1960s Haircuts for Men: 15 Iconic & Timeless Styles

Plus, how to achieve these classic styles yourself

Co-authored by Jacob Joseph and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: March 22, 2026 Fact Checked

The ‘60s were a time of great change—including fashion. While some men’s hairstyles of the ‘60s reflect the classic styles of the previous decade, others embraced change and defied social norms. For this article, we interviewed professional hairstylists and barbers to compile a list of some of the most popular men’s hairstyles from the 1960s, with styling tips on how you can achieve them today.

60s Men’s Hairstyles

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An illustration of various men’s hairstyles from the 1960s.

Some popular men’s hairstyles in the ‘60s reflect the styles of previous decades, like the pompadour, the ducktail, and the conk. Others embraced the ongoing social and style changes, like the afro, the shag, dreadlocks, and long hair worn by hippies. Many of these hairstyles are timeless and still popular today.

1

The Pompadour

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The pompadour is a swept-back, voluminous hairstyle. Professional barber Jacob Joseph explains that pompadours are longer in the front, and the hair is swept upwards and back to create volume.^{[1]
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Jacob Joseph
Professional Barber

Expert Interview} The style was extremely popular in the ‘60s thanks to stars like Elvis Presley. It’s a versatile cut that is typically sleek, but can be messy depending on your preference. Try pairing it with a fade or undercut for a modern take on a classic cut.
- Styling tip: “Usually, a pompadour is styled with pomade,” says Joseph. “Get yourself a pomade, really work [it] into your hands, warm it up, [and] brush it through your hair.”^{[2]
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  Jacob Joseph
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- Master hair stylist Frankie Sanderson adds that pompadours are great for men with diamond-shaped faces because they elongate the face.^{[3]
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  Frankie Sanderson
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Meet the wikiHow Experts

Jacob Joseph is a professional barber and the owner of the Barber Lounge, a barbershop based in Turlock, CA.

Marius Morf is the salon owner of PREP, a hair salon and barbershop in San Francisco, CA. He has 10 years of experience in the industry.

Frankie Sanderson is a stylist, makeup artist, and the founder of TheStudeo, a styling business based in Washington, DC.

Kemi Hill is a hair stylist and the owner of Reveal Hair AZ in Tempe, AZ. She has over 15 years of experience.

Noël Reid-Killings is a professional hair stylist and the owner of Noël New York Salon & Boutique. She has over a decade of experience.

2

The Shag

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The shag is a messy, layered haircut. The look is characterized by choppy layers that add texture and volume, creating a tousled, unpolished look. It gained popularity in the late ‘60s, and modern takes on the style are still popular today. The shag is ideal for anyone who wants a laid-back style with a bit of an edge.^{[4]
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- Styling tip: Achieve a tousled look by spritzing your hair with sea salt spray or another texturizing spray.
- The shag’s popularity continued into the ‘70s. Check out more ‘70s men’s hairstyles in our “Men’s Hairstyles from the ‘70s” article.

3

The Bowl Cut

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A bowl cut is a hairstyle that’s the same length all the way around. The bowl cut is named as such because people would historically place a bowl on the head of the person getting the haircut, using it as a cutting guide to trim the hair to an equal length.^{[5]
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Research source} It’s an easy, neat cut that can be done by a non-professional.
- Styling tip: For a classic bowl cut, cut your hair to an equal length just above your eyebrows. For a more modern look, try the mushroom haircut, in which the layers on the bottom are buzzed.

4

The Beatles Cut/Mop Top

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The mop top features medium-length hair with rounded edges. The rounded edges frame the face, creating natural movement and a slightly messy appearance that somewhat resembles a mop. This cut was famously worn by the Beatles, who turned it into a global trend. The mop top is ideal for those who want a little length but still want a relatively low-maintenance cut.^{[6]
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- Styling tip: Spritz your hair with sea salt spray to add volume and definition. Brush your fringe forward with a wide-tooth comb and apply pomade to keep your hair in place.

5

The Afro

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An afro involves styling naturally curly hair into a rounded shape. Afros were a popular hairstyle for both Black men and women in the 60s, as they were a way to embrace their hair’s natural, tightly curled texture. The hair is combed out away from the scalp to create a full, rounded shape.^{[7]
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- Styling tip: Hair stylist Kemi Hill recommends adding water or a hair product to your comb when combing your afro to make it easier to remove tangles. She says to start combing at the ends and make your way to the root.^{[8]
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6

The Short Natural

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The short natural is a shorter variation of the afro. This style is ideal for men who want to keep their natural texture but don’t want the upkeep of a larger afro. The short natural can be rounded like the afro or kept shorter on the sides with longer hair on top. In 1969, short naturals became a sanctioned haircut in the US military.
- Styling tip: Keep your hair soft and moisturized by applying hair oil, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, or almond oil.

