Bad boys of today wear rock and roll graphic tees and put their hair in a spiky mohawk. But way back in the 50s and 60s, bad boys had slicked-back hairstyles and leather jackets.
This is often referred to as the “greaser” look, portrayed very well by the likes of James Dean and the cast of—you guessed it—the classic cult Grease.
But that’s not to say that the greaser style has died down since those times. Men today are still free to tap into their old soul and wow ladies with charming, vintage, greaser-inspired hairstyles. Here are some of the best ones any man will look dashing with.
Grease Harstyles For Men:
The Greaser Mullet
This mullet is kind of like the rock and roll version of the country-inspired mullets you probably know of. With a messy, choppy fringe, it gives off a laidback vibe. It’s perfect for those who want a greaser-inspired hairstyle but don’t want anything short or clean-looking. The shaggier, the better.
The Pompadour Combover
This look isn’t so much vintage as it is a classic. A slick, brushed-back pomp always looks great if you want to look smooth and clean. There’s a high chance that if you flip through a men’s magazine, you’ll find this to be a common modern style. It’s an easy pick for a greaser haircut in this day and age.
Elevated, Round-ish Pompadour
If you want a pomp that looks extremely structured and almost overly perfect, ask your trusted barber to give it a rounder shape. It also looks awesome when you add more volume, as it elevates the hair, making it look super lush and touchable.
Short Combover with a Tapered Fade
Greaser looks are all about bad boys, but you can also look like the typical good boy with a stylish haircut. Short hair looks handsome when slicked back with some gel. And when you have a new, tapered fade, you’ll look incredibly fresh and easy on the eyes.
Hair Slicked Back with Shaved Sides
Combine bad boy with an evening date, and this is the look you get. This hairstyle puts together two key elements—slicked-back hair for a smooth and clean finish and shaved sides that bring out the edgy, dangerous spirit in you.
It’s a good greaser look for those who want to look extra debonair but still want that daring side to shine through too.
Victory Rolls
These charming victory rolls are usually seen on pin-up girls and ladies of the 60s who love glam. But they look wonderful on men too, as long as you have hair that’s long enough to hold them up.
If you’re looking for a unique hairdo with a bit of unexpected flair, this is the hairstyle for you. With some hairspray or gel, your rolls will last all day.
Combover with Shaved Edges
We know what you’re thinking. A combover again? Well, this isn’t just any combover—it’s one paired with uniquely shaven edges.
A typical combover might be a bit boring and common for some. So if you want to stand out, give your edges by your hairline a little shave inspired by a geometric pattern, like this one.
Very Greasy, Rounded Pomp
Some men love pompadours that look matte, for that natural feel. But if you’re bold and want that extra drama in your hair, you can go as greasy as you want with your gel and pomade to create pomp that is shiny and glistening in the sun.
Side-Part Pompadour
If you want your pomp to have some extra volume, create a deep side part and put all your locks to one side of your head. This gives you a smoother, more sensual look while boosting the body and thickness of your hair.
Wavy Quiff with Smooth, Tapered Sides
A quiff is yet another greaser classic. It’s kind of like a pomp, but with a mohawk vibe since it’s brushed to the center of the head. One way to add oomph to a quiff is by adding little waves to it with a curl-enhancing gel. It also looks awesome with freshly shaven and cleanly tapered sides.
Super Short Mullet
Want to keep your length while still flaunting a modern rocker look? Keep your mullet very short. Slick it back in the front and let it get a little messy by your nape for the careless, free-spirited bad boy look.
Pink, Luscious Quiff
An easy way to modernize your greaser look is by coloring your hair a vibrant shade. A bright, hot pink looks fun and adventurous on a quiff. Use some wax or pomade at the top of your hair to thicken it up and add volume.
Pomp with Volume on Top
Use the length of your hair to create a rounded-out top for your pomp. This adds more thickness to your hair, making your face look younger and slimmer. Focus your volume-boosting products at the top of your hair to perfect this look.
Everything Slicked Back
This style doesn’t beat around the bush. No shaved sides and undercuts here—just plain old medium-length hair slicked back with tons of gel. This is the ultimate, classic bad boy look. If it’s your first time trying a greaser hairstyle, this one might be a good one to do.
