As we ease into middle age, how do we maintain our edge? How do we look current without coming off looking ridiculous?
I think it's important, for those of us who are a bit more mature, to continue to look towards the younger generation for inspiration. We should take a cue from those guys and incorporate some of their style into our lives. Granted, someone my age can't really pull off a faux hawk, but I can wear a similar style that is aggressively short on the sides and texturized on top. While those of us who are a bit more "seasoned" may not be able to wear a long shag haircut, we can go longer and wear the style brushed back with a bit of pomade and a side part. David Raccuglia, founder of the American Crew men's line of grooming products, echos this feeling, "Just don't fall into a category where you're comfortable. Push it." Just don't push it too far. It's also a good idea to look to fashionable mature male stars for inspiration, too.
Keeping your haircut current, but not over the top, is a great start when it comes to maintaining your edge. Growing a bit of well-groomed facial hair or adding a trendy pair of glasses can also help. World renowned makeup artist Billy B told me, "I started going grey in my 20s, so I think it's important to have a cool, fresh cut to keep an edge and try to remain youthful. For men, there isn't so much that we can do other than take care of ourselves and get a cool cut."
As we get older, maintaing a cool cut isn't always easy. If you're like me and you hair is thinning out a bit, go short. Get a really close cut and make sure you've got a clean taper on the neck. This will help minimize the thinning and help maintain a neat, youthful look. If you're going gray, be proud of it! Keep the gray and get a great cut to go along with it. If your hair is dull, consider very subtle highlights to brighten things up a bit. Your hairstyle has a huge impact on how young you look, so find a barber or stylist who knows face shape and will make suggestions on updating your look.
I really think age is just a number. At 42, I feel great and am in better shape than I was when I was younger. Guys, as we mature, we're in a much better position to enjoy life -- we know a lot more and most of us are in a better place in our careers and finances to enjoy life to it's fullest. Just because our hair may be a bit grayer and a little thinner, doesn't mean we can't maintain an edge and look young through taking care of ourselves and getting a great cut.
