Best Long Hairstyles For Men: Ideas And Tips For Your Next Trim

Utah, go long!

Best Long Hairstyles For Men: Ideas And Tips For Your Next Trim

Image: Esquire

Before you start thinking men’s long hairstyles are just for struggling musicians, it’s time to take a long hard look at yourself. We’re living in the 21st century, which means the lines between masculinity and femininity are blurred and long hair for men is far more acceptable. Hell, it’s even considered stylish.

Many high-profile celebrities have dabbled with long hairstyles at some point in their career: think Bradley Cooper, Chris Hemsworth, David Beckham and Brad Pitt. By growing your hair out long, you’ll be in some esteemed company for sure.

However, you don’t necessarily just want to grow your hair out long and leave it. You’re going to want to do something with it and style it in various ways. After all, all that long hair shouldn’t go to waste. You’ve spent considerable time growing it, so now it’s time to upgrade your style and look.

That’s why we’ve assembled this full guide on how to get the long hair look you want and style it right with a little help from some industry experts…

What The Experts Say

Adam Walmsley: Salon Owner At Friends & Family and Hairdresser Extraordinaire

We asked Adam Walmsley, a hairdresser and salon owner with over 20 years of experience cutting men’s hair, all about long hair for men:

  • Don’t blow dry your hair too much when you’ve got long hair. Not only does blowdrying risk damaging eh health of the hair but it can ruin the natural look most men are going for.
  • When it comes to products, you don’t want anything too crispy or crunchy as this will give you an unsatisfactory texture. Avoid mouses and gels. Light sea salt sprays are excellent for creating natural textures as are lightweight oils.
  • If your hair is a little bit heavier, an invisible serum will be good. If your hair is a little bit finer, dry texturizing sprays are always good to add a little bit of volume.
  • Overall, keep it as natural as possible. That is the essence of having long hair.
Salt Bae
Davines Sea Salt Spray 250ml

Davines Sea Salt Spray 250ml

This Sea Salt Spray gives styles a beachy look with a matte finish. This is a great product to provide texture, extreme volume and light control whilst also giving a messy and beach-like look with added body. Frizz and electro-static will be kept in control.

What To Ask Your Barber

As with any haircut, the best thing you can do is walk into your barber’s armed with images of what you want your hair to look like once it’s grown out. If you provide a visual reference your barber can help get you there. We’ve rounded some of the most popular long hairstyles for men, with an extended gallery at the bottom of the page.

Remember that your face shape will determine the long hairstyles that will look best on you, so double-check your ideal haircut with your barber; they’ll be able to advise on whether the look matches the face. If you think a long hairstyle is for you, however, then you’ll need plenty of patience while you wait for it to grow.

If you already have long hair, then you won’t need to make as many visits to a barber compared to someone with a short haircut. Keeping long hair in good condition is still a must, however, but try and avoid using shampoo on a regular basis and let it dry naturally as often as you can; using the hairdryer regularly will cause it to dry out and become damaged.

Man Bun Hairstyle For Men

Men's long hairstyles - Man Bun
A favourite long hairstyle for hipsters, the man bun is a great option for those with shoulder-length hair to keep it out of the way of their face. Image: Pintrest.

Ah yes, the ubiquitous man bun. Also known as the top knot, the man bun is one of those hairstyles that exploded in popularity all of a sudden, thanks in no small part to its adoption by hippie types and those who enjoy practising yoga. You don’t see as many man bun hairstyles around now, but this only serves as a perfect reason for you to give one a go. Who knows, you could help reboot the trend.

How you tie yours can influence how you come across to others, so we’d suggest aiming for a man bun/ponytail mash-up for a cooler look than the hipster-adored top-knot.

Mullet Long Hairstyle For Men

Men's long hairstyles - Mullet
Popularised in Australia, the mullet is a long haircut that can be styled in numerous ways, depending on how daring you’re willing to be.

Business at the front, party at the back is what this men’s long hairstyle is all about. Definitely a much-loved long hairstyle in Australia, the mullet is slowly but surely becoming popular across the world. You don’t need to go as drastic as some daring mullet-wearers, as modern versions simply ask for greater length at the back than the front.

