In ’12 it’s the men’s quiff that counts

It started out with a hint of the extreme, with overtones of an attitude that said “I play a six string” and the Devil may care. But like so many things, the return of the quiff to popularity has eventually seen it evolve into something more refined. Scrap that. Refined is totally the wrong word. The style of quiff may have changed but this is still an attitude-infused hairstyle, it just happens to be a very different attitude. One where the six string doesn’t matter, the Devil doesn’t get a show in, and the look sits somewhere between the moody and the broody. Think James Dean and a desire to get laid and you’re on the right track.

So in 2012 the quiff deviates from something solely early-rock to include a variation that is a whole lot less Gene Vincent and a whole lot more Elvis. Yes, Elvis was probably of your parents’ generation, but a combination of hair and hip thrusting made him stand out and, as it stands as a 2012 men’s hairstyle, that’s precisely what the quiff is about: standing out with the hope of hip thrusting.

After the break we’ll take you through the two interpretations of 2012′s quiff, giving plenty of pictures, how tos and hints for the fashioniser who wants to make this hairstyle his own. You can read on for that – but if you’d like to keep up to date with our forthcoming 2012 trend guides, be sure to subscribe to Fashionising.com’s newsletter or RSS feed.

Where it’s come from.
And who it’s for.

One of the key things to know about any men’s hair trend is that each of them work best for a particular style be it a style of clothing or the way in which a guy carries himself. As the slick, parted style is perfect for those with ambitions of living a Don Draper life – mistresses and adulation in tow – so too does the quiffwork best for those with a particular mindset and taste.

The revival of the quiff as a men’s hairstyle a few years back had its roots in the rebirth of all things mid-20th Century Americana. With the saturation of the appeal of Ralph Lauren cross-Atlantic prep look international appeal those into Americana began to look for something different, something less polished, something with rugged overtones, something that said alpha male and not prim male. What they turned to was an American look that continues to see hiking boots hit the pavement (or sidewalk if you’re so inclined), Levi’s the denim of choice and canvas backpacks carried with such fervour that you’d swear a massive chunk of the male population had decided to go camping for the new few years. Like so many men’s styles, though, it’s been rapidly appropriated. Like Ralph Lauren borrowed from the polo playing set on both sides of the Atlantic, so too have other designers and labels taken inspiration from this new rugged Americana set with the likes of Dolce & Gabbana and Tom Ford (by way of Jon Kortajarena in A Single Man) propelling it into the mainstream. And the quiff? It’s come along for the ride and become the hairstyle of choice to complete any look that has mid-20th Century, American influences.

What does that all add up to? The quiff being a hairstyle for those who don’t want to indulge in the strict conservatism of a slicked part, who want a hairstyle that requires confidence, and who, all the while, want something with classic overtones.

The quiff style in 2012.
One quiff, two styles.

We’ve seen it cut mid-length, we’ve seen it cut long, but for all the variations on a theme the quiff boils down to only two distinct looks in 2012: the slick quiff and the rock quiff.

The slick quiff is the quiff for the year and it’s defined by one, dominant attribute: it’s for straight hair. Or it’s at least for those guys who know their way around a blow dryer or a set of GHD irons in order to make their hair straight.

The rock quiff will prove to be the rarity of the two styles. It’s for those guys daydreaming of living a post-Elvis rock star life or embracing an untamed biker boy look. With its just-out-of-bed appeal it’s still a striking look, and we list it as the rarer of the two hairstyles for one good reason: it’s the more extreme of the two. And whenever it comes to the extreme in menswear, you’re guaranteed a rarity. That’s why you’ll continue to see the rock quiff on the likes of song-man Alex Turner and in editorials aplenty, but with far less gusto on the street.

The slick quiff in fashion.
The groomed, the young and the polished.

While keeping abreast of the previous two seasons of menswear at Dolce and Gabbana, we were consumed by their love of a slick quiff with 50s overtones.

Slick quiff at Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2011

As pictured above, you’ll find it featured in the Italian fashion house’s autumn / fall 2011 look book, where the hair’s length and styling dominated the look.

