maintenance version of this is the messy crop cut. It’s still technically an undercut, but the “messy” part means you can grow it out to meet your needs and preferences.
Textured waves
One of the biggest advantages of growing your hair out is that you’ve got a lot of style options, and we’ll start with the one that was popularized by none other than Harry Styles. Textured waves like the ones he sports can be done in layers, and you can also add extra volume. The style can even hint at an old-school pompadour or one that’s updated in a way that says “you.”
If you’re lucky enough to be able to go for this kind of look, you should know that it takes time to maintain it and get it right, so count on spending extra time in front of your mirror. (Just remember to smile when your significant other accuses you of misdemeanor vanity.)
Ponytail
Women have known for years that the ponytail is a versatile look that offers all kinds of convenience, but they’re also aware that there’s a lot more to getting it right than just grabbing a hairband, then an appropriate amount of hair and applying a band.
Start with this long hairstyle tip: It’s important to know as much as possible about your hair volume. Are you one of those dudes with naturally big hair, or does yours lay flat without? Does it take a lot of fluffing and prompting to get it right? Knowing that will help you choose the right angle for your ponytail, and if you need more volume, you can bind it closer to your head or further down.
Another pro tip is to remember what women have known about forever when it comes to this particular style. Tight ponytails or man buns can damage hair, and over time, they can even cause your hairline to recede, so keep things loose if a ponytail is going to be your standard look.
Those choices will give you three or four superb looks to choose from, but there’s a lot more you can do to truly represent. Your look might be leaving some of the hair unbound to create a messy style that’s both individual and sexy, and you can use parts of your neckline exposed to accentuate whatever look you choose.
The mullet
You probably cringed a little when you read the above headline, but that’s OK. We’ve all seen plenty of bad mullets, but there’s a reason the mullet refuses to die. It’s an easy look to get, and it’s also easy to personalize if you steer clear of the obvious cliches and you know exactly what you want when you personalize your mullet.
You’ll have a lot of choices. The modern mullet can feature taper fades and layered textures, or you can go shaggy and loose to get that relaxed look. You can even combine it with an undercut, and if you’re truly daring, you can add bright colors, highlights, or a dip dye to get that perfect signature touch. Facial hair can complete the look, and you can finish it off with a flair using accessories like headbands, bandannas, beads, or hair clips, then the ultimate funky hat.
Just remember not to take whatever you do too personally. One of the more fun aspects of the mullet is that it has a goofy, offbeat history that makes it easy to go over the top and take chances. Keep in mind that you’ll need to do regular trims and invest in the right products, otherwise your mullet could lapse into hair cliches that are may be timeless, but many are painful to revisit.
Long braids
If your hair lends itself to long braids, you’re a very lucky man indeed. You’ve just hit the jackpot when it comes to versatility, given that long braids probably offer more possible looks than any other style in this list.
Start with the composition of the braids themselves. The standard look for long braids is the three-strand special, which is easy to do and simple to maintain. You can go with multiple braids or choose the single-braid look to make things even more basic.
Box braids
Box braids offer even more possibilities. They can be arranged in squares, and you can go from there into other more elaborate geometric arrangements. But they’re still simple to maintain, so don’t sweat it if your braid care routine starts to feel a little complicated.
Cornrows
Cornrows aren’t as contemporary these days, but you should definitely consider them as a viable option. The geometric patterns you choose can be as individual as you want, and rows are perfect if you’re athletic and constantly on the move, which is why so many high-level pro athletes still swear by them.
Dutch or French braids
Now, let’s consider some international possibilities. Dutch and French braids are very different, but if you’re after a totally different vibe you should try one or both. You can also go back to the basic ponytail, or if you’ve got a Jason Mamoa look going on, you can go full Viking and send a message about your physicality.
As is the case with most of the styles mentioned here, maintenance is essential. Be sure to add moisturizers and conditioners to your haircare toolkit, and use them regularly once you figure out how frequently you need to employ them to avoid the frizzles. Also, make sure to sleep with protection for your braids — think satin scarf or a bonnet to keep them safe after the sun goes down, and you’ll need to make sure you keep your scalp clean to ensure that your look is maintainable.
Caring for your long hair
Now that we’ve covered most of the stylistic choices, let’s back up a little and talk about haircare and some of the basics and necessities. For starters, make sure you keep your priorities straight when it comes to washing and conditioning.
“For healthy hair, avoid daily washing to allow natural oils to build up, and support growth with regular trims every two or three months,” Karel explained. “You should also lean into supplements like biotin. Once you’ve got a stylish and healthy head of hair, you can take it to the next level with products like texture powders or matte clays and pastes.”
Getting next-level long hair should be the goal for every guy who makes this decision, but whatever you choose, remember that you want your long hair to go the distance, both health-wise and stylistically.
