17 Best 80s Hairstyles for Men in 2021

Most men’s hairstyles in the ’50s,’60s, and 70s were influenced by pop music, and the men’s hairstyles in the ’80s were not an exception. However, in each successive year, more improvements were made on the existing hairstyles, and also more styles were introduced. For instance, in the 1980s, men’s hairstyles were more significant compared to other sizes of hairstyles introduced before. The ’80s styles for guys were very rugged, punky, and diverse. Besides, many haircuts were introduced during this era.

The 1980s saw the introduction of the business hairstyles for men. White politicians and businessmen particularly rocked these haircuts. The hairstyles featured neat sides with long hair on top, which was then combed back using wax. Other everyday hairstyles for men in the ’80s were the mullet styles. Nowadays, these hairstyles are defined in a simple phrase, “business in the front and party at the back.” That is what they were. To rock this look, you needed to trim the hair short on top and the sides, and let the long hair fall to the back.

Though mullet hairstyles were widespread, there were other ’80s hairstyles for men. There were straight, curled, short, and even punky hairstyles such as Mohawk. Many celebrities during the ’80s rocked these haircuts and made them quite popular and unforgettable. Most of those hairstyles are still here with us, some with some modifications while others are rocked the way they were since their creation. You can choose any of these 1980s hairstyles for men and wear them to get a feel of what it meant to live in the ’80s. Take a gander and choose your preferred 80s hairstyle.

1. The Mullet

 

Well, you guessed it right. Our first ’80s men’s hairstyle had to be the mullet, and for obvious reasons; this hairstyle was quite common in the ‘80s. It was the most prevalent men’s hairstyle during the eighties. This haircut is simply defined by one phrase, ‘business in the front and party at the back.’ In simple terms, the hairstyle features short hair on the sides and top and extended hair at the back.

Whenever someone mentions ‘mullet,’ there are two things that come into people’s minds; the first one is an image of a fish, and the second one is an incredibly admired hairstyle. However, when you dig deeper into the roots of this haircut, and why it was given such a name, you will find out that the mullet became so popular after the famous hip-hop band known as Beasty Boys. From then, it was rocked by numerous celebrities, most notably, the renowned country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

2. Jheri Curl

 

After the legendary mullet hairstyle, our next hairstyle in the list is the dramatic Jheri Curl. Invented by Jheri Redding, this legendary hairstyle was the talk of the town in the nineteen-eighties, especially among the African-American guys. Music, just like today, had an enormous influence on fashion and style. Without a doubt, Jheri curls were popularized by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. He wore this hairstyle during the release of his short movie-Thriller. The haircut became so popular, and so did the haircut. Michael Jackson wasn’t the only icon who rocked this haircut, other celebrities such as Lionel Richie wore it.

Rocking this hairstyle involves the use of a lot of chemicals and hair products to create permanent curls on long hair. However, if you have naturally curly hair, you will not need to use chemicals. Just a little hair products, and you are good to go.

3. The Side Part and Greaser

 

As the name suggests, this is a combo of a greaser style and a side part. Excellent combination. In this look, the locks are brushed back using styling wax to create a greaser style. This stylish styling can be traced back to the ’80s. This hairstyle features only one side-part, but if you want an attention-grabbing hairstyle, you can opt for a side parting on both sides. The best thing is that this hairstyle is back and with some updated features.

4. The Shag

 

This is among the ‘80s hairstyles that have overcome the test of time and remained relevant among the both sexes. This Paul McGregor creation is all about allowing the front fringe and the layers on top, and the sides hang freely and loosely. To rock this look, retain the layers on top short and trim them in an increasing length downwards. If you want to rock a pageboy style, you would want to opt for a rolled under graduated sides.

5. Big Hair

 

We will not be doing justice to history if we forget the 1980s big hair. Without a doubt, this hairstyle was directly influenced by music. This hairstyle was popularized by rock bands such as the Metal and The Beatles. In fact, most of these ’80s bands were known as hair bands. The big hair hairstyle was complemented by wide belts, tattoos, and leather jackets.

To rock this look, all that you need is wax or mousse. Start by teasing your hair up and then apply your wax to give it the required hold. Even if you have straight hair, this is the right hairstyle to add volume to your hair. So, if you want to embrace the 80s era and perhaps transform the course of the fashion and music, grow out your hair to long lengths, usually four to five inches, and then add pomade and fluff it for some volume. Oh, and remember to rock this look with a black leather jacket and a wide belt.

6. Old-School Hairstyle

 

The hip hop fashion never went anywhere, and it is making a big comeback now. In those days, most hairstyles were attached to hip-hop and were legendary, and you could recognize them whenever you saw them. Unique and attention-grabbing short shaved sections paired with black braids, this African-American hairstyle was something to embrace. Many people would wish such hairstyles like this one come back.

7. Beautiful Hipster

 

The 1980s saw the creation of the revolutionary men’s haircuts, and it is during this era when most men experimented with various hairstyles for the first time. Most of these hairstyles were daring and needed courage to rock. The hipster style can be traced back to this time.

The hipster hairstyle featured layered hair on the top and hair slicked downwards on the sides and the back. The hair in the front was swept to cover the forehead with some waves reaching the eyebrows. This was a great haircut for guys with an oval-shaped face. This is one among many ’80s hairstyles for men that have managed to come back and gain popularity again. If you want to feel the ’80s vibe, this is the right haircut for you.

