Classic men’s hairstyles remain popular

Reported by Stuart Neatby

Like most things with men, according to Stewart Anderson, hairstyles don’t change much.

Anderson is the assistant program director of hair art design at the John Casablancas Institute. He said the well-groomed look has been popular for a long time, although specific well-groomed styles vary in prominence.

“The very barbered look is almost vintage looking, you have that sort of 40s sort of look where they’re super cropped and tapered around the base,” he said.

Classic 1950s styles like the pompadour or the quiff are also experiencing resurgence, according to Anderson.

Fauxhawk hairstyle disappearing

Hani Shilimon, owner of Mario’s Barber Shop on the corner of Oak Street and 67^th Avenue, has been cutting hair since he was 14 years old. Although he agreed that tapered, cropped looks are in style, he noted that the fauxhawk has largely disappeared from the scene of men’s hairstyles.

“A couple years ago or something, all day it was fauxhawk, fauxhawk, fauxhawk. Now they have changed,” said Shilimon. “The most popular these days? I would think it would be a comb-over.”

Many barbers would agree that side-part styles have been a reliable classic for longer than most Langara students have been alive. Shilimon tends to update that classic hairstyle by tapering the sides.

Tapered sides are also increasingly becoming shorter, according to Satish Kohli, owner of Kohli’s Master Cuts, located near the corner on Main Street near 49^th Avenue.

“For men, it’s usually short hair, tapered, using a one or two razor,” he said, in reference to length settings on his trimmer.

Men have their own hairstyle preferences

Modern barbers must be increasingly flexible and knowledgeable about an increasing number of hairstyles. Sultan Hall, owner of Sultan’s Hair Design on 49^th Avenue near Main Street, noted that many men often suggest their own twists on popular styles.

“Before we kept pictures [of styles]. Now we don’t keep the pictures. Every customer has phones!” he said.

“I follow the customer. Whatever they say, I do it!”