Get the look:

The key to the styling here is that the hair’s texture has been kept waxy, with plenty of thickening mousse worked with fingers into the roots of the hair. The hair is bent backwards but in an upward direction.

You’ll find more “how to” information below.

If you’re after a take on the quiff with a young Hollywood appeal, then the styling in Blanco men’s autumn / winter 2011 look book should serve your muse. In short, it’s the quiff without the polish. Incredibly vertical, it has a very rough, undone feel to it, one that is textured with emphasis given to the front-part of the head, but it still looks effortless.

Textured quiff from Blanco F/W 2011

Louis Vuitton gave a sophisticated edge to the quiff on their spring / summer 2012 runway, with a toned down take on the quiff that match the brand’s tailoring without playing to any of the Mad Men themeing that continues to impact upon men’s fashion. With their trimmed, obedient strands held back with sea salt spray and anti-frizz mousse, these boys are strictly on the job. The point of difference is in the directional styling of this look – it’s an important distinction that none of the lads have a vertically erect quiff. It has been steered to the side to create an illusion of tidiness and accuracy. Consider the quiff for a non-chalant day.

Side quiff on the runway at Louis Vuitton, S/S 2012

The other quiff.

The above examples only highlight one half of the quiff hairstyle: the slick quiff. If it’s a little too slick for your tastes or you have the confidence to rock it, then the rock quiff may also be for you. If it is, then be sure to take a look at our rock quiff guide.

If the quiff is for you but you’re unsure as to which interpretation is best, worry not as there are many factors which will influence your decision; be it the hair cut, the texture of your hair or the final styling. We’ll help you through each of these further in the guide. But for now remember this: the only way to wear either interpretation of the quiff is to avoid a wax-laden hairdo, one that emits a wannabe-stud vibe. The quiff is all about attitude, and you don’t want yours to come across as you’ve tried too hard.

The quiff out of the look books,
and off of the runways

The difference between a rock quiff and a slick quiff is essentially in the way it’s styled. Irrespective of the final look you’re aiming to interpret however, the ground level of the two cuts is somewhat the same.

The quiff: how to

To help you get a grasp of both the slick quiff and the rock quiff we asked many a question of Melbourne hairstylist Annika Bowen. For what follows we owe her much credit.

Understanding the style is where it all starts; you need to see what your hair type is and which look from the examples is going to suit your hair. For example, those with intertwined curly locks will find the rock quiff easiest, those with wavy hair will find the Blanco example straightforwards, while those with straight hair can pretty much have whatever they like. Of the two interpretations, the slick quiff has an added bonus over the rock quiff in that it’s more versatile; it can be worn down as a side fringe.

Whichever you pick, though, remember that the quiff isn’t the easiest of hairstyles to maintain. It’s going to take effort in the morning and many a follow-up visit to your hairdresser. From the outset you need to decide if the style’s demands are viable with your lifestyle.

As with all hairstyles that we feature on Fashionising.com we recommend that whether you’re sure or unsure of what you want, save some photos to your smart phone, head along to your hairdresser and have ‘the conversation’. That means finding out if it suits your head shape, your hair and your lifestyle.

Rock quiff in DKNY’s F/W 2011 campaign

Hair type

Both styles of the quiff need a relatively fuller hair line at the front, so they aren’t necessarily an ideal hairstyle for those with a receding hairline.

For a rock quiff, the shape of your head is an important factor to consider. The side of the head will be relatively less dense, in terms of volume of the hair, so take that into consideration. It works best with curly or heavily waved hair, and hair that has movement. The rock quiff also needs plenty of texture, so works best on thick hair.

The slick quiff is about transforming the Brit-rock fringe look into an upward standing quiff. The style works best if the hair lacks a parting, however, as shown in the Louis Vuitton example above, it does flatter when styled alongside a side-part.

Hair cut

Even though the hairdresser has the tools for the trade, you still need to be aware of what’s happening up there in order to recreate the quiff.

If you’re going to make the rock quiff your own the best way to visualise this cut is as a teardrop shape at the front with short sides. If you’re after making the look dramatic, as your hairdresser is going to want to trim the sides super short with clippers on number 2 or 3.

