5 Haircuts & How They Complement Your Beard

A haircut says a lot about a man. Much like the presence of a beard (or lack thereof), a hairstyle announces itself from a distance, causing onlookers to form assumptions regarding the man beneath the locks. From dreadlocks to the taper-fade, every man has their own unique style when it comes to how they like their hair. Some guys like to let their hair do its thing, all nat-ur-al, while others will mold, shape, comb, and fiddle with their locks until they reach just the right look.

However, as guys get older and have to start making additional stylistic choices regarding the hair on their heads, the balance between the hair on the top and their facial hair becomes an inescapable reality that we all keep in the back of our minds.

Not every hairstyle affects a man’s beard the same way, but regardless of your hairdo, it’s good to take a minute to think about how your haircut of choice meshes with your beard.

Long Hair/Man Bun

Ah yes, the craze that’s taken over, the man bun. For years men have been growing their hair out, maybe not to the lengths seen pre-1980, but recently more and more guys are opting to skip their routine haircuts and are simply letting their hair do its thing. Oddly enough, this same span of time has seen the rebirth of the beardsman, a coincidence that can be rooted to ever increasing acceptance of more hair in the workplace, whether it is on a man’s face or up top.

Chances are if you’ve decided to grow your hair out to the point where you can pull it back into a bun, you’re very comfortable with having excess hair in, on, and around your face. In fact, growing both areas out simultaneously can provide some much needed balance to your look. Bottom line: if you’re going to go full-Jesus on everyone, you might as well embrace it.

The Part

Once regarded as the pinnacle hairstyle of 1950s America, the part has returned in full force and can be seen around the world as stylish men opt for a longer hairstyle without growing it all the way out. What the part does provide is a clean-cut, well-maintained look that balances well with a fuller beard. When someone spots a beardsman rocking the part, they immediately think of him as a man of style and contradiction, precise enough to keep his hairstyle kept, but rugged enough to embrace the beard.

For someone new to the beardsman life, opting for the part will provide a complimentary aspect to your newfound look that will allow both you and others alike to ease into the new you. When it comes to the part, combining refined and rugged is definitely the right call.

The Undercut

Macklemore might not have been the first guy to bring the undercut into the spotlight, but once he did it seemed like every guy out there was experimenting with the unique cut. In theory, the undercut isn’t all that different from the part in terms of proportions, however, the undercut takes the ratios affecting the hair on the top and sides of your head to the extreme.

When it comes to how you style your beard while rocking an undercut though, the sky is simply the limit. With a hairstyle that immediately signifies your interest in trends and style, the undercut allows a guy to experiment widely with whatever beard style catches his eye. The only issue that a beardsman with an undercut faces is making sure the long top with short sides doesn’t make his beard look like the lower half of a figure eight. Even if it does though, don’t sweat it, we’re pretty sure you still look awesome.

The Buzz

The once de facto hairstyle for young men everywhere, the buzz is the perfect style for any beardsman in search of anti-maintenance. The best part about shaving off most of your hair is the obvious: no hair means no worries. No hair falling into your eyes, no real time spent drying it in the morning, and essentially no fuss.

In addition, pairing your buzz with a beard presents a contrast in textures, which can help break up some of the uniformity associated with having a beard that closely matches the length of the rest of your hair. For the man with nothing to hide, except for maybe his chin or cheekbones, the buzz is the perfect hairstyle to pair with a hearty beard.

Bald

Of course, not all of us can grow luscious locks and have the privilege of choosing our preferred hairstyle. However, just because you can’t grow a full head of hair up top doesn’t mean you should hold back from letting your beard flow. Formerly, most men opted to let their hair continue to grow out even after “receding hairline” became an understatement. These days though, balding men everywhere are opting to rid themselves of whatever hair is left and embracing their inherent baldness. We salute you.

Style is all about confidence and nowhere is that truer than when it comes to hair. Sure, thinning hair and balding sucks, but it’s part of manhood and rather than fear or ignore your genetics, take the plunge and become the new you. Similarly, choose a beard style that makes you happy and empowered. Even if you’re still adjusting to having a little less hair on top, we promise that you’ll feel stronger with an increasingly thick beard at your disposal.

Photos by Tommy Cairns