Hair Style Trends 2021

What a year 2021 has been so far, lockdowns, vaccines and at the end of it all a slow return to normal across the world. We've taken a look back at the past 6 months and hand-picked our favourite hairstyles of 2021 to make the transition from your house back into the great outdoors a stylish one. 

Long Throwback

It's official, long hair has made a comeback. While tight fades and crops may not be completely obsolete just yet, men across the world are now embracing longer hair styles. Our pick for a long style is the 'Long Throwback'. This haircut has been worn almost exclusively by surfers since the 60's. The Long Throwback is a dead giveaway for picking a surfer from the crowd - the sun-bleached blonde, wispy ends, and the ooze of effortless style. 


Best worn somewhat messy, salty and a little dirty, the Long Throwback is for the easy-going guy that isn't really phased by style trends.

Long Throwback Hairstyle

Lock in your Long Throwback with Uppercut Deluxe Salt Spray. To use Salt Spray in longer hair, apply to lightly damp hair and comb or brush it through, allowing it to dry naturally. Alternatively you can dry your hair into place and add an additional coat of Salt Spray for slightly more hold or grab some Uppercut Deluxe Easy Hold for additional control.

Cropped Mullet with Fade

Making a resurgence in recent years, modern interpretations of a classic mullet are here to stay. Keeping faithful to the age-old expression "business in the front, party in the back" a modern mullet is characterised by long hair at the back, short sides often tapered with a fade and mid length on top through to the front. 

Executing a Mullet without creating an abomination isn't an easy task. It requires expert skill to execute the cut so that it is wearable. And when done well, dang they are cool... This Frankenstein cut combines a Faded Crop with a Mullet to give you the best of both worlds. 

Crop Mullet with Fade Hairstyle

Style your Mullet with Fade using Uppercut Deluxe Clay. To apply Clay, follow these steps: thoroughly dry your hair, take a fingernail size scoop, and spread it across your hands, working from root to tip run your fingers through your hair, scrunch your hair to create texture. Finally rake your hair into place, picking at sections to perfect your style. 

Tapered Waves

Tapered Waves are a classic hairstyle, mainly characterised by the unique wave pattern around the head. Achieved with a short, cropped cut on top and high frequency brushing to train the curls to flatten out. This cut adds a clean taper to the classic Waves style, adding dimension and making those waves pop. As we always recommend if you're keen on this cut, chat to your barber for a clean up and tips on waves if you're only just getting into the game.

 Tapered Waves Hairstyle

A commitment to Waves is a big one, and if you've been waving for a while now you'll have your routine locked in. If you're needing a product with heavy hold to tame difficult to manage hair, Uppercut Deluxe Monster Hold will be your go to. An oil-based pomade with high hold that's easy to apply and won't leave your hair overly oily. Wash out daily using Uppercut Deluxe Shampoo and Conditioner. If you're chasing a water-based pomade that provides strong hold and washes out easily go for our Uppercut Deluxe Pomade, start by applying a small amount and adding more if needed as part of your routine for a slick, clean wave pattern.

Loose Textured Curls

Curls can be considered a blessing or a curse. Whether you've been eating your crusts to keep the curls healthy or asking Mum to cut them off in hopes they will go straight, curls can be difficult to style. If you're looking for something sharp with clean lines skip to the next cut, but if you're no fuss and rock a casual style then look no further than these Loose Textured Curls

 Loose Textured Curls Hairstyle

Loose Textured Curls keep it short and sharp on the sides and back, while maintaining length on top for styling and adding texture to keep things casual. Styling this cut is nice and simple, all you need is a little Uppercut Deluxe Salt Spray and Uppercut Deluxe Styling Powder (for added texture).

To style your Loose Textured Curls, simply give your hair a thorough towel dry and then a generous spritz of Salt Spray. Be sure to apply the product all the way through your hair, lift at sections to make sure you get the product all the way through to the roots. Blow dry to completely dry the hair before finishing with Styling Powder. Gently shake the Styling Powder over the hair, aiming to lightly cover the entire head. Rake the hair into place, pinching at sections to accentuate texture. Add more Styling Powder for added control.

Faded Throwback

In the words of our Co-Founder Steve Purcell "I love this cut because it's a perfectly executed staple of the barbershop. This cut doesn't chase trends, it stays timeless." We couldn't agree more with his breakdown of this classic style earning itself a place on this list when it won the Founder's Choice award in the Uppercut Deluxe Clay Competition earlier this year. The Faded Throwback is a clean style that will look at home in any situation. A go to if you're wanting something classic but still modern.

 Faded Throwback Hairstyle

Style your Faded Throwback with Uppercut Deluxe Clay. Before you begin styling, give your hair a wash using Uppercut Deluxe Shampoo and Conditioner. Freshly washed hair is way easier to style than hair with product build up. Next, give your hair a nice towel dry. The drier your hair is, the drier the finish of the Clay will be. Take your comb and roughly comb your hair into position. 

Now you've got the foundation of your Throwback, it's time for product. Scoop a fingernail of Clay, a little goes a long way and spread it across your hands. Gently begin to apply the product to your hair, first using our fingertips to rake it through eventually using your palms to spread the Clay through your hair. Be careful not to apply too much, as this may flatten the hair out. Finish with a blow dry and comb to lock in the style.

There you have it, our top picks for 2021 so far. If you're keen on checking out styles not included in this list head over to our blog and check out the style section here