As the year nears its end, it's time to predict men's hair trends for 2016 and look at the most popular men's hairstyles that'll carry on into the new year.
Master hairstylists forecast that 2016 will be all about longer top hair and texturized hairstyles with a cool-casual vibe. While the pompadour and blowback hairstyles will catch on a more dynamic character, we'll also see a revival of high and low fade variations, sharp and soft part disconnections as well as short, natural-looking hairstyles in 2016.
Guys, if you want to start the new year on a stylish note, here are the top men's hairstyles to adopt now:
1. Military-style Buzz Cut Hairstyles
If there's one hairstyle that's never really gone out of fashion (since the invention of clippers!), it is the military-style buzz cut. Needless to say, it'll stay strong and stylish in 2016 too (or may be till eternity!). Buzz cuts look sharp, masculine and super sexy. The best thing about these super short hairstyles for men is that they require zero styling or maintenance, which is why they're perfect for busy professionals who don't have the time to primp in front of the mirror every morning!
Going for a super short hairstyle is a big decision and even though it's effortless, a buzz cut might not be a perfect fit for you. Talk to your stylist before clipping your hair or explore other short haircut options that are closer to the buzz, such as a crew cut with slightly longer top hair or a flat top with faded sides and back.
Importantly, do rub a few drops of restorative oil on your scalp every now and then to keep the roots of your hair hydrated and moisturized, especially in winters.
2. Pompadour Hairstyles
Popular pompadour hairstyles will get better and swankier in 2016. They'll feature a whole bunch of distinct high and low fade variations, sharp part disconnects as well as textured undercuts.
Pompadours or pomps are ideal for men with short to medium-length hair. They can be classy and sophisticated or cool and laid-back – but never boring! While getting your hair trimmed, talk to your stylist to determine how long your top hair should be, so that it aptly leverages your mane's natural texture, does not overwhelm your overall look, is easy to style and manage and most importantly, work-appropriate!
There are many ways to style a pompadour. You can dab some styling gel and comb back your hair to create a polished finish or tousle your top hair section with some pomade for a cool and contemporary look.
3. Tousled Blowback Hairstyles
Blowback hairstyles made a big comeback this year and will continue to dominate men's hairstyle trends in 2016 too! However, stylists indicate that the classic blowback will undergo some sort of a revamp and take on a more tousled, textured character in the coming year.
Blowback hairstyles are all about elegance and sophistication. They feature smoothly tapered sides and back and a forelock (face-framing hair) that is slightly longer than the rest of the top hair. While A blowback is perfect to wear to work or to more formal occasions such as a black-tie event, you can easily tweak it for a social occasion too.
To lend a tousled finish to your blowback hairstyle, all you need to do is emulsify some deconstructing gum on your fingertips and rake up your forelocks, bending and styling them the way you want for a laid-back, textured finish.
4. 1960s Side-Parted Hairstyles
With retro hairstyles making a major comeback in 2016, we'll see a revival of the 1960s side part trend.
Side part hairstyles are super versatile and work with all lengths and textures of hair. They are ideal for men who like no-fuss hairstyles that can be easily groomed for work and effortlessly tweaked for the leisure hours. Side-parted hairstyles offer you the flexibility to style and set your hair any way you want!
Work in a tiny amount of styling gel to slick your hair in place for a polished workplace look or finger-sweep your hair with some deconstruction gum or putty to style individual hair pieces without compromising on the natural texture of your mane.
Classic hairstyles with a side part require minimum styling and are a safe bet for men with short to medium-length hair.
5. Textured Quiffs
Since textured hairstyles featuring longer top hair and close-cropped sides and back will be big in the coming year, it only makes sense to polish your styling skills to stay in tune with the hottest hair trends of 2016.
Textured quiffs with tousled, spiked, windswept and slicked back top hair are quite easy to create, if you have the right hair products. A quiff adds a few inches to your stature, looks vogueish and shows the fashionable side of your personality. However, the best thing about quiffs is that they can be textured and styled to look flatter any face shape – something that is not usually possible with the other contemporary hairstyles.
Spritz your forelocks with some high-lift creation hairspray to give them an instant boost and comb your hair up and away from your face to create a matte-finish brushed back quiff or use a pliable styling gel for a more glossy texture. Alternatively, style your hair with a tiny amount of deconstructing gum to create a tousled hairstyle.
6. Man Bobs
There's a good news for those of you who have a penchant for growing out your hair – man bobs will be hot on trend in 2016, so you might want to stop visiting the salon now!
Bob cuts are no longer restricted to fashion runways (or to women for that matter!). Men too are catching on to this trend, and growing and grooming their hair to look modish and dapper. Man bobs also allow the gents to embrace their natural hair texture – especially if they have a wavy or a curly mane – and not bother about getting haircuts that, more often than not, compromise on the general structure of their tresses.
However, even with longer hair, there's no escaping a pair of scissors! To make your man bob look well groomed, it's important to trim the ends every 4-6 weeks. This will keep your mane in top shape and help to check split ends that are so common in this cold weather.
You can work in a tiny amount of styling gel through your bob to create a swanky, glossy finish or scrunch in some deconstructing gum to add a grungy touch to your mane and lend it a lived-in vibe.
7. Brushed Back Hairstyles
With all the tousling and texturing going on in the world of men's grooming, are you wondering whether all the classic hairstyles will take a back seat or look outdated in 2016? No way! Brushed back hairstyles will continue to be popular all through next year.
So, if you have medium-length hair, you can continue to back comb them in place with a little help from your favorite hair gel or putty and look neat, elegant and on trend in the coming year too!
Nothing says 'macho' like a brushed back hairstyle. From Marlon Brando to Bruno Mars, the classic brushed back has remained a preferred choice for gents who fancy sleek, pulled-together hairstyles.
Brushed back hairstyles look awesome on men with strong jawlines. They keep pesky strands of hair off the face and add a dash of sexy-seriousness to a man's overall appeal.
8. Layered Hairstyles
Layered hairstyles are all about structure and balance and look great on men with medium-length hair. Layers can help to make your hair look fuller as well as to take bulk off your mane; outline the straight, wavy or curly texture of your hair and make your hairstyle look well structured. When styled right, it can add a dash of elegance to your mane and make you look bang on trend!
Whether you're aiming for a high and tight look, an easy-going side-sweep or a light pompadour, light layers can add magic to your mane.
Layered hairstyles stand out by themselves and are low on maintenance too, which is probably why they'll stick around in 2016. All you need to do is work in a tiny amount of frizz remover cream through your tresses to lock humidity off your strands and make them look sleek and polished.
9. 'Back to the Basics' Hairstyles
2016 will be all about accepting and leveraging the natural texture of your hair and that clearly indicates one thing – that the gents would love to go back to a more easy and hassle-free grooming routine and opt for natural-looking hairstyles that they can style in seconds and sport anywhere.
From short, side-swept hairstyles to side-parted medium-length 'dos – it seems like we'll see a plethora of elementary hairdos relying on rudimentary styling and minimum product usage in the coming year.
10. Undercuts
From extreme side shaves and asymmetrical fades to stylized part disconnects and long comb-over hair – undercuts have gained a lot of popularity in the last couple of years and are set to continue being in trend in 2016 too!
This edgy hairstyle is for those of you who love experimenting with your hair and make a big impact. Undercuts are contrast-centric, so it's important to choose a hairstyle that will suit your face shape, features and personality and look balanced at the same time. There are many ways to style your undercut hairstyle – slick it back with some styling gel; comb over your top hair to the side and set it with hairspray; or use a hyper fix putty to style individual hair sections.
