The 80s were quite a time as far as style and fashion go. It’s the decade that brought forth spandex and neon tights at parties and huge hair and vibrant, pastel eyeshadows for chic women. If you were an 80s woman, you looked colorful, zesty, and full of life.
But the vivacious style of the 80s wasn’t exclusive to women. Men also looked fabulous, especially when it came to hair. With mullets, textured locks, and prince-like floppy hair, fashionable men in the 80s always made the ladies swoon.
There were tons of popular haircuts back in the day. Need some inspiration for your next 80s-themed party? Here are 20 80s hairstyles men loved back then and would still look amazing on any guy today!
80s Hairstyles For Men:
The Wavy Mullet a la Steve Harrington on Stranger Things
One of the most popular haircuts back in the 80s was the classic mullet. It’s a cut that leaves the hair short on the top and sides but way longer at the back to give the hair some sultry length.
While mullets looked great with any hair texture, they looked lovely on those with wavy locks. Stranger Things character Steve Harrington is one example of a man who wore the wavy mullet extremely handsomely, winning the hearts of fans in the process.
Curly Mullet with Bleached Highlights
But, of course, wavy hair isn’t the only way to rock a mullet. Those with natural curls or permed hair also used to wear their hair in the popular style back in the 80s. Keeping the curls tight and bouncy on the top is key when wearing a curly mullet, so try this hairstyle out with your favorite curling cream or gel.
One eye-catching way to wear a mullet is by bleaching some of the strands to add highlights, making it more light-reflective and full of depth and dimension.
Long Curtain Haircut
You know how modern women love curtain bangs because they frame their faces nicely? Well, men in the 80s had their own version of that—the long curtain haircut.
Instead of a fringe, it’s the main mop of hair that is parted down the middle (or a little off to one side) so that some strands can fall on each side of the face to frame it. This is an awesome look for teens who want to emulate that retro style in a clean, good-boy way.
The Big, Rounded Afro
Men who had coarse, kinky, African curls in the 80s loved to show off their natural texture by proudly wearing an afro. This fluffy, high-maintenance look may be a pain to perfect, but the finished product is always amazing. It looks spirited and sexy when paired with facial hair or a five o’clock shadow.
Afros were common among men in the 80s who partied. It was also a hairstyle worn by popular Motown singers of the era, like Lionel Richie.
Short, Clean Scissor Cut a la Tom Cruise in Top Gun
Big hair wasn’t the only style that men liked to wear in the 80s. Top movies of the era, like Top Gun, showed handsome heartthrobs like Tom Cruise in a simple, short haircut with no frills or fuss. There aren’t any tapers or fades like you would see in modern cuts—just straightforward short hair.
This tidy scissor cut may be a basic hairstyle, but it’s a cut that low-maintenance men in the 80s wore all the time. After all, not everyone had the time to maintain a ‘fro or a mullet!
Long, Messy Bad Boy Hair
If you don’t like that good boy look, you can go the complete opposite and rock a haircut that is long and gives off a bad boy vibe, like this unkempt cut that goes down to chin level. The key is to make sure some of the strands fall right in front of your eyes for that dreamy, sensual look that gets lots of girls in trouble!
Instead of combing your long hair, use some hair oil or gel and use only your fingers when parting and styling it. That way, you preserve that raw, gruff, and authentic look for your bad boy haircut.
Rockstar-Length Locks
The 80s were when some of the biggest rock and roll bands started to get noticed, like Bon Jovi and Guns N’ Roses. So, even if not everyone was a rockstar, many men loved to look like one. One of the easiest ways to give off that vibe is by wearing your hair super long, the way rockstars did.
Long, luscious, silky hair didn’t need to be styled all that much. As long as they went beyond your shoulders and you wore fashionable clothing, they automatically made men look like a trendy punk god.
Shoulder-Length Curls with Fringe
There were men in the 80s with curly hair who wanted to show off their ringlets without having to maintain an intricate mullet. Some of them did so by simply rocking their natural hair down to their shoulder. One way to really show off the texture was to leave a grown-out fringe by their foreheads. Interestingly, this haircut would look trendy even in modern times!