Curly Quiff
Show off your perfect, natural ringlets with a quiff-style haircut. Don’t slick the hair back—this will disrupt your curls. Instead, use a pomade to thicken it up and enhance the curl pattern, creating the bounciest spirals.
Snazzy, Blown-Out Cowlick
Most guys panic when they see their cowlick sticking up. One way to address this concern is by blowing out your hair, brushing it backward, and adding some hairspray for a voluminous, snazzy look by your hairline.
Clean Cut with Long Stubble
Want a good boy look that still looks mature? Combine a clean, short combover with long stubble to make you look older and wiser. This is a great way to draw in ladies who love facial hair while keeping your hair at a length you’re comfy with!
Ducktail Hair
Another 50s classic is the ducktail hairstyle. Greasers used to saturate their hair in pomade and brush each side towards the center, creating something that looks like a tail by their nape area. This is another awesome hairstyle to try out if you want a retro vibe.
Long, Messy Combover
Greaser meets modern bad boy in this long, messy version of the classic combover. The longer length of this style adds a bit of edginess and rawness, especially if you use a mousse to add texture and waves to it. It’s also perfect for showing off your piercings!
Classic Greaser Pomp
There are tons of pomp types out there, but there’s nothing quite like the classic greaser pomp. No shaved sides, no combovers—just a pure, voluminous pomp with a properly brushed back finish.
Brushed-Back Pomp with Blonde Highlights
A modern take on the pomp is adding subtle color contrast to it, like blonde highlights against dark hair. This is a great way to add depth to an otherwise flat and dull-looking pompadour. Just make sure your golden streaks blend nicely with the rest of your hair, and you’ll look dashing.
Wind-Blown Long Hair
Greaser styles are usually clean and slicked back. But messy, blown-out, medium-length hair adds an extra ounce of “bad boy” vibes to your look. Don’t be afraid of making your locks too messy with this hairstyle. The messier it is, the more laidback the energy you exude.
The Fauxhawk
Mohawks aren’t exactly greaser material. If you like the look of them, you can always go for a much more conservative “faux” hawk. This is similar to a quiff, but with a center that’s elevated to look like a mohawk. It looks drop-dead gorgeous with a smooth taper on the side!
Stark Greaser Undercut
Undercuts weren’t a huge thing back in the 50s and 60s, but today, they pair well with a greaser pompadour. Make a stark contrast between your pomp and undercut for a bolder, more dramatic effect!
Good Boy Hair
If a greaser film has a bad boy, there’s always a good boy too—usually the one with shorter hair but still looks super clean and is the popular guy in school.
This short, subtly brushed hairstyle is inspired by a character like that. It still uses wax or grease, but it’s much cleaner than an extravagant pomp or combover.
Little Swirl Cowlick
Brushing a cowlick up or down is the easiest way to tame it. But if you want to add flair to your hairstyle, you can always create a little swirl with your cowlick, like this. It adds extra attitude and smoothness to your overall look.
Elvis-Inspired Hair
If there’s anyone who is known to have the most quintessential pomp, it’s Elvis. So, copying this king’s hairstyle would be a good start to perfecting greaser styles. Bruno Mars does this look perfectly, as pictured here.
Hair Raiser Fauxhawk
Make your fauxhawk a little edgier by creating faux “spikes” in the hair without going overboard. A little extra gel and wax are all you need to make the hair look stringier at the top, making your mane look taller.
Long, Wavy Quiff
Although quiffs are usually styled for short hair, longer, wavier hair will also look good in it. Instead of brushing the hair back, try combing the locks near the front of your face forward. This frames the face, showing off your masculine features. It also looks sexy with a beard.
Matte, Fluffy Pomp
Let’s end this list with something that might be controversial—a pomp that isn’t greasy but… matte?
This matte pomp is great for those who want to sport a greaser style but hate that wet look that gel and wax sometimes leave in the hair. Fluff up your hair and add texture to it with a volumizing powder instead, and you’ll end up with this look.
