The Most Popular Haircut Designs & Styles For Men in 2023
So, it's time for a haircut, but what exactly should you go with?
There are countless ways you can style your hair, but not all haircuts are going to match your physique or personality, which is why it's important to go over as many options as possible to make sure you're really getting a good look.
Trending Men's Haircuts for 2023
Here are some of the most popular men's haircuts in 2023.
Taper Fade
A taper fade is a type of short hairstyle where hair is lightly cropped from the around the temples all the way down to the neckline. The fading effect gets less pronounced the closer it is to the back of the head, to the point where it is barely noticeable around the neck area. Taper fades are a great way to give yourself a composed look with a hint of subtlety.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Lower Fade
This type of fade involves cropping hair near the bottom of the head, leaving most hair on top or on the sides short or medium length. This hairstyle is inclusive for different face shapes, make it a pretty universal default option and it's also great for people who want to show off their hair when it's grown out a little, but want to maintain a kempt appearance.
Photo Credit: barber_egoiste
Upper Fade
With an upper fade, most, or sometimes all, the hair on the side of the head is cropped, leaving hair at the top of the head largely intact. For a composed look, you can keep the hair on the top of well-trimmed or you can have it grown out a bit to exude a wild and carefree, yet still determined, impression.
Image Credit: colbyphade_
Crew Cut
Considered one of the best go-to options in pretty much any era, the crew cut is a classic short hairstyle in which hair is shaved down in the back and at the sides of the head, but is slightly longer (although still very short) on top. Despite the relative simplicity of the haircut, there are actually quite a few variations of it, so you'll be able to add some unique, albeit muted, style features to your look.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Side Part with Taper Fade
An augmented version of the taper fade haircut, this hairstyle is basically a taper fade with the addition of a parting of the hair at the side of the head that's either adjacent to the fade or is slightly beyond it. Adding the parting effect grants many of the benefits of a taper fade, but with added advantage of exuding a sense of professionalism.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Buzz Cut
Another classic hairstyle that's simple, but still has a lot of variation, buzz cuts involve shaving the hair down very short all around the head, so most of it is of equal length.
Short Curls
If you've got curly or exceptionally wavy hair and want to preserve that as part of your presentation, then there's no reason you have to crop it down. You can always opt for a short-curled cut, with a decent amount of hair on top and either a low fade on the sides or just a light cut around the head. This results in a well-kempt look that still highlights the uniqueness curly hair provides.
Image Credit: barber.toronto.arman
Short Afro
When people think of afros they probably imagine something boisterous, but there are actually a multitude of afro styles that would be considered low-key. While there are many ways you can maintain a short afro, one of the more popular choices to create a taper or low fade look, with most of the afro preserved and some fading around the edges to give it more character.
Image Credit: barber.toronto.arman
Fringe
For men who like a more edgy (or potentially even playful) look, a fringe cut is an appropriate option. For this hairstyle, bangs hang out several inches over the forehead, while the rest of the hair around the head is trimmed. For a much starker appearance, you can always get a high fade to contrast the longer hair in front.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Quiff
If you're interested in somewhat exotic and retro hairstyle, then a quiff is the perfect choice for you. A quiff involves trimming hair around the head, but leaving hair near the top partially grown out so that it can be molded upward to create a noticeably poofy section of hair. Quiffs are a great way to command attention and get noticed.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Short Quiff
Sometimes a normal quiff is a bit too much, which where a short quiff comes in. It's basically the same haircut as a quiff, but with the hair on top slightly less grown out.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Undercut
An undercut is a hairstyle of extremes, with hair on the top of the head mostly grown out and the hair everywhere else being heavily shaved down. This style has been particularly popular with sports players and the hair is usually either slicked back or is let loose to one side.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Butch Cut
One of the easiest haircuts to maintain, the butch cut is the favorite go-to choice for men who just want to go about their business. For this style, hair is shaved down all around the head to an equal length. Sometimes people opt for a fade on the sides for an extra bit of oomph.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
The Sweepback
Swept back hair is a very multifaceted way to maintain longer hair without having to appear messy. With the sweepback, hair on top of the head is kept long or medium length, while everything else is cut short. The longer hair is then combed or gelled back.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Trending Men's Haircut Designs for 2022
Although there are a lot of popular hair styles available, haircut designs for men have also been exceedingly popular in 2022. Here are some sought after designs you might want to consider for yourself.Haircut Straight Lines Designs
An excellent addition to pretty much any kind of style, the inclusion of straight lines to a haircut adds a degree of depth and mystique that's hard to accomplish any other way. Lines can be used to highlight hairlines, create interesting patterns, or just act as a contrast to certain features.