For a slick quiff, the ideal length to cut the sides is about 1cm or at fingers’ depth. The cut should be kept square and weight should be kept around the horseshoe area at the front of the head where men recede. Your hairdresser will need to maintain the length at the front of the hair of your head, but have it cut to a point that’ll help in creating the bend and height for an eventual quiff. If you want to maintain long sides, ask to have them blended into the centre of the quiff in the styling stages.

Once done, ensure that you book a follow-up cut for 6-8 weeks after the first cut as it’ll get challenging to maintain and style post that period.

Styling

The cut is merely an asset to the quiff; the real magic lies in its styling. The hairdresser might give you a top-notch style straight after a cut, but you have to be able to re-create it at home.

The main styling step that’s common for all hair types is using a sea salt spray. It gives a dry, matt hold with beach-like texture from the scalp. This is vital, especially when you don’t have time to go through the other styling steps.

1. Spray sea salt spray all through the hair until it feels rather wet. If your hair is already damp, make sure you work enough product into the strands.
2. Blast a blow dryer on high and use your fingers to work the hair upwards while drying.
3. Pull the hair forward and then bend it back so you get the quiff shape, and ensure you don’t miss the roots while drying.
4. The main trick is to keep working your fingers through the roots; this will create an insane amount of movement from within. You need that.

If you want to stop here, make sure you’ve achieved the desired shape of the quiff before spraying the strands with hair spray. If you’re after more precision with the styling of your quiff, however, keep going with the styling steps below.

For thick, curly hair:
Contemplate relaxing your curls / waves by first stretching out the hair whilst blow-drying. However you can wear it curly too, it all depends on how curly your hair is at the front. Defer to your hairstylist for advice if you’re unsure what works best.

For fine hair:
To give definition to the locks, fine hair requires an incredible amount of volumising mousse and/or sea salt spray in the early stages of styling. Once you’ve created the desired shape, take a dollop of non-shine hair gel (our preference is with American Crew) and work it in the same motion as your quiff. The consistency of the hair gel will hold the style for a long duration. If needed, you can also use some hair spray, though keep in mind that when the hair spray and gel eventually dry up you’ll be left with a brittle feel to the hair.

For frizzy hair:
Start with sea salt spray, shape the hair into the desired quiff shape and then work hair wax or clay from the roots upwards. The hair wax will keep the flyaway hair strands at bay, and it’ll also last longer.

Vintage inspiration

Vintage inspiration

Take inspiration from the ultimate poster-men for rockabilly hair…

Elvis Presley

The official king of the quiff – Elvis and his hairstyle was (and still is) emulated across the globe (and now, not only by cheesy impersonators). Towering and jet-black, his inimitable hair truly turned him into a global icon.

James Dean

Live fast, die young is the ethos that goes hand-in-hand with the rockabilly spirit and there’s no star that embodies this more than James Dean. Thanks to the abundance of imagery and pop culture mythology surrounding the late-actor, both he and his pompadour are with us forever.

Johnny Cash

Country music legend and one of the great pioneers of the pompadour, Johnny Cash was one of the most prominent advocates of rockabilly hair during the 1950s.

Morrissey

This charming man (see what we did there?) singlehandedly resurrected rockabilly hair during the 80s. Amazing tunes aside, Morrissey’s gravity-defying quiff was emulated by millions ensuring his place in the rockabilly hall of fame.

Other options

If either of the quiffs aren’t doing it for you, be sure to take in Fashionising.com’s guide to 2012 men’s hair trends. We’ll be frequently updating it over coming weeks.

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Brit-rock hairstyle: men’s hair trend for 2011 / 2012

There’s a men’s hairstyle that hasn’t left the catwalk in some time: the slightly tousled, slightly devil-may-care, forward sweeping men’s hairstyle. It’s been called many a thing, but with its Regency overtones and the fact that it continues to be favoured and interpreted by many a British indie band, it’s a hairstyle we’ve dubbed the Brit-rock hairstyle.

It’s also a hairstyle with enduring appeal and while we’ve been talking about it since 2009, we have to be clear that it has evolved. The ‘wet look’ of 2010, for instance, will look positively outdated in 2012 for instance.

