Going Shorter For Fall
Quite often, guys who normally wear their hair aggressively short come into the shop and ask for something a little longer for cool weather. I actually think that cool weather is a great time to go short.
Think about it. In cool weather, you'll be wearing hats, scarves, and knit caps to keep warm. These items keep you warm, but make it hard to maintain a hairstyle. With an ultra-short cut, you don't have to worry as much about styling or "hat head."
Take a look at some of our galleries of military haircuts, buzzcuts, or short haircuts and see if you find a low-maintenance style that suits you for cooler weather.
Photo by: Sgt. Bryson-K. Jones, USMC
Old School Shaving Cream
I'm a bit of a shaving fanatic and have tried nearly every shave cream imaginable. On a recent trip to my barber supply warehouse, I picked up a tube of Clubman Club Lather Shave Cream and I'm glad I did. For just around $10, the stuff is amazing. Check out my full review of this solid shaving product.
Wedding Day Grooming
Several years ago, a guy came in with relatively long hair and asked me to cut it off, military style. At his request, I skinned him down to white walls. "So, whatcha doin' tonite?" I asked him as I was finishing him up. "Getting married," was his reply (insert needle scratching off the record sound effect here).
Oops. Now THAT's a wedding day faux pas. I can't even begin to imagine how made his bride was when she walked down the aisle and saw those fresh whitewalls. I'd be willing to bet he got the cold shoulder that night, if you know what I mean.
Wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. If you're tying the knot in the future, be sure to check out my five tips for looking great on wedding day.
Photo © Kornilovdream | Dreamstime.com
Get a Haircut, Give a Little Hope
Flipping through some old barbershop photos today, I came across a shot of an old client of mine who had the best head of hair I've ever seen on a human. Christopher's hair was incredible -- thick, black, and shiny. His shoulder-length mop was the kind of hair men hated him for and women could only wish they had. One day, he came in and asked for a buzzcut.
"Nope. Not going to do it. Not ever. Forget it." That was my reply. As much as I love doing a radical change on a client, I really could not bring myself to cutting off that perfect head of hair. We went through this routine a few times until one day he brought in a photo of a little bald girl. "I want her to have my hair," he told me as he asked me again to cut his hair off. Christopher wanted to donate his hair to Locks of Love, an organization that provides wigs made of donated hair to children suffering from hair loss as a result of illness.
So, we put his hair in several ponytails and carefully buzzed it off and bagged it up. Christopher actually looked great with a buzzcut, which he probably still wears to this day, and I'm sure there's some little girl out there with a great head of new hair.
If you've got long hair and are considering a change, I hope you'll check out some of my favorite hair related charities. Your haircut could save or change a life.
Slick Retro Style
I'm really enjoying seeing some of the classic groomed styles like those in AMC's Mad Men and I'm even seeing a few clients requesting such styles lately. Could this be a trend?
This is a cut I did on my client Tripp a few days ago. It's a tight classic taper into significant length on top, lots of pomade, and a slick side part. Pair this with a great suit and tie and you're one sharp due.
These types of retro styles hark back to a time when men paid attention to grooming and dressed to impress. I'd really like to see this type of style make a strong comeback.
Photo & Hair by Dave Alexander
Recession Ready Haircut, Bull Market Price
Just caught the season premiere of Million Dollar Listing on Bravo TV. During the episode, realtor Josh Flagg states that he wants his look to reflect this more conservative time, so he gets a recession ready buzzcut... at Jose Eber Salon in Beverly Hills! Too bad he didn't check out my article on how to choose either a barber or stylist because we might have been able to save him a few bucks! I know Jose and his team are top notch pros, but a buzzcut is the perfect cut to be performed by a traditional barber or by buzzing at home.
Strange Men's Grooming Devices
This week in the barbershop, we had fun testing two odd products The Goatee Saver and The Sideburn Ruler -- one worked surprisingly well, while one didn't really hit the mark. All things considered, we did have a good laugh or two while testing these devices. Read our reviews to find out which we liked and which we didn't.
The Death of the Emo Swoosh
Do my eyes deceive? Is this actually Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz with a buzzcut and no guyliner? Handsome guy without all the styling don't you think? Not sure what prompted the change, on Wentz' blog on October 5th, he declared, "this is the death of the Emo Swoosh." May it rest in peace.
Photo © Bryan Bedder | Getty Images
Budget Grooming
A few days ago, I plopped down at the bar at my favorite pub and looked over and noticed a (former) client of mine who had a fresh buzzcut. I asked him, "where have you been?" He told me the economy had really had an impact and he had started buzzing his own hair to save some money. I did notice, however, that he hadn't seemed to cut back on the Scotch consumption much. But I digress...
The economy has had a bit of an impact on me as well, but so far I haven't adjusted my grooming ritual much. I'll eat Ramen Noodles before I stop getting my haircut twice a month. How about you? Let us know and comment if you've got any great tips for saving money on haircuts and grooming.
Men's Rogaine Foam Working
About six weeks ago, I stated a six month trial of Men's Rogaine Foam. This early on, I actually don't hate the stuff (which I expected to) and, if my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, it looks like I'm starting to see some new growth. Check out my review of Men's Rogaine Foam, which I'll update again after my trial period is over.