Welcome the New Year With a New Look Hairstyles for Men

The New Year is almost upon us. If you want to usher in 2018 with a new look, one of the most noticeable things that you can do is drop by the local Utah barber shop and get yourself a new haircut.   Changing your hairstyle has an immediate effect on how you look. Your hair can affect your entire look and picking the right one can drastically change your appearance.

The importance of your haircut means that you can’t just walk into the Regal Barber Co. or any other barber shop and leave it up to the barber. Barbers are not mind readers and they do not know what look you are aiming for. This is why you’ll need to consider what exactly you want before you set off to the nearest barber shop.

Hairstyle Factors

When you’re picking out your latest hairstyle, there are a couple of factors that you should consider. There are hundreds of hairstyles out there and narrowing it down to just the one that is perfect for you can be difficult. Here is what you should consider:

Professional Advice.

One of the first things you should always do though is go to a nearby barber shop and ask for some advice. Experienced barbers have knowledge about how a lot of hairstyles work. They would be able to imagine what styles would work and have their own suggestions about what to use. However, don’t fully trust them since you may have a different idea of what you want.

Facial Shape.

One of the things that can affect how your hairstyle will look is the shape of your face. Some hairstyles will definitely not work with some facial shapes. Here are the basic face shapes that you will encounter – your face will be one of these types

• Oval. If you are lucky, you will have an oval face shape. Oval faces are known for their absence of hard lines and corners near the forehead, chin, and cheeks. This allows for better symmetry in your face. A lot of hairstyles work with your face because of this. Your only problem is that you should avoid fringes and bangs that can make your face look a lot rounder.
• Round. Round faces are equal in their length and their width. This is combined with a smooth jawline that has no edge. You will have a preponderance to looking overweight – this is why you will want hairstyles that will make your face look longer. These hairstyles are usually short on the sides, but have more volume on the top. This is usually combined with a beard to give you a more chiseled look.
• Square. Square faces are similar to round faces – the main difference is that the angles of the jaw are sharper. You already have a masculine look with your face alone. This is why short haircuts are ideal in combination with short beards just to frame the face.
• Oblong. Oblong face shapes are face that are longer than their width. Your emphasis then is to make sure that your face doesn’t look longer. The way to do this is by using short haircuts, since longer haircuts will emphasize your facial length. They should also avoid the presence of any beard to avoid further lengthening the face.
• Diamond.  A face with wide cheekbones and an angular chin is often considered diamond in shape. The result is a long and narrow face that you want to make rounder and shorter. The usual haircut used to do this with are high volume hairstyles like a high fade with part.
• Triangle. Triangular faces usually focus on the angular features, with the jaw and chin wider than your cheekbones. You will want to put more emphasis on your upper facial area with medium-length hairstyles that create symmetry.

Hair Texture. The other factor that you will be looking at is the texture of your hair. Hair has different textures and their length will affect how they move and look. There are four types of hair textures that can influence what type of haircut you should have:

• Wavy. A lot of men admire wavy locks. They look great, especially when they’re in high volume. However, not everyone has them. When you have wavy hair, you want a long hair cut so that the air has the chance to move. This showcases the waviness and the volume of the hair.
• Straight. Straight hair is one of the most basic hair textures. The great thing about it is that it works with a wide variety of hairstyles. Long and short, straight hair is very adaptable. This is especially so when mixed with hairstyling products. For example, just slick it back with some gel, and it can look spiky and dangerous. Or you can cut it short for the more professional look.
• Curls. If you’re a man, curls can be a bit of a challenge. However, if you’re aiming for a disheveled look, they’re ideal. Long curls can be a bit troublesome and make you look a bit feminine. Shorter curls are better for male hairstyles.
• Thinning. As you grow older, you may end up with this type of hair. The perils of age end up with you having a receding hairline. Some people go all-in with it and just go for a buzz cut. However, there are some hairstyles that can help cover it up, like a low fade haircut that focuses on letting you have more hair on top.

Popular Styles

With these factors in mind, you’ll have to decide on what hairstyles works for you. Here’s a brief rundown on some of the most popular haircuts available right now.