Because of the variation in mullet hairstyles, it makes it hairstyle you should really consider next time you go to the barber. You will need to make sure you have long hair to start with, of course – a barber isn’t a magician – but if you just get the sides taken in and made shorter, leaving a longer section at the back of the head, you’ll have yourself a super stylish mullet.

Long, Wavy Hairstyle For Men

Men's long hairstyles - Long and wavy
While you might never be Harry Styles, you can get yourself similar hair by leaving it to grow out and let nature do its thing. A small amount of styling product is all that’s needed.

One of the more popular hairstyles for men in recent years is the long and wavy look. When men’s hair grows longer it tends to naturally curl anyway – unless you’re forever destined to have straight locks – so you should take advantage of it. This also means that men won’t need to apply much product aside from a small amount of styling mousse scrunched into damp hair.

The image of Harry Style above is a prime example of the men’s long and wavy hair look done right. His hair has been left to fall naturally, wherein it has taken on some natural waves. He’s then applied a small amount of product to his hair to keep the length out of his face.

Mid-Length Hairstyle For Men

Men's long hairstyles - Mid-length
A safe option for anyone wishing to grow their hair out, the mid-length is a fuss-free, low-maintenance style that suits a variety of face shapes.

Long hair on a man doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to go past the shoulders. With the majority of men adopting short hairstyles, ‘long’ can effectively mean anything that goes past the ear. A perfect ‘entry-level’ long hairstyle for men is the mid-length hairstyle. With some weight taken out of the hair by your barber, the mid-length hairstyle can flow well and doesn’t require much maintenance save from a small amount of styling mousse.

Curly Long Hair For Men

Men's long hairstyles - Curls
No matter the length of your long hair, if it has curls, it’s sure to look good.

Curls, as they say, get the girls, and long hair lends itself to being a champion of the curled look, whether your hair is just past your ears, a mid-length, or halfway down your back. Curly long hair is only best suited to men who grow curly hair naturally, as you don’t want to be using curlers every morning to achieve your look.

A great option for men new to long hair is to keep it longer on top, but have the sides tidied up and kept shorter, resulting in a layered look that is full of texture.

Matthew McConaughey above is a perfect example of how men can achieve the curly long hairstyle. His hair is swept back using some hair product and, as previously mentioned, has been kept tidy around the sides to keep some of the length at bay.

Long Side-Part Hairstyle For Men

Men's long hairstyles - Side-part
A sophisticated, mature long hairstyle is the side-part. Long and natural and tucked behind the ears, it’s a perfect hairstyle for those who also rock a solid beard.

Some may call it a side-part, others may call it a sideswipe, either way, this long hairstyle looks great on men. Just as the side-part looks great when cut short, it also has its place in long hairstyles. In a similar fashion to the short side-part hairstyle, the longer counterpart sees one side of the hair drop naturally, while the other needs to be combed over the head and down the other side and tucked behind the ear to keep it under control.

You don’t necessarily need to use any hair product to achieve this long hairstyle, as the natural weight of the hair should hold it in place. You can certainly use a light spritz of hairspray to ensure the front section holds to prevent it from flailing in front of your face, but otherwise, this is a low-maintenance long hairstyle for men.

Long Slick Back Hairstyle For Men

Men's long hairstyles - Slick Back
A perfect option for formal events, the slick back not only keeps your long hair under control but gives it an added touch of sophistication.

Popularised by the likes of Game of Thrones star Kit Harrington, the long slick back hairstyle for men can be a great option for formal events. Suitable for both straight and curly hair types, the slick back hairstyle is a great way to keep your hair under control, while still looking a million dollars.

Long Hair with Fringe

Long Hair with Fringe @alan_beak via Instagram
Source: @alan_beak via Instagram

A fringe is one of the most popular hairstyles for men, and it works with long hair just as it works with short hair. The best way to approach this style is to have sharp layers cut, ideally about 5 cm above your eyebrows.

One advantage of long hair with fringe is that it is a pretty flexible haircut. It works with straight or curly long hair. You could also have your fringe fall straight or side-swept, depending on your preference. It is an easy style to maintain, although you’ll need to get regular haircuts to maintain hair length.

While long hair with fringe tends to complement the facial structure of men with sharp oval faces more, it can be pulled off by anyone when done right. 

This is definitely one haircut to try if you are looking for a touch of both sophistication and modernity. 

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