Read on for more information about the men’s Brit rock hairstyle, including a how-to guide on how to wear this 2012 men’s hair trend. And don’t forget to keep up to date with all of 2012′s fashion trends by subscribing to Fashionising.com’s newsletter or RSS feed.

• What it is
• Example pictures
• How to style it

Defining the Brit rock hairstyle

The picture above is likely to have already given you a pretty clear idea of what the Brit rock hairstyle is and while it may have spoken the thousand words, here’s a few less than that:

The Brit rock hairstyle is a hair swept forwards style for young guys that gives them a fringe. It’s to be worn with nonchalantly and with swagger. It’s not necessarily British, nor is it necessarily the domain of rockers, but what it is is cool.

Suitable for guys with everything from straight to curly hair, the Brit rock hairstyle is all about length through the top. It’s also about texture. That texture can be a trait of your hair, or can come about courtesy of hair cut that introduces lots of slicing, chipping, razoring and deep point cutting.

Men’s indie hairstyle examples

Dubbing this the ‘Brit’ rock hairstyle for 2011 / 2012 may seem to unfairly weight it as appealing to only a certain type of guy. And it really shouldn’t. While it’s not a fringed men’s hairstyle that is going to work for everyone, neither is it a hair style that’s only going to work for the British male. Or rockers. It just so happens that British bands and British fashion labels Burberry Prorsum have done more to popularise this fringed hairstyle than anybody else; the latter so much so that if you took the musicians out of the equation you could almost call this autumn 2011/ spring 2012‘s Burberry hairstyle.

So what versions of the Brit rock have Burberry made popular then? The following:

Long all over, this is an interpretation of the indie hair cut for straight hair.

The perfect interpretation of an indie hairstyle for men with curly hair, the short sides prevent the hair cut from making the head look large.

This interpretation is short on the sides and more clean cut. It’s likely that this would be cut with scissors over a comb, but it wouldn’t be uncommon for your hair dresser to use clippers. They real key to this interpretation of the style is that the length throughout the top is blended into the shorter sides. In styling it, the fringe can be treated as a separate part: it can be left longer or cut differently, preferably sliced to give it more texture and to prevent it from being too heavy and thus sitting flat. Like the interpretation above, this is another great cut if you’ve got thick hair that is likely to sit up and make your head look large.

This mopped interpretation of the hairstyle is one you might consider a modern update on the Beatles. It features a swept fringe with length kept on sides and works best for guys with straight hair. This style can be cut quite uniformed or cut square on the sides to heighten the sense of masculinity. Given it’s for straight hair you need to have irregular lengths throughout to create texture and take out weight, without that it will be too blunt. Your hairdresser will be able to slice or deep-point cut to create the irregular lengths.

If you’re looking for examples off of the catwalk we could recommend any number of British indie bands. In fact, if one looks to the bands coming forth from British Isles it would appear that some governmental edict has been issued dictating precisely what indie hairstyles are allowed and which are not. Agreeing with said imaginary edict are the likes of The Kooks, The Horrors, the Arctic Monkeys, The View, and the Klaxons. So there you have it: this the hairstyle for you if you like or you play in a band whose moniker requires a ‘The’.

Prior to 2011 / 2012 we saw Bottega Veneta feature the men’s fringe on the catwalk, something that has left us with two clear examples of a do and don’t for this year and next. In the photo below the left is the do and the right is the don’t. The left is a do because it sets clean-cut sides against a purposefully disheveled top. The right is a don’t as it’s just too neat, too school boy, too devoid of attitude. In short: to nail the modern men’s fringe it’s best to avoid the straight, side swept fringe and ensure that it’s instead worn with plenty of texture.

Men’s soft fringe hairstyle

While the above picture serves as a do and a don’t, the following serves solely as a don’t for the hairstyle as it’s evolved. Commit this to memory: the men’s fringe shouldn’t be worn with a wet finish in 2011 / 2012. A healthy shine is okay, wet is not.

Regency men’s hair style from Burberry Prorsum

 

How to make the Brit rock hairstyle yours.

If you’re thinking of making the Brit rock your own hairstyle it’s not as simple as sweeping your hair forwards. It takes the right hair cut and the right products. To help you with that, Fashionising.com sat down with Melbourne hair stylist Annika to help us put together the following how to guide.

