Looking to rock a shorter hairstyle for a while? Weโve compiled 20 of our favorite short hairstyles for men in this guide.
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Itโs no secret that many guys prefer to have shorter haircuts that require less maintenance, even if you cut your own hair. But often, those guys still want their hair to look stylish.
Thankfully, there are tons of stylish short haircuts for men out there. To help you find the one thatโs right for you, weโve handpicked 20 of our favorite short hairstyles for men for your perusing pleasure.
Our Favorite Short Hairstyles for Men
To start, check out this hair length chart if you’re not sure where your locks land in the grand scheme. If you find you have short hair here are our favorite hairstyles for short simple men’s haircuts, in no particular order…
1. The Modern Short Cut
This type of haircut has arguably redefined the menโs short haircut.
Itโs not as short as, say, a military cut, but itโs still short by todayโs standards. Still, it gives you just enough length to play with. Itโs a happy medium for the man who wants a shorter, no-fuss style thatโs still fashion-forward.
Itโs also versatile when it comes to styling. You could make this into anything from a standard side part to a pompadour. This ability to shape the hair into a variety of looks is a big reason why this cut is so popular.
2. Classic Taper
When you look at celebrity hairstyles, youโll often see this kind of classic taper.
Here, Ryan Gosling is sporting this taper with a subtle side part up top. This is a much more traditional cut, with less room to style.
However, thereโs a reason this cut stands the test of time. If you want something really short, you canโt go wrong with a taper.
3. Short and Spiky
Lots of guys think that short hair always looks plastered down. However, there are lots of styles that prove you can go short and still have a lot of dimension.
This short, gently spiked style is a great example. The hair here is actually pretty short, but since the front is spiked straight up, it seems longer than it really is. You can also adapt this hair hack to other short styles to get more volume.
4. Tidy Gentleman Cut
After something slick and refined? This slick and tidy cut might be your new style of choice.
It borrows from many classic hairstyles, keeping the hair roughly the same length on the top of the head, but it adds a contemporary twist with a medium fade on the sides. It’s visually similar to men’s quiff hairstyles.
5. The Reimagined Buzz Cut
The buzz cut has long been the cut of choice for many men outside of the military.
Itโs gained popularity as a style for young boys, but itโs recently come back into the fold thanks to some style upgrades. The most popular option is to combine a buzzed top with faded sides to keep everything short and extremely tidy.
6. The Hard Part
While the hard part (the term for shaving in a part line) is technically a technique and not a style of its own, itโs often used as the centerpoint for shorter styles in order to add definition and a little bit of flair.
Here, a hard part is used with a short, even cut to separate the sides from the top.
7. The Slick Comb
This Cary Grant-inspired style is an absolute classic and for good reason.
It has that slick fifties look but doesnโt look dated at all. This is a testament to how stylish some of these old looks can be, and itโs a great choice for any guy whoโs after a suave look.
8. The Dyed Spike
If youโre the kind of guy who likes to dye his hair, then this is an excellent option.
Shown here is the popular two-tone approachโโonly the top of the hair is dyed, while the rest remains its natural color for a ton of contrast.
9. High Side Part
The side part has always been a menโs haircut staple.
Itโs especially useful to use side parts with short hairstyles because of the depth they add to any cut. Adding the side part to a short haircut is like adding spices to a mealโโit can take something basic to the next level.
10. Messy Layers
For a more casual style, consider something like this layered haircut.
While itโs still short, thereโs a lot of dimensionality thanks to the hair being tousled and carefully layered. Evenly trimmed bangs and neat sides serve to add a touch of neatness to the look.
11. Short Fade
Many short haircuts are also based around fades.
A fade is another secret weapon that can take a short hairstyle from 0 to 60, as you can see here. This particular fade is pretty high up, but you could opt for a more medium fade if you want a little more body to your hair.
12. High Bowl Fade
The bowl cut has made a resurgence in the fashion world thanks to stylish upgrades like this one.
The top and front resemble the old school bowl cut, but the faded sides add a modern twist, making it more of a bowl cut-inspired style than a direct variation.
13. Stylized Waves
This haircut is almost a medium length cut, but like the spiked style, the hair here is shorter than it seems.
The defined waves, created by finger combing the hair, add a lot of depth. The result is a clean look thatโs great for almost every situation.
14. The Elephant Trunk
The elephant trunk style, so named for the lock of hair that drapes forward, has garnered a lot of popularity recently.
Similar to the side part, you can use it with almost any hairstyle. Itโs also a nice way of implementing asymmetry into an otherwise symmetrical cut for something a little different.
15. The Mini Pompadour
The pompadour is best known as the style of choice for greasers and Elvis, but itโs come a long way in the last several years.
Like the buzz cut, itโs been reimagined and updated in various ways. This variation takes the pompadour and shrinks it, pairing it with a hard part and medium fade for maximum style points.
16. Stylishly Scruffy
Hereโs a messier style thatโs more suited to informal situations.
If youโre going out for the evening or attending a social event, this take on the โjust rolled out of bed lookโ will perfectly match a casual vibe.
17. Fringe + Fade
This haircut takes two basic elementsโโa side-swept fringe and a fadeโโand combines them for a neat and versatile cut.
Whatโs unique about this particular cut is the fade, which curves along the contour of the ear, tying together the style and giving it a more natural look.
18. Fluffy Texture
Short hair can easily be fluffed up, and this hairstyle leverages that.
The hair has a great full-bodied texture despite being short, and the hair is brushed in one direction for a uniform appearance that makes this great for both formal and casual situations.
19. Close Cropped
If youโre after a more understated style, keeping the hair cropped close to the head is a nice style choice that pairs well with a minimalist aesthetic.
We like how it pairs with a beard as shown here.
20. Caesar Fade
Wrapping up the list is this take on the Caesar cut.
With a traditional Caesar cut, the hair is trimmed to the same length all over the head. This style takes that same basic concept but fades the sides for a little more variation while still retaining the uniformity of the original style.
So there you have itโโ our top 20 short hairstyles for men. Let us know what your favorite is in the comments below!
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