Every year, the most popular men’s haircuts rise above the noise and start showing up everywhere — in your chair, on your feed, and on the clients who walk in with a reference photo already pulled up on their phone.
These trendy styles share a common thread: natural texture, lower-maintenance finishes, and a clear lean toward styling that feels current without chasing a look that expires in a few months.
Cuts getting the most requests reward good technique and an understanding of how hair moves. Some are rooted in retro revival, others in the ongoing shift away from high-hold, sculpted styling. All of them are worth knowing well!
1. Textured Middle Part
This mid-length haircut is built around a clean center part and soft, face-framing layers that fall naturally on both sides.
What separates it from its sleeker predecessors is the deliberate emphasis on movement over structure: choppy, point-cut ends, broken-up surface texture, and a finish that manifests lived-in rather than styled.
Think of it as '90s curtains, reborn for an era that favors matte styling clay over gel and air-drying over precision combing.
Why It's Trending: Clients are done with high-hold, sculpted looks. The textured middle part works across hair types, photographs well, and crosses demographics. You’ll be cutting it on Gen Z guys and older professional Millennials alike. That kind of range is what separates a trend from a moment.
Celebrity Mentions: Timothée Chalamet and Chris Hemsworth are the most requested references. Harry Styles and several K-pop acts have also kept the style visible across different audiences.
Who It's Good For: Best on straight to wavy hair and on curly hair with a softer part. Oval and heart-shaped faces wear it most naturally. Use caution on fine hair, because it goes flat without the right product support.
Technique Notes: Point-cut the ends, since blunt lines kill the movement. Keep the part soft, especially on clients with hair that doesn't naturally fall center. Pass along this styling note: light matte clay on damp hair, then air dry. Shine products defeat the purpose of the cut.
2. Modern Baby Mullet
This short, refined take on the classic mullet has tidy sides, a textured top, and just enough length at the back to make the shape intentional without going full retro.
The contrast between front and back is subtle. It reads more like a grown-out crop with a deliberate back section than anything from the '80s, which is exactly what makes it approachable for clients who want edge without full commitment.
Why It's Trending: It's the wearable entry point into a cut that's been building momentum for years. Clients are drawn to it as a low-risk way to stand out, and it moves well across hair textures, which keeps it showing up across diverse clientele.
Celebrity Mentions: Paul Mescal has owned this cut for a few years running, and Oscar Isaac sported one throughout his 2025 press appearances. Mescal's version, after his British GQ “