Hair cuts

[habberdasher]

Oh, if you had been referring to "Dapper Dan" instead of "Dapper Man

No, I know Dapper Dan, from the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou", but Dapper Man is a real "organic" pomade.

 

[habberdasher]

Retro Haircut | Flatten/Straighten Hair

I have posted many replies and threads on Men's hair. Please only reply if you actually have help or good opinions. Please don't make the tired joke of telling me to buzz all my hair and forget about it. If you have nothing useful to say, then you needn't be here.

Soon I am going to get a haircut, and though I have searched through this thread I need some specific help for the look I want. Your opinion on:
1. Buzzing the sides-I don't like hair around my ears, and my sideburns grow all messy, not being controllable. F. Scott Fitzgerald as you see cut his sideburns to very little, and I may do this on the sideburns and a little more hair around the sides and lower back. This would help control my uncontrollable hair.
2. Cowlicks-I have many cowlicks around the higher and mid back of my head and along wherever I place a part, and I don't know the answer-cut it REAL short so you practically see no hair, or keep it considerably long so you may lay it down. Though the cowlicks keep coming back! I use a heavy pomade (Murray's original and Hair Glo for shine) for looks and to hold down cowlicks. It seems the pomade sort of keeps the cowlick alive sometimes, but when I don't use it it gets even worse.
3. Side stick-out-I've noticed on side-parted hair usually that on every male's hair their hair has a 90º angle like so from when you look at it from the side:
__
|

The top is the top line and the bottom side is the bottom line. My hair however has an angle from the top line that is the bottom line, and I don't like this. Should I ask them to cut it in that shape?
4. Straightening-My dream is to get the look of Valentino. For it I need very flat, straight hair. My hair is curly, and it poofs up even with the heaviest hair product. Though it straightens all my hair except the front right (which is fine with me, it gives some individuality). But when I slick my hair all the way back (Valentino didn't only an angle) it gets layered and little steps leading to the back poof up and get curly. Also, little thin, blonde (my hair is brown) 1/4" curls pop up and it looks messy. If I wanted anything close to this My I'd need my hair very short and it'd even poof up more and still have faint steps. I need some product if all else fails-to straighten AND flatten my hair (not permanently). I wouldn't want to get an iron, but a simpler product, like a shampoo or pomade made specifically FLATTENING the hair. My hair isn't like an African American's though. It's not wiry with tiny curls, but with big 1" curls that form a circle (at least with pomade). What I really need is to flatten it. It currently looks like F Scott Fitzgerald's and I want Valentino's.
So, any suggestions on how to get the closest to flat, straight hair, and what to ask for at the barber to get close to it? I'll use any modern product to flatten it.

I'd prefer if when you reply you highlight and go over all the subjects, not just one so I'll get a concrete answer soon. I know it's a lot of reading, but thank you for your time!

 

[Schofields]

bald fade is what i ask for. and im of the opinion that youre not going to get the hair of the era unless you use the same things they did and did things the same way, theres really no way around it. men DID NOT wash their hair everyday in valentinos time and used greasy stuff to keep it down.

 

[Max Flash]

You have many of the same problems I have, and are aiming for the same look, from the sounds of it. You don't say how long your hair is but I would guess from what you say that it is mid-length, around 2-3 inches on the top.

My first advice would be to grow it out a bit longer, to around 5 inches on the top. It will look a bit messy for a few weeks but you can hide this relatively well with gel or mousse. Once it is that length, it will give you something more to work with to decide the look you want, and you will find that the length and weight of the extra hair solves some of the "cow-lick" problems you describe.

I think you will probably find that Valentino's hair is quite a bit longer on the top than it looks in the picture you provided. As it is held down by some kind of gel or oil, and so you can see his scalp through it, giving it a shortening effect. If you showed that picture to a modern hairdresser, they would assume it was quite short and so not leave you with the necessary length to achieve the right look.