Image Credit: barber.toronto.arman
Haircut Curvy Line Designs
If you're someone who really likes to add a splash of creativity to your haircut, then curvy line designs open a world of opportunity. Curvy lines allow you to display a menagerie of different patterns, ranging from standalone images to ornamentation that accentuates facial features. If you want to add some real wow factor to your look, then curvy lines are the choice for you.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Fade Haircut Designs
Fades add a degree of elusiveness and polish to otherwise ordinary hair styles. They can easily be enhanced with the addition of ornate patterns which aren't too bold or overwhelming. If you want to add some spice to your look without being overpowering, then augmenting a fade is the way to go.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Quiff with Designs
Quiffs are designed to be pretty daring in of themselves, but for individuals who really want to enhance their style to the max, having designs in addition to a quiff is a guaranteed way to become a real head-turner.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Undercut with Designs
Undercuts are a great way to combined elements of sophistication with a bit of wildness. If you want to accentuate the more unrestrained features of your hairstyle, then including a bunch of designs will be the best way to do that.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
The Nike Swish
The Nike logo is incredibly iconic, so it's not surprising that in 2022 it's been featured as a pattern in a lot of people's hairstyles. While there are numerous ways the symbol can be added to a haircut, the most popular choice is to make it as bold as possible and place it either at the back or one side of the head.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Animal Haircut Designs
For especially creative or talented barbers, the addition of animal designs to haircuts can be the ultimate testament of their abilities, as well as the character of their clients. If you enjoy the prospect of having an animalistic representation of your personality, such as the ferocity of a lion or the freedom of a wolf, then seriously consider getting a unique animal design.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
Arrow Haircut Designs
Typically applied near the neckline or on the sides of the head, the inclusion of arrows to a hairstyle is an excellent way to give other people the impression you have a good sense of direction.
Photo Credit: colbyphade_
X Haircut Designs
By far one of the most popular styling choices in 2022, the inclusion of an x pattern is a premier way to add a little dashing sophistication to any look. It's usually added to the back of the head to highlight the neckline or near the temples.
Photo Credit: colbyphade_
Geometric Haircut Designs
If you're interested in a touch of art deco, then adding some geometric patterns to your haircut is an excellent idea. You can include any number of interesting, abstract, and impactful art designs to your style that result in an unparalleled level of uniqueness.
Image Credit: barber_egoiste
How to Maintain Your Haircut Designs
Haircut designs can be an awesome way to accentuate the qualities of any number of hair styles, but one big issue with getting them is maintenance. Designs might be really good looking when you first get them, but over the course of a couple weeks, they're going to diminish considerably.
Luckily, there are some pretty simple, although still involved, ways you can maintain your designs for an extended period of time.
The two tools you'll need are a pair of electric clippers, preferably precision ones, and a straight razor.
Take a ruler and place it near the edge of a design you intend to spruce up and carefully shave the area with the electric razor. Try and use short, quick downward strokes, rather than drawn out ones. Doing this should eliminate most of the hair, but you'll need to finish everything off with the straight razor. These types of razors can be dangerous if you're not careful, so take your time and don't angle it too steeply.
For designs that are especially rounded off, it's a good idea to use the edge of the electric razor to shave, rather the bulk of the blades.
Obviously, some designs are going to be much more difficult to trim than others, depending on where they're located. For designs on the back of your head, unless you've had a lot of practice, it's probably a good idea to have someone else help you with it.
Conclusion
There are a lot of hair styles to choose from and while it may seem daunting at first, this incredible variety is a good thing. Depending on your facial structure, personality, profession, level of creativity, and personal preference, there's guaranteed to be a style that's not only good-looking, but also happens to be exactly what you're looking for.
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