Recap of 2016 Hair Trends for Men

Presenting the looks that made us turn our heads.

2016 hair trends for men have been high contrast, to say the least. This year has seen two major trends in men’s hair: First are the longer, more casual cuts; second are the higher, tighter, more polished cuts. One cut that has made its way into the crisp and polished category is the fade. Fade haircuts can work for both casual textured styles and for super refined shaven looks.

To see our favorite looks, read on to see our Top 10 2016 hair trends for men.

2016 Hair Trends: 2016’s Greatest Snips

2016 hair trends for men
The casual pomp is a crowd-pleaser. Photo credit: Dvora

1. Casual Pompadour

The pompadour of 2016 took a real chill pill. Instead of always looking like a perfectly slicked-back style, 2016 hair trends showed more tousled pomps. These pompadours feature the same cut as in years past, but just styled differently. Instead of using a lot of gel to slick back your style, try applying a touch of pomade, such as Bed Head for Men by TIGI Slick Trick onto your fingers and raking your hair backwards.

2016 hair trends men's undercut
Structured waves stay in place with some firm-hold gel. Photo credit: Dvora

2. Long-On-Top Fade

Fades have been so popular that they’ve been mixed with almost every other cut. This super short fade is really well matched with a cut that features longer hair on top, like in an undercut. This style gives you options! You can style it into cool structured waves (as shown) using some gel like Dove Men+Care Control Gel, or into a simple, disheveled, naturally wavy style.

2016 hair trends for men spiky blonde fade
A classic fade on the sides can be paired with almost any look.

3. Long, Tousled Fade

Extra long cuts have been one of our favorite 2016 hair trends for men. All you need to do is let you precision cut, (like a high and tight, for example) grow out for an extra couple of weeks. Just make sure to get the sides trimmed to help your fade grow out cleanly.

2016 hair trends for men fauxhawk
A fauxhawk formed with a curly fringe area is surprisingly flattering. Photo credit: indigitalimages.com

4. Short Fauxhawk

The fauxhawk is the sleeper favorite of 2016. These modern fauxhawks, or fake mohawks, are shorter and are more often worn with your natural hair texture. Just keep the sides buzzed down and you’ve got a super modern iteration.

2016 hair trends curly shag mens
Did someone say murls? Photo credit: indigitalimages.com

5. The Shag

The ’70s throwback hairstyle that gained the most popularity in 2016 was the shag. We love shaggy cuts because you can wear them with your natural texture, no matter what it is, without it looking “grown out.” These longer styles can tend to get a little knotty, so just be sure to always comb your hair after washing with a wide-toothed comb. You can also use a detangler, such as Dove Absolute Curls Leave-In Detangler, for a bit of help.

2016 hair trends for men high top fade
A high fade will always look neat and proper. Photo credit: indigitalimages.com

6. High-Top Fade

High-top cuts have gotten more popular because they can be worn on any texture and at any length. The longer or higher the high-top, the more old-school the look. The 2016 trend was to wear high tops on the shorter side, but still with a bit of squaring off at the corners for a slight throwback to the 1990s.

2016 hair trends for men buzzcut
The buzzcut: keeping it short and swaggy. Photo credit: indigitalimages.com

7. Buzzcut

Military haircuts made a huge resurgence in 2016. We’re especially fond of the buzzcut because for such a simple look, it packs quite a punch. This no-nonsense hairstyle reeks of confidence, and that’s always a good thing!

2016 hair trends for men long undercut
Brush it back for a sleeker look.

8. Long Undercut

2016 hair trends saw a lot of undercuts. These shaved styles have been worn with nearly every new look, but we’re kind of obsessed with the long-on-top undercut, especially when paired with a slicked-back texture. Kind of badass!

2016 hair trends for men short undercut
Styling your high fade into a pomp is an easy way to switch things up.

9. Slick Pomp

Not every guy was into the casually tousled pomp in 2016. The slicked-back pompadour was still a fan favorite perhaps because of the added swag factor. A pomade best helps you achieve this look, as it adds structure, hold and, of course, some shine. We like the non-greasy result of Axe Clean Cut Look: Classic Pomade.

2016 hair trends for men curly man bun
Can’t decide whether to wear it up or down? Do a halfie.

10. Man Bun

Where would we be without the man bun? Man buns have let dudes grow out their hair while still look put-together, and have also become so popular that they’re almost an everyday occurrence these days. There are so many ways to wear man buns, but we’re pretty fond of this half up style and the man bun fade.

Need more information on the 2016 hair trends for men? Check out the best styles of the year.

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