The Flat Top Haircut
Although the afro was always a go-to for men with coarse, curly hair in the 80s, other men preferred something with more structure and shape, like the flat top. The idea of this haircut is to make sure the hair looks full and volumized but has a flat profile on top.
Men of all hair textures can sport this look. But there’s no doubt that it fits African hair the best because of its thickness and curly lushness.
Thick Afro and Flat Top Combo
The 80s was a time of experimenting with new styles, and some men combined two or more hairstyles into one. The afro and flat top haircut were two that look extremely well together.
Instead of going for a super-flat profile, black men would look good with poofy, afro-style cuts that still had the structured shape and angles a flat top haircut had. It’s an awesome way to showcase the versatility of African hair in a vintage fashion!
Waist-Long, Sleek, Pin-Straight Hair
The goth subculture sprouted and thrived in the 80s, so it’s no surprise that many men loved to wear ultra-long, pin-straight, black hair like this to bring out their darker, more mysterious side. It takes a long time to grow hair to this length, but it always proved to be worth it because of the statement look the hairstyle made in those times.
Jheri Curls a la Michael Jackson
Curly hair was such a huge thing among men in the 80s that even those with naturally straight locks yearned for them. So, the Jheri curls trend was born. Men would get perms on their hair to get a bit of extra texture and keep up with the times.
One person who was a poster boy for Jheri curls was superstar and icon Michael Jackson, who wore his signature curls in the 80s. He wore his curls in a slick, gel-styled manner.
Slicked-Back Hair
For a tidy look, men in the 80s went for a simple slicked-back style. This hairstyle takes just a few seconds to perfect.
All you have to do is brush your hair back, so there aren’t any tangles. Then, take some of your favorite hair oil or styling gel and push your locks back. The product will hold your hair down in that brushed-back style, leaving your forehead and face exposed for all to see properly.
Teased Greaser Style with Widow’s Peak
Another slicked-back hairstyle that was in during the 80s was this greaser style. Unlike the slicked-back hairdo, we previously mentioned, this one is a little more teased, adding volume and height to the hair overall.
The greaser style looked even more badass if there was a natural widow’s peak in the middle of the hairline. If you’re blessed with one, you need to try this hairstyle out!
Messy, Layered Waves a la Avan Jogia
Long hair was all the rage among men in the 80s, but it sometimes made their locks look flat and one-dimensional.
One fix men did to bring their hair’s volume back was to get layers in them. This automatically made it seem like the hair had more waves, especially when left in a messy, unbrushed style. Here’s celebrity Avan Jogia sporting this look in the modern era.
The haircut looks even better with a little bit of facial hair!
Curly Mop a la Timothee Chalamet
Timothee is known to have a timeless look, from his deep-set eyes to his luscious curls. The latter specifically is as loved now as it was in the 80s when young men wore their hair carelessly and messily in a fashionable manner.
This hairstyle is great for those with natural curls. Instead of poring over your hair to tame it, leave it be and wear it au naturel.
The Buzz Cut
Military men in the 80s loved to wear their hair short and cropped, so they always used to go for the classic buzz cut. It was also a popular haircut for athletes back in the day. It may not scream “disco” or “rock and roll,” but this uber short haircut was still famous in the 80s.
The Mohawk
The mohawk was popular in the 80s among those who loved all things grunge and rock and roll. The style is simple—the hair was spiked on top, and the sides were shaved clean.
It was definitely bold and deviant at the time, but those who sported it couldn’t care less about what other people said. After all, it’s one of the chicest rebellious haircuts to this day.
Messy Spikes in Short Hair
Teens who only had a few minutes a day to style their hair in the mid-to-late-80s did so by simply spiking it upwards to create height and texture to their locks.
This is a youthful hairstyle that was famous during the 90s, but it was already starting to get popular in the 80s, thanks to people’s growing love for rock and heavy metal during the time.
Wavy Middle Part
For a prince-like touch, young men in the 80s would also style their hair in this clean, fuss-free hairdo. They’d create a straight line down the middle of their hair and create waves going outward to flow away from their face. With golden locks, this hairstyle looks like that of an all-American teenage boy in the 80s!
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