Longer hair for men: Key trends to update your look
Shaggy, mid-length hair is the hottest hair trend of 2025 for men.
All the coolest guys are growing out their short styles right now and, according to hairdressers, there are two key looks everyone wants.
“It’s a mixture of late-80s and early-90s styles coming in,” says Alfie Oneill, creative director at Paul Edmonds London.
“You've got the ‘mini mullet’ with lots of perms to create curl and movement, and then you've got the smooth ‘old money’ look with curtains and a lot of softness.”
It’s a case of edgy versus preppy with these opposing aesthetics, and that includes men’s fashion too.
“Everything's a lot more groomed and stylised with men now, they spend a lot more on clothes and grooming than they did in the past,” Alfie says.
“With the ‘old money’ look they prefer brands like Reiss, Ralph Lauren and Massimo Dutti. If they’ve got a mullet they tend to wear cool, sporty brands like Cole Buxton.”
You can’t go from short to shaggy hair overnight, of course, but Alfie says it’s a case of having to “push through” the tricky in-between stage and getting regular trims along the way.
“I have young lads coming in with short hair saying, ‘I've seen you do this person’s hair and I want it like that.’ I’m honest with them and say, ‘You've got six months worth of growth to get there.’”
To reach the desired result you have to “grow it out, cut the shape in, grow it some more. It is a bit of a process.”
But when the cuts are this cool it’s worth persevering. Here, Alfie explains everything you need to know if you’re thinking about embracing a mid-length mullet or the floppy 90s look…
THE MODERN MULLET
Popularised in the 1970s by stars like David Bowie, the mullet fell out of fashion for decades but now it’s back thanks to pair of trend-setting actors.
“Austin Butler started doing the ‘mini mullet’ and Paul Mescal has done a curly mullet - they're great versions,” Alfie says.
“A mullet is shorter at the sides and on top, then longer at the nape of the neck, but you can have different variations. The mini mullet is a softer variation. You can make it quite ‘corporate’ if you need to for work or if you want something more edgy you can go a little bit longer.”
Are mullets only for trendy Gen Zs? “No, everyone's having them at the moment, they’ve become really mainstream. I’ve got 45-year-old clients at the moment who have a mullet.”
It does depends on how you style it, he adds: “My younger clients tend to go for the more extreme version, for example, having shaved sides, that’s a bit more Gen Z, and then it I’d recommend a little bit of a softer look for older clients.”
As well as being bang on trend for 2025, the great thing about a mullet is that it can suit every face shape because the choppiness and length frame the face softly rather than emphasising your features. Plus, even if you haven’t got natural curls you can create them with a perm.
"That's why people are incorporating perms to go with a mullet, it’s to make the hair curly to have that Paul Mescal feel to it,” Alfie explains, and hairdressers are tailoring the perm to create tousled twists rather than corkscrew curls.
“If you've got straight hair you can also add texture and softness with products like Kevin Murphy Rough.Rider, Oribe Fiber Groom or Oway Sea Salt Spray,” Alfie continues. “For more curly mullets you’ll need a curl cream or curl revitalising spray from Davines or Kérastase.”
And don’t forget you’ll need regular trims to maintain the signature shape of the mullet: “You want to keep the sides short so the mullet looks more defined and the back is more dominant. I would say get the sides timmed about every three to four weeks.”
THE ‘OLD MONEY’ LOOK
The other major mid-length hair trend for men at the moment is inspired by 1990s heartthrobs.
“I always use the reference of Matt Damon in The Talented Mr Ripley,” Alfie says. “Plus 90s Ralph Lauren adverts where the models had long, floppy, soft hair. It's very natural.”
To get this look you should ask your hairdresser for “90s curtains with soft layering, tapered in slightly at the neck.”
As with the mullet, this kind of soft cut can be tailored to suit your style and face shape, Alfie says: “If you want a narrower face and to emphasise the cheekbones you could undercut the curtains.”
While this look works for any hair colour, some guys are also opting to go blonder with their ‘old money’ crop, with colourists using the ‘air touch’ technique to create fine, sun-kissed highlights.
Does it take more effort to blow-dry mid-length hair so it’s perfectly glossy and groomed?
“It depends on the type of hair,” Alfie says. “You do need to use a little bit of brushwork, but once the shape's right, it falls into place.” Choosing the right product for your hair type is also important.
“If the hair is on the finer side, you need a mousse or thickening cream. If it's on the thicker side, an oil will help to flatten it down and smooth it out.”
Edgy or preppy?
Mid-length styles are dominating the world of men’s hair right now, it’s just a case of deciding if you want an edgy mullet or a floppy crop.
While straight hair types are ideal for the latter, with the help of a perm you can create a wavy mullet, while adding some carefully placed highlights can give your 90s look a golden gloss that’s perfect for summer.
Tempted to try a mid-length look but not sure which is best for you? Book a consultation with one of our men’s hair specialists at Paul Edmonds London.
