How to Get a New Men's Haircut

Men's fresh haircut
Yoshio Kubo - Backstage - Milan Men's Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2018/19/Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images 

Getting a new haircut is an easy and inexpensive way to change up your look (as opposed to a new wardrobe or plastic surgery). Your hair frames your face, so it's really the second thing people notice about you (next to the face itself). A haircut is a pretty powerful tool--it can enhance your strong facial features and take emphasis away from weaker features. Here's how to change up your haircut the right way.

Changing your haircut sounds easy, but if you've been working the same cut since high school, the fear of change can get in the way. Once you get past that apprehension, you'll then be more prepared to take the plunge and go for something different.

Choosing the Right Cut

Next, you'll need to choose the right haircut for your face shape and lifestyle. This is a critical step as face shape is a key factor in determining the right type of haircut to enhance your facial features. For example, if you have a round face, a hairstyle that is full at the sides will make your face appear even more round, while a style which is leaner on the sides will add balance. A long face will benefit from a fuller style. When choosing a new haircut lifestyle is often a big consideration as well -- if you're active and don't have a great deal of time to spend styling your hair, you'll need to choose a lower maintenance hairstyle.

When choosing a haircut, it is often helpful to look at pictures of other guy's haircuts to determine what you like. Keep in mind that if you're a balding middle-aged guy, no haircut on earth will make you look like Johnny Depp. It's important to be realistic -- choose photos of haircuts on guys with a similar hair type and face shape. You'll want to print these photos and take them with you to your haircut appointment. Don't be shy about doing so -- your barber or stylist will appreciate the effort as this will give him or her a stronger idea of what you like. Based on these photos, they can then determine a modification of the style that will work best on your head.

Finding a Barber

Of course, after you have an idea of what you want your new haircut to be, you'll have to find a barber or stylist to do the cut. Of course, the easiest way to do this is to simply ask a guy with a similar style who did the cut. Men, however, almost never talk about hair with other guys, so this may not be an option for some. If this is the case, or you can't find a friend/co-worker with a haircut you like, take a look at the review sites and check out the highly rated shops near you. Changing your haircut is a good time to change the person who cuts your hair, too. If you've had the same haircut for more than five years and your haircutter hasn't suggested updated options, you need to find a new barber or stylist.

When you go in to get your new haircut, make sure you have an appointment and let the person you book with know you're coming in for something new. This will give you ample time to talk with your barber or stylist about the cut. Make sure to ask them to recommend the right products for the style you choose and to show you how to do the style yourself at home. Going in as a "walk-in" for a new cut can sometimes be problematic -- if the shop is busy or if the stylist has a full book of appointments, they may not be motivated to spend that extra time with you to make sure the style is just right. As a general rule, when I know someone is coming in for a change, I adjust my appointment book accordingly -- my goal is to make sure the client is thrilled with his new cut and to make sure I retain him as a client. It's not always possible to squeeze in someone looking to make a big change and devote the proper amount of time to it.

When to Get a New Haircut

When getting a new haircut, especially if you're making a bold change, go in for the cut on a Friday (or some other time when you have a day off after). This will give you a day or so to get used to the new cut.

Now, take a look in the mirror -- have you been working the same tired cut for a number of years? Yup, it's time for a change. A new haircut will make you feel fresh and get you noticed!