7

The Ducktail

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The ducktail haircut is combed back and parted at the back of the head. This style became popular in the 1950s and continued into the ‘60s. The hair is slicked back (or “greased”) with pomade, combed back around the sides, and parted centrally down the back of the head, causing it to resemble the rear end of a duck. The hair at the front was often left down and messy or styled into a pompadour.^{[9]
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- Styling tip: Comb your hair back around the sides of your head, using the teeth edge of a comb to create a central part from the crown to the nape at the back of the head. Use pomade to keep everything in place.

8

The Caesar Cut

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The Caesar cut has short, straight bangs. Salon owner Marius Morf explains, “A Caesar haircut requires a shorter bang area with a barber style lineup throughout the hair perimeter.”^{[10]
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Marius Morf
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Expert Interview} The hair is kept to a short, even length, and the bangs are brushed forward. The style is named after the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar, who is frequently depicted wearing the hairstyle.
- Styling tip: Comb your fringe downward, using a regular comb for straight or wavy hair or a boar bristle brush for natural or textured hair. Apply a bit of styling wax or pomade to hold the style in place.

9

The Mod Cut

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A mod cut features textured layers and a fringe. It’s often confused with the mop top, but a mop top features even lengths of hair, while the mod cut has textured layers and variation in volume. The hair is medium-length with a clear fringe that falls forward or slightly to the side. It originated in the UK and became popular through music and fashion culture in the ‘60s.^{[11]
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- Styling tip: Apply styling paste and blow-dry your hair to create movement. Finish up with a texturizing spray to create a slightly messy look.

10

The Crew Cut

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The crew cut is a short, practical haircut. It involves short hair on the sides and back of the head, with slightly longer hair on top. The crew cut is one of the most polished hairstyles from the 1960s, seen on men in the military and in the corporate world. It’s a timeless cut that still looks great today.^{[12]
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- Styling tip: Crew cuts are generally low-maintenance, so you don’t have to do much styling. If you want, blow-dry your hair upward and shape it using styling cream to create soft volume.

11

The Ivy League

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The Ivy League is a type of crew cut with parted hair. Like the standard crew cut, the sides and back of an Ivy League cut are kept short, while the hair on top is long enough to style with a side part. It’s a clean, sophisticated look popularized by students at Ivy League universities. The Ivy League balances professionalism and style, making it ideal for both formal and casual settings.^{[13]
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- Styling tip: After parting your hair the way you want it, apply a pomade or wax to hold the look in place. Get a trim every 4-6 weeks to maintain the style’s shape.

12

The Flat Top

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The flat top has short hair that stands upright. The look involves short sides and a boxy top that stands upright in a flat, level plane, creating a bold and structured silhouette. The flat top was worn by men of all races and was particularly popular in the military. It gained traction in the ‘50s and continued into the ‘60s.^{[14]
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- Styling tip: Depending on your hair texture, apply wax pomade, hair spray, mousse, gel, or cream to your hair as you style it upwards. This will create the ideal stiffness needed for a flat top.

13

Long Hair

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Long hair is grown out to or past the shoulders. Men’s long hair became popular in the 60s, thanks to the rise of the hippie movement. Many men wore their hair long as an expression of freedom and in defiance of American society at the time.^{[15]
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- Styling tip: If you want to embrace the hippie style, simply wash and comb your hair, then let it hang free. Remember to trim your ends every 6-8 weeks to keep your hair looking healthy.

14

The Conk

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The conk is a relaxed hairstyle worn by Black men. In the 1940s to 1960s, some Black men used congolene, a lye-based gel, to chemically straighten (or relax) their hair. Once straightened, the hair was styled into a pompadour or worn slicked back. The conk became less popular as people began embracing their natural hair texture.^{[16]
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- Styling tip: To conk your hair, apply a relaxer, following the product’s instructions. After it’s set, rinse it out and wash your hair. Then, style it into your desired shape. For example, if you want a pompadour, shape it with some pomade.

15

Dreadlocks

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Dreadlocks are rope-like strands of hair achieved by braiding or interlocking. Dreadlocks are a protective style for Black hair, as they help retain moisture and encourage hair growth. They can form naturally in very curly hair or can be created with techniques like twisting, backcombing, or crocheting. While they really gained popularity in the 70s, Bob Marley notably wore dreadlocks in 1967.^{[17]
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- Styling tip: If you’ve decided to loc your hair, hair augmentation specialist Nikia Londy says, “Be patient! It takes time to get perfect dreads. Use shampoos, oils, and creams to protect your hair and support its growth. Wash your hair every few weeks to keep your scalp clean. Avoid retwisting to reduce hair loss.”^{[18]
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- Celebrity hair stylist Noël Reid-Killings adds, “Using natural oils is good [for locs].” She suggests avoiding heavy products like wax, as they will build up on the hair.^{[19]
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  Noël Reid-Killings
  Celebrity Hair Stylist
  
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