The hair cut.

For most guys the length and cut of their existing hair style isn’t going to be suited to the Brit rock hairstyle – you might be able to experiment with it, but to get it perfect it’s going to take a trip to a hair dresser / hair stylist. Here’s how you get the hair cut.

1. Understand what you want

   As you can see  in the photos above, there’s more than one way to interpret this forward men’s swept hairstyle. Slick, messy, short, neat, rugged, relaxed. We could go on. But with so many options, ensure that you have a clear sense of the particular interpretation of this hairstyle (or a small selection of styles) that appeals to you. The two things that you should consider in advance is the length of the fringe that you want, and whether or not you want a neat interpretation of the hairstyle. The descriptions that go with each of the pictures above should also give you a pretty clear idea of any other attributes you may want.

2. Converse

   Once you know what you want, make sure that you can communicate it to your hair dresser. And make sure they listen. Explain to them what you like about the Brit rock hairstyle, what you don’t like, and what you’re ambivalent about. Doing so will allow them to tailor an interpretation of it that suits your particular face shape and lifestyle. It’ll also allow them to create a one-off interpretation that you’re happy with.
   Don’t be afraid to save the pictures in this ‘hair how to’ and take them with you. If you can’t print them out, put them on your smart phone. The majority of men don’t explain themselves all that well when they visit the hairdresser – if you’re one of them, let a picture do the talking for you.

3. Be informed

   Once your hair cut is done and dusted pay careful attention to the way it’s styled. If you’re not sure about any of the styling steps, ask – you want to know that once you leave the salon you can recreate the look yourself. Things that you want to be sure about are the right product to use, the way you dry your hair after it’s been washed, and the way you move your hands through it to place product.
   A good hairdresser will automatically explain all of this, but if they dont you have every right to ask – you’re paying for it to look good even once you’ve left the salon.

Styling it: the hair products to use.

Perhaps you’ve already had this men’s fringed hairstyle cut or you weren’t happy with your hairstylist’s product suggestions. If that’s the case, here are some of the products you could use to style the Brit rock.

1. For texture without a shine

   If you’re after a dry look with plenty of texture then use a sea salt spray as your base product – this will give your hair a dry texture and will also add support to the hair so it both holds and has movement. The name gives it away, but your hair is going to feel pretty similar to the way it does after you’ve been for a swim at the beach.
   To get the most out of it: wash your hair, spray in the sea salt, and then dry it into your hair with a hairdryer – make sure that you’ve shaped your hair into the desired hairstyle as you dry with a hairdryer (i.e. your hair should be pushed forwards).
   Once done use a clay hair product to set the style. Rub the clay across your hands to melt it and make it pliable, then rub both hands through your hair from left to right, starting at the crown and working towards the fringe. That hand movement will ensure that every part of your hair has product on it. Once you’ve worked it through start styling your hair into the final shape that you want to create, arranging your fringe (which is the focus of the hairstyle) as desired. If you want to increase the amount of separation and texture, use the tips of your fingers.
   Product suggestions: Label M sea salt spray, Sebastian Craft Clay.

2. For texture with a shine

   Remember that this is for a shine and not a wet look.
   Wash your hair, then towel dry it. If you have fine hair and are in need of volume, work through a volumiser / booster cream. Dry and shape your hair with a hair dryer.
   Once done use a styling cream to set and define the style. If you are after a low shine, a styling cream will suffice. If you are after a higher shine mix a splash of a styling oil with the styling cream in your palm and mix it together. Rub the styling cream (effectively a modern, low shine gel) across your hands, then rub both hands through your hair from left to right, starting at the crown and working towards the fringe. Once you’ve worked it through start styling your hair into the final shape that you want to create, arranging your fringe (which is the focus of the hairstyle) as desired. If you want to increase the amount of separation and texture, use the tips of your fingers
   Product suggestions: American Crew firm hold styling cream for a strong hole or American Crew’s forming cream for a medium hold.

The key to all the products is that you’re looking for those that will emphasise your hair’s texture. In some of the examples above we’ve noted two products: this is where one product will give you the hold you want, while the other will give you the finish.

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