The new year is the perfect time to wipe the slate clean, set some new year’s resolutions, and reflect on some of life’s big questions, like what the hell you’re going to do with your hair in 2026.
Fortunately for you, here at GQ, this is something we spend the better part of the year thinking about. Obsessing about, really. And when there’s nothing left to discuss, we spend our days sifting through the best shampoos and conditioners until our friends and family are prepared to speak to us again.
Needless to say, we have some thoughts about what you might want to do with your hair in 2026. And we’re not the only ones. Here, with the help of leading hairstylists in New York, LA, and London, are the best men’s hair trends you can expect to see taking over the world this year.
90s Nostalgia
Oasis wasn’t the only thing from the 90s to make a comeback in 2025. Towards the end of the year, we started seeing more nineties-inspired haircuts. Not so much the Gallaghers’ mod look, though. The styles on the rise are skewing more boyband than Britpop. Think: DiCaprio’s iconic curtains from Titanic, Clooney’s E.R. Caesar cut, and yes, even frosted tips. “A lot of people want to go back to the simpler times,” says Jake Murphy, barber and manager at Ruffians Covent Garden. “Clients are coming in with pictures of haircuts from the nineties or even late eighties. And now we can bring those haircuts into the modern era with newer techniques. So you've got the flavor of the past, but with modern ingredients.” Other nineties hairstyles set to return in 2026 include the bowl cut, heartthrob, and high-top fade.
Center Parts
Within that '90s nostalgia, there are a few updated favorites. That includes a messy center part, as shown on Cillian Murphy. You can achieve the look by carefully adding layers and texture to long-ish hair to ensure that it moves and flows naturally, resulting in a style that you (or your partner) will want to touch and run their hands through all day. Be warned, though, it doesn't work for everyone.
Side Parts
The side part is back. This cut has been around since the '40s and it was part of the official uniform for old Hollywood. It's definitely more on the formal side, but it also keeps showing up on red carpets and runways.
To achieve the ultimate side part, like Glen Powell, get yourself a decent comb and hold the tip of it towards the scalp. Position this a couple of centimeters to the left or to the right of the center line, and slowly run the comb downwards. To keep everything in place, grab yourself a good pomade, and opt for one with a glossier texture if you're going for old school war hero vibe.
Manageable Mullets
Mullets have recently returned under many a name: baby mullets, mini mullets, “wolf cuts.” We don’t see 2026 as being the year the classic MacGuyver goes mainstream, but shorter versions have increasingly been cropping up on trend germination sites from the red carpet to the football pitch. “The modern mullet is still very much alive, and is being rocked in many different variations, but the most important thing for 2026 is that it remains less severe; instead, it looks like an easy, tousled, air-dried hairstyle and not a ‘hairdo,’” says Jae-Manuel Cardenas, celebrity hairstylist and senior stylist at Ollin Salon NYC, who cites Jacob Elordi’s Milan Fashion Week flow as the perfect example. “He has what I like to call a ‘soft mullet,’ with shorter pieces in the front to make sure it still has that edge, but his sides are still long and layered, not shaved, so he has a more tousled, easy look about him.”
Nuanced Bleach and Creative Color
Guys have been bleaching and coloring their hair for ages, but there was something about the particular shade of platinum blonde that Nicholas Hoult revealed during last year’s Superman press tour that made it all seem fresh and new, but also simultaneously aspirational and attainable. “Bleached blonde and creative color in 2026 are less about shock value and more about intention,” says celebrity hairstylist Dean Banowetz. “Men are choosing cleaner blondes, softer platinums, and wearable pastels that look expensive rather than extreme. The trend is moving toward customized tones that work with skin tone, haircut, and lifestyle, instead of one-size-fits-all bleach jobs.” The beauty of bleach is it opens the door to a world of color possibilities. And if you invest the time to find a good colorist (please do), you can end up with something truly unique. “One of my colleagues bleached his hair and then dyed it pink and washed it out straight away, instead of letting it settle, leaving this really amazing kind of rose gold hair,” says Murphy. “That's kind of what I'm going to be pushing my clients more towards in 2026. Bleaching can be just the beginning.”
Tailored Buzzcuts
The classic buzz cut has been around for a minute. But these days, everything's become a little bit more refined. Think Michael B. Jordan (fade buzz cut), Timothée Chalamet, and Justin Bieber (burr buzz cut). These very famous dudes have all sported the look recently, and it'll continue to be relevant in 2026.
There are many variations you can go for. (See here for a guide.) That said, TJ Hunt, barber at Time Shoreditch in London offers these basic guidelines. “To achieve this style, a longer guard length is used for the top and it's teamed with a shorter back and sides,” says Hunt. “Some barbers may even add a tapered neckline to give it a more considered look, while retaining the ease of [simple] day-to-day maintenance and styling.”
Quiet Silver
Even if you hadn’t planned on exploring new color options in the new year, your hair might have other ideas. Natural graying is something to embrace, not hide, in 2026 as trends move more towards authentic individuality. “Allowing natural gray hair to show is one of the most confident trends of 2026,” says Banowetz. “Instead of covering grays, men are blending, enhancing, or simply embracing them as part of their personal style. Gray hair is being treated as a feature rather than a flaw.” The age-positive “quiet silver” hair trend is all about working with what you’ve got and using your hard-earned hues to your advantage, whether that’s allowing a natural salt and pepper look to happen or layering in some coloring to complement—not cover—your silver strands. “Think: George Clooney, Oscar Isaac, and Patrick Dempsey,” says Cardenas. “Embracing your gray is definitely the way to go in 2026.”
Wall Street Casual
Many dudes have already starting adopting a tailored, more considered look that's reminiscent of traders on their days off. Think straight-cut stonewashed jeans, a pair of loafers, a casual shirt, and an unstructured blazer. Some are terming this look Yuppie Core, and not only is it assimilating into men's wardrobes, it's also making its way to hair trends, too.
“Mid-length, swept-back styles held in place with a glossier product are making a comeback,” says Hunt. “These are shorter on the back and sides but are equipped with layers and softer edges. Think Aaron Levine or Bradley Cooper for inspo.”
Hair Longevity
Longevity was the prevailing wellness trend of 2025. In short order, we saw everything from fitness routines to skin care regimens reframed to prioritize functional, long-term health over skin-deep aesthetics, and ultimately enable us to live longer, healthier lives. This year, longevity will continue to show up across categories, including men’s hair care. “Hair health is becoming just as important as the haircut,” says Banowetz. “Men are paying more attention to scalp care, conditioning, and long-term maintenance, so their hair looks good not just today, but years from now.” Expect to see more and more guys becoming obsessed with the health of their follicles with things like scalp treatments, red light therapy, massages, serums, and scrubs, which can help strengthen the fibers and stimulate growth. “Men are having a broader mindset of investing in hair the same way they invest in skin care or fitness,” Banowetz says.
Portions of this story originally appeared in British GQ.