8. Classic Rockability

 

This ‘80s hairstyle brought together two iconic hairstyles to create this irresistible look. The haircut features pomp and a quiff cut that complement each other perfectly. The quiff and the pompadour are on-trend men’s hairstyles right now, and you can pair them together and rock this ‘80s vibe.

However, over time, this hairstyle has been updated, and now you can rock the modern versions of the classic rockability haircut. You can choose to cut the hair on the sides extremely short to make the quiff in front more unique. However, if you need something polished and more formal, just trim the hair on the sides, but make sure the hair on top is longer.

9. Wet Style

 

Though this hairstyle became popular in the 1980s, its origin can be traced back to the ‘40s. Since then, it has remained relevant in every decade, and it is never absent in the hair catalogs for all decades. For instance, most men nowadays rock comb-over styles to give an illusion that their manes are wet. This hairstyle is all about bringing out the rebelliousness in you, and we understand why; this cannot be avoided given the fact that the latter decades; the sixteens and seventies were dominated by hippie hairstyles.

10. One-Sided Look

 

Though this hairstyle dates back to the 1980s, you will meet many guys rocking it in the streets, but of course, with an updated vibe. That is why most of the 80s hairstyles are considered timeless. Regardless of the age you are living in; you will see these classic 80s hairstyles.

To rock this look, you would want to grow out your hair to medium length and then create a side part, combing a portion of hair on one side to cover half section of your cheek. Sweep back the rest of the manes. This is an ideal haircut for men with straight hair. However, to give your locks some hold to remain intact throughout the day, you would want to apply pomade or gel on your hair.

11. Quiff Hairstyle

 

Almost all classic old-school hairstyles come back to life regardless of how long they may take. Some come with new names, but others retain their names. One of those 80s classic men’s hairstyles that have survived the test of time and remained up to date is the quiff haircut.

You cannot get it wrong with a quiff style, and once you wear it, you will realize why it was so popular among guys in the 80s, especially politicians and businessmen. Apart from being easy to style and manage, this hairstyle is incredibly versatile. You can rock it for both formal and casual settings.

12. River Phoenix’s Extended Textured Locks

 

Do you remember the discos and the shudder (popularly known as bell-bottom) of the late ‘70s? This was the period when everything about men’s hairstyling took a different route, and guys started embracing long hair for the first time after many years.

And if you thought this trend died in the 70s, you were wrong as it stayed well into the 1980s, and it was this time when it reached the climax when celebrities such as River Phoenix retained the style.

Well, to rock this look, tell your barber to add layers to your long hair to enhance the softness of your hair and make it more suitable to your face shape. One aspect that you shouldn’t forget when wearing long hair is that extended locks should be styled with long layers. It is all about balancing your hairstyle so that you don’t end up rocking two styles on one.

13. Princely High Top Fade

 

Would you take time and imagine the period when the hip-hop didn’t influence the men’s hairstyles? When it comes to the high top fade, the ‘80s was just a continuation of what had started decades ago. The high-top fade was an epitome of the golden age of the hip-hop and was rocked by the stars such as Kid’n Play and Daddy Kane. Today, it is a statement haircut for Will Smith, the Prince of hip-hop.

The rule of thumb, if you want to wear this style, is that don’t DIY at home. Look for a barber who knows how to style it perfectly. Your stylist will fade the sides perfectly, leaving a long hair on top, which he would then trim on top to level it. This is a great look for guys with curly and thick hair. However, to maintain it looking at its best, you will need to visit your barber after a week for touch-ups.

14. Slicked Back Haircut

 

You won’t need more explanation about this hairstyle if you know one of the well-known singers in the ’80s, Elvis Presley. This was his statement hairstyle. He used to sport this haircut paired with a wet look. Though he didn’t complement it with faded cut, you can pair your slicked back hair with faded sides. Besides, you can also decide how short you want to cut the hair on the sides, depending on how unique you want your hair to look.

15. The Radical Combo

 

This is where modernity and vintage meets. This is a classic mullet hairstyle but paired with clean shaved sides. The long hair at the back is reduced and appears like a tail and rests on the back. To make the look even bolder, pair it with clean stripes on the shaved sides. This is a great look for the daring men out there since it has all the features to command attention wherever you go.

16. Dreadlocks

 

With great cultural and religious importance, the dreadlocks have been rocked throughout the history, but their climax reached in the 80s, after their popularization by the legendary reggae musician, Bob Marley. Though the African-Americans initially wore them, in the ’80s, they became so popular that even the whites started wearing them, especially the lovers of reggae music.

You can intentionally create dreadlocks by twisting your hair to create permanent dreads, or the dreadlocks can form naturally where you leave your hair un-brushed, giving it time to tangle and matt itself.

17. Facial Hair

 

Today, facial hair might not be a big thing. However, in the late 70s to 80s, it was a big thing, and some styles such as mustache were highly adored.

Men in the 80s could groom and shape their facial hair, or leave it natural altogether. Sideburns, beards, and mustaches were rocked together, or singularly-it all depended on the wearer preferences.

– Mustaches- They were worn thick and full. The most prevalent style was the horseshoe cut. This style featured long hair that extended down the sides of the mouth. Fu Manchu’s mustache inspired this style.
– Sideburns- They were styled long and full, sometimes covering the entire cheekbones to connect with the beards.
– Beards- Most men rocked full beards in the 80s.

The nineties hairstyles, to some extent, defined the men’s hairstyling. Most of the 1980s hairstyles are still rocked with some updates, while others nothing has changed. Have you found your throwback hairstyle? Without a doubt, one of these hairstyles will suit you.