Let’s take a look at the undercut, a hairstyle primarily aimed at men, but it can also be a style guide for women. Most expert stylists consider the undercut a “classic look” for males, which is much more than what the average person grasps after checking out this latest hair-trend hitting the Hollywood bar scene this season.
Some Undercut History
The undercut is not one of those newly-invented creations. Its origins go as far back as WWI, when manual hair clippers were marketed commercially to the general public. However, it wasn’t until the 1930s that the undercut became the standard for enlisted men in the military around the world, which made the style very popular on the silver screen after actors started playing soldiers in Hollywood war films. Flat undercuts, such as the slicked-back hairstyle, took over from the 40s to the 60s; and after taking a fifty-year dive, Steve Buscemi from TVs boardwalk Empire resurrected the vintage ‘do, again, in the early 2010.
What is an Undercut hairstyle?
The “undercut” is a type of coiffure that embraces a two to six-inch bowl cut on the top. Hair clippers then buzz the sides, and a very short-angle attachment tapers the new hairline.
Men can choose from four distinct styles with this umbrella hairstyle:
- Side-Part Undercut (Leonardo DiCaprio)
- Messy-Top Undercut (Joaquin Phoenix)
- Slicked-Back Undercut (Howard Hughes)
- Man-Bun Undercut (Johnny Depp)
The great thing about these four undercuts is that the tops are interchangeable, which means that if the user gets tired of sporting, say, a messy top look, they can easily show off a hipster man-bun at their next social gathering without having to visit their stylist first.
Hair Product Matching
That being said, the undercut will require a small investment in hair product to get the cut looking spectacular, The right product really depends on which hairstyle the male will choose to show off:
- Pomade matches flat and side-swept styles (Side Part).
- Hair Wax suits natural-looking and straight hair (Slicked Back).
- Hair Gel flaunts definition and long-lasting texture (Man Bun).
- Hairstyling Cream fits voluminous hairstyles and vertical hairstyles (Messy-Top).
Men with undercuts can also use other products such as hair spray or mousse, but they should be applied as finishing products only, if used at all. Applying wet-matte pomade on the ends can achieve a Ryan Gosling 60s-undercut, which looks great as well.
For a great men’s hairstyle or an undercut, call me, Anastasia, for an appointment.