• The Undercut. This is the industry standard. A lot of face shapes work well with the undercut and if you can’t decide on anything, this is a good fallback choice. The undercut works by combining long and short haircuts. The top is left alone and long, while the back and sides are shaved and cut. The result is that you have more volume on top and it brings your ears to prominence. If you’ve got nice ears, it’s a good simple choice.
• Bald. This is the desperation move for those who are experiencing thinning hair. It is also not technically a haircut since the barber only has to just shave everything off. That’s a pretty basic way to resolve the problem of lacking hair. The result is that there will be little or no hair left. It can be pretty liberating since you don’t need any gel or anything else. Note though that going completely bald may not look good for oblong faces.
• Long Round Layered. For those who have curly and wavy hair, the long round layered hairstyles is a good choice. Popularized by hockey players who had long hair under their helmets and let it grow out, it’s a bit like a mullet. This is a great look for those who have strong masculine faces and is also pretty low maintenance.
• Tousled. Do you dislike combing your hair? The tousled hairstyle is a good choice. All you need to do is to grow it out. The barber will just do a bit of trimming on the sides and the back. The top will be left alone and you will use gel to style your hair on a daily basis.
• Side-part. If you want to look a bit professional and smart, the side-part is a good choice for it. Thick straight hair works well with this since parting your hair will give one part volume and substance. This is a tidy professional hairstyle that is great for any corporate environment.
• Quiff. If you’ve every seen pictures of Elvis, this distinct hairstyle should be recognizable. The quiff is aimed at making your look like it has a lot of volume. This is done by cutting the sides short and combing the hair forward on top. Though there have been variations, the result is still the same: a big head of hair that can be styled in different ways. There is a sense of ruggedness to it.
• Pompadour. The pompadour is a close cousin to the quiff. It has the same short sides and heavy front. The front though is heavily stylized, usually slicked back and held in place by gel. This was originally a woman’s hairstyle but crossed over in the mid-20th century. It can be hard to pull off, but there’s a certain confidence in having a pompadour as your hairstyle.
• Crew Cut. This is another classic men’s hairstyle. Crew cuts are utilitarian and short by design. The sides and back are cur back, while the top is cut to an even length. This is a fairly adaptable haircut. You can brush up the hair to give it more volume when necessary, while also having less hair overall. This is the classic short haircut and should work with a lot of different facial types.
• Buzz Cut. If you want to bald – but don’t want to take the plunge yet. A lot of men in the military have this particular haircut. Your hair will be trimmed to ¼ to ¾ of an inch. There is a slight fade around the sides to clean it up. This is a great choice for those with very unruly hair. A lot of curly-haired men prefer this as a cleaner alternative than having their hair grow long.
• The Low/Regular Fade Cut. A fade cut lets your hair slowly grow into itself. This particular hairstyle is similar to the buzz cut, but with a lot more hair on top. It is very balanced and well-shaped. The short-and-curly top option is very popular among singers and NBA players.

Each of these hairstyles has lesser variations, but this should provide you with an idea of the main types available.

The Right Barber

Once you’ve got the idea of what sort of haircut you should have, it’s time to select the right barber. You just can’t go into the nearby barber shop and get the sort of A-class service that you desire. Plus, a man’s relationship with his barber should be important.

If you just go into any unisex salon and ask for a cut, you’ll probably end up with a different stylist every time. The result is an uneven style for yourself. Even if you ask for the same haircut, each stylist will have their own twist to it. This means you will walk out of the salon with a different look even with the same hairstyle.

This is why its important for you to find and maintain a solid relationship with a barber. That way, every time you have your hair cut, you will have the same look. Plus, it helps that you can just walk into a barber shop and ask for your “usual” haircut without any fuss.

The first step is actually finding a barber. You can ask around or just search online. Asking around will net you the personal experience of people who have gone to a particular barber. This is the sort of thing you can trust from friends or family. Online reviews can be just as helpful, however, you can’t trust them as much.

When you’ve narrowed down the barber you want, there’s nothing like going to the barbershop personally. The first thing that you should observe is the barber. You will be trusting this man with sharp objects near your head. You’ll want someone who is confident and who also looks good. It’s like the old saying - “you don’t trust a skinny chef.” A barber is someone who should have his own sense of style and who can impart that to you.

Another factor to consider is how the shop looks. You want a clean and organized barbershop. A sloppy barber is not someone you want near your hair.

The behavior of the barber is also important. Does he ask for feedback about the haircut? Does he ask you about what sort of look you want? Ask questions and feel him out. If you like his answers then you’ve got yourself the right barber.