A fade at the sides, where the barber effectively shaves the hair down to nothing gradually, will make the hair look neater. How high you have it off the ears is a matter of personal choice, but will help make it look more vintage if that is what you want to go for. Taking it up high will give a more 1940s military look (see German military photos from the era for examples), but for a 1930s feel, I would not take it too high, which means having a sharper fade from long to short to leave it clear around the ears. When asking for a fade, make sure the barber realises you don't want too much of a blend in to the length on the top of your head, as they will take quite a lot out of the sides as a result (especially with thinning shears).

Ultimately, you have to work with what you have and the shape of your head/face. If your hair has a slight curl, it will never go dead straight. As a result, it will look better and often straighter if you wear it longer, especially at the top and front. You could straighten it (I have used a product called Wellastraight in the past) but you will weaken the hair and it will grow out strangely. I find that having longer hair and using a good quality conditioner to relax the hair (you might find one with a frizz ease formula) helps a great deal. I then use a product such as a gel or mousse which controls the hair without making it gunky or leading to build up in my hair.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"I Think you need to find out who won the last "Hairdressing Competition award" for men's barbering. make an appointment for a consultation. and listen to what they think the can do with your hair. don't be too demanding or fussy, or they will think you are going to be a problem and recommend you go elsewhere!

Another way is to ask someone you see in the street with great hair, and ask them where they had it cut. Cost is not guide I have paid $60.00 for a bad haircut and $10.00 for a great hair cut.

Once you get a great stylist get their private number in case they move to another Salon, and the owner tells you they have Emigrated to Australia!

 

[mattfink]

DO NOT CHEMICALLY STRAIGHTEN YOUR HAIR!!! I can't warn you enough about this. It can cause serious damage and permanent hair loss. I don't care what any hairdresser/cosmotologest tells you, don't do it.

I think Murray's Pomade would cure your problems and a little waxing would take care of the short blonde baby hairs that stick out. Good luck!

 

[habberdasher]

What does waxing your hair do?

 

[habberdasher]

"I Think you need to find out who won the last "Hairdressing Competition award" for men's barbering. make an appointment for a consultation. and listen to what they think the can do with your hair. don't be too demanding or fussy, or they will think you are going to be a problem and recommend you go elsewhere!

Another way is to ask someone you see in the street with great hair, and ask them where they had it cut. Cost is not guide I have paid $60.00 for a bad haircut and $10.00 for a great hair cut.

Once you get a great stylist get their private number in case they move to another Salon, and the owner tells you they have Emigrated to Australia!

I think there aren't that many great hair stylists in Charleston, but I could look. I just didn't want that much care for my style.

 

[habberdasher]

You have many of the same problems I have, and are aiming for the same look, from the sounds of it. You don't say how long your hair is but I would guess from what you say that it is mid-length, around 2-3 inches on the top.

My first advice would be to grow it out a bit longer, to around 5 inches on the top. It will look a bit messy for a few weeks but you can hide this relatively well with gel or mousse. Once it is that length, it will give you something more to work with to decide the look you want, and you will find that the length and weight of the extra hair solves some of the "cow-lick" problems you describe.

I think you will probably find that Valentino's hair is quite a bit longer on the top than it looks in the picture you provided. As it is held down by some kind of gel or oil, and so you can see his scalp through it, giving it a shortening effect. If you showed that picture to a modern hairdresser, they would assume it was quite short and so not leave you with the necessary length to achieve the right look.

A fade at the sides, where the barber effectively shaves the hair down to nothing gradually, will make the hair look neater. How high you have it off the ears is a matter of personal choice, but will help make it look more vintage if that is what you want to go for. Taking it up high will give a more 1940s military look (see German military photos from the era for examples), but for a 1930s feel, I would not take it too high, which means having a sharper fade from long to short to leave it clear around the ears. When asking for a fade, make sure the barber realises you don't want too much of a blend in to the length on the top of your head, as they will take quite a lot out of the sides as a result (especially with thinning shears).

