Short, not simple

Men these days seem to be out to prove that even with short hair, there are lots of ways to add panache to their look

David Beckham Photo: REUTERS

Some like it long, some like it short, but if the current trend amongst men is any indication, the shorter the hair, the better. And no, it is not to beat the heat. Well, maybe, a little, but it’s mostly about looking cool. And the styles, are varied: faded cut, undercut, hair tattoos...

While most of these cuts have been there for years. It is twists of these cuts that are in trend now, says hair stylist Viji Kumarapuram. “Take for instance the faded cut. It is a style that has the hair on the sides and the back of the head tapered in length gradually until there is no hair left. The undercut has variations of the ‘umbrella’ hairstyle [bowl cut]. Some men undergo straightening or smoothening so that their hair looks sleek when combed back for the cut,” says Viji.

Anand Ganesh, who runs an event management company, has been sporting various versions of short hair for the past 10 years. He used to have longer hair. While earlier he was into hair tattoos, having tried the images of a frog and chameleon shaved on to his hair, right now, it’s “a short fade cut with lines for extra definition”, that he is donning.

Cricketers are now fast replacing filmstars as inspiration for fashion and style. Deepa Fenn of Catalyst Salon and Spa recalls how there was a rush for various cuts during the recent Indian Premier League (IPL). Many came in asking for cuts similar to those of their favourite cricketer, she says, and all of them were close crops.

Software engineer Navin Srinivasan decided to ape Virat Kohli’s look during the IPL. A cricket enthusiast, he booked VIP seats during the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders match so that he could interact with Kohli. “I cut my hair based on a look Kohli had sported in a championship prior to the IPL - a faded cut with simple side V-cut. As Kohli captains RCB I wanted to show my support.” While the cut was a hit at the stand, Navin was unable to meet his hero as Kohli did not come up to the stand. Hairstyle of footballers are in vogue too as many try out the Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Beckham look.

While some know the name of the cut they want, others like senior sales and marketing executive Aswin S. Prasad, for instance, bring in pictures of the models they are basing their cut on. “A same cut will be known by different names that it becomes hard to keep a track of it. This new look of mine is three months old. I took a printout of the style I wanted and showed it to my stylist. The sides are ‘close to zero’, a term my hair stylist used,” he says.

Such short hairstyles are not just perfect for the heat but are also easy to maintain, and help one look professional and at well groomed feels businessman Nelson John. As his job requires him to travel quite a bit, maintaining such short hairstyles fits the bill for him. He has tried everything from spikes to military cut and is currently sporting a style that is similar to Messi’s faux hawk, which is essentially a haircut that is snipped partly into a Mohawk. “The sides are mostly clipped short with the hair longer at the top where it can be spiked or formed into a point,” he says.

The experiments with hairstyles depends on which phase of life the men are at, observes hairstylist Ambika Pillai. “When it comes to experimenting with hairstyles, it’s mostly young men who do so. One would rarely find a middle aged man or someone in a managerial position sporting a Mohawk.”

And as the men prove that even with short hair, there are lots of ways to add panache to their look, snip away we say.