Choosing a new hairstyle can often be quite daunting. Think about it… how often do you get your hair cut? On average the typical guy would get their hair cut every 6 weeks, meaning there’s room for change quite often.
The way you dress tends to adjust slowly over time, but your hairstyle is something that can typically change and develop over shorter periods of time. With this being said, it’s typically something men don’t like to change due to them being pretty comfortable with the same hairstyle they’ve been used too for years.
Our female counterparts are more open to a change of hairstyle, but what’s holding you back from making change? Nothing beats a well cut, well styled hairstyle, and this will dramatically increase your overall appearance if done right.
The first thing you need to consider is a change of hairstyle is simply a comfort zone you need to break. You’re so used to styling and seeing yourself with the same hairstyle that you’re afraid of change. You’re afraid what others might say, you’re afraid you might not like it, but in the end it’s typically a change for the better.
As men you want to make gradual changes, rather than opting for a complete makeover. Gradual changes can still have a huge impact, and will help remove the fear of change.
But how do you make the jump without making a mistake?
1. Take Inspiration From Other Hairstyles
It’s a simple principle but one that works extremely well. Search forums, blogs, magazines, and look for hairstyles you like. Be honest with yourself and question whether they hairstyle you like is suitable for you. For example, if you’ve got thin hair and going bald there’s no point highlighting dreadlocks as a hairstyle you like.
You want to start by looking at similar cuts to yours and similar styles, but finding a better version to work towards.
Do you have any Style Icons you take style inspiration from? If so, what hairstyle did they have?
Research is key and it can only take a few minutes whilst browsing your favourite magazines and fashion blogs to find a good selection of hairstyles to take inspiration from.
2. Think About Your Personal Style
This is key, how would you define your personal style? The way you dress obviously has an impact on what hairstyle you should opt for, so you want to consider your personal style before choosing a new hairstyle.
What do you have to wear to work? What do you wear for 80% of your week? What style are you trying to emulate?
For example, if you wear suits throughout the week at work and you opt for a corporate style the hairstyle you decide on should represent that. You’d be better suited to a formal, classic cut such as the side part, quiff or french crop keeping the length short to medium. Long hair, styled more for casual attire isn’t going to represent your day to day clothing style in this instance.
On the other hand if you dress casually throughout the week, you might want to opt for a more casual hairstyle to represent that.
Also think about your daily routine. How long do you have in the morning to get ready? If you typically have a few minutes to spend on your hair you might want to opt for something shorter, easy to style and quite manageable throughout the day.
3. Dress As You Would When Getting Your Hair Cut
The person cutting your hair is going to be able to make an input into the type of hairstyle to opt for. If they’re a good stylist/barber, you’re going to get some good advice. But to make this easier for them, and to get better results, dress as you typically would.
Don’t rock up wearing you gym clothes and expect them to know the overall style you’re going for. If you typically wear suits throughout the week, go in wearing a suit and this will give them a broader picture to work with.
This was something that I did about 2 years ago and I saw a massive change. I typically popped into the Barbers after a gym session or on a Saturday morning dressed in casual clothes or gym attire. One day in London after a meeting I popped into Murdock to get my haircut and straight away they suggested an alteration to my current style to match the way I dressed.
So when you go to get your haircut, simply wear what you’d typically wear throughout the week. This minor adjustment can have huge benefits.
4. Trust Your Barber/Hair Stylist
Sounds easier than it is, but you want to find a barber/stylist you trust. You may spend a few months testing different ones out but once you find someone you like stick with them.
They’ll get to know you, they’ll get to know the overall style you’re looking for, they’ll get to know the work you do, the things you like, and most importantly the hairstyle you like.
Experiment with a few, read reviews online, ask for recommendations in your local area and then stick with the one you liked the best.
5. Ask For Styling Tips
We did an article on ‘How To Perfect Your Hairstyle‘ a while back, and this resonated with a lot of guys. Have you ever got your hair cut, styled and been extremely happy with it? Then, you wake up the next morning, try to replicate the style and it just doesn’t look like it did yesterday?
The problem here is styling almost becomes an art you need to master. It’s not a difficult art, but it’s one you need guidance with. The way someone cuts your hair will affect the way you style it. Therefore it’s important you ask the Barber/Stylist to simply walk you through how to style it to get the outcome you want.
If you’re scared to ask (which you shouldn’t be) just simply watch them as they do it. Do they blowdry your hair? What brush do they use and in what direction do they brush the hair? Do they apply styling products whilst the hair is wet and what kind of product do they use after?
You may not even know it exists, but the best hair clay for men can go a long way when shaping your hair. It’s a mix between gel and paste and you’ll be able to restyle your hair throughout the day. Definitely worth trying out.
The more tips you can get the more likely you’ll replicate the same style the next morning (and every morning after that)…
Get It Cut
So there we have it, 5 things to consider when getting your haircut and most importantly deciding on a new hairstyle.
Hope this helps, here’s a video which goes into some more detail and don’t forget to comment, follow us on Social Media and most importantly share 🙂