Ultimately, you have to work with what you have and the shape of your head/face. If your hair has a slight curl, it will never go dead straight. As a result, it will look better and often straighter if you wear it longer, especially at the top and front. You could straighten it (I have used a product called Wellastraight in the past) but you will weaken the hair and it will grow out strangely. I find that having longer hair and using a good quality conditioner to relax the hair (you might find one with a frizz ease formula) helps a great deal. I then use a product such as a gel or mousse which controls the hair without making it gunky or leading to build up in my hair.

The top of my head is actually about 1.2"! The sides may be 1/2-3/4". I have to keep it short because it would poof up way too high and would NEVER be like Valentino's. I look at pictures of men with straight hair and see it is VERY long (at least for me) and it is perfectly flat, neat, and non-destructive of their ears. Already my hair is extremely short and it still looks long and curly at some parts. My main problem is it sticks up all poofy and never lays down like Valentino's. I actually don't need to straighten because Murray's does the job IF the length stays under 1.5", but I need to FLATTEN.

 

[Dinerman]

With hair that short, you won't be able to get the look you're going for.

 

[Schofields]

With hair that short, you won't be able to get the look you're going for.

+1


you need to grow it a LOT longer. valentinos hair probably went in his face.

 

[habberdasher]

I keep it short because my hair is curly. Do you think growing it would make it flat? I'm still going to cut my sides to 1/4", though. I don't like it bothering my ears and messy sideburns. I'll grow it to, how many inches you say?

 

[Schofields]

i know for a fact: my hair is wavy naturally. as far as layout goes, my hair is exactly the way you want it. the longer side probaby goes down to right above my mouth.

as far as the sides go, if you have really wavy hair, it wont look good unless its VERY, VERY short.

 

[mattfink]

What does waxing your hair do?

Waxing as in removing the short hairs...yanks em out and the won't stick out.

 

[scotrace]

DUDE!

We keep answering and you keep asking. Here are some illustrations.
You need to let it GROW. Shoot for a new do for Spring, 2010:

LONG.

LONGER.

But short on the sides & Back.
Then use your favorite hair jelly. This is with Sweet Georgia Brown and a little Royal Crown. Slick it back:

You can also go 50's greaser when the mood strikes and POMP it up:

Grow it out long, so it covers your face completely. The get the sides and back cropped down to nubs. Add goop, slick it back, and you're on your way to Valentino. I don't know how this will work with really curly hair, but I know it won't work if it's short, no matter what hair type.

Good luck.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

,



If Charlie Chaplin could do it, so can you.



Before: ------------------------------------------After:

-----------------

-------------------------------------------------

.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Love the Wayfairers...

Add another pair and a rotund sidekick and you're ... on a mission from God!

 

[repeatclicks]

+1 again. When I first started growing my hair for a traditional styled cut (started with a typical pomp and d.a. style), the guys in the shop I went to (Chop Shop in Berkeley) said 'nope, you gotta grow it out.

the hairs on the front of my head were down to my eyebrows then. They are now down to my lip and I finally have the style I want. My hair has a slight wave to it, and kinks right at the front right side, so I use a paddle brush and a hairdryer to straighten it out before putting product in.

 

[HodgePodge]

That ... is the result of a bowl plopped atop the Aryan dude's head while the barber sheared off anything peeping out below.
.

That...is a germanic/nordic dude. 'Aryans' were Indo-Iranian.

 

[HodgePodge]

I'm getting a lot of hating on the sideburns lately, but I can't bring myself to shave them off. They've got a little bit of Rockabilly Flair to them and I kinda like them.

If you really like 'em, I suggest you shave them, let them come in, shave them again, etc. so that they will hopefully fill in - ditto on the moustache.
My sideburns never used to convincingly extend down past the top 3rd of my ears, but constant shaving has brought them to the point where a few weeks of letting them run leaves me feeling like I'm getting ready to appear on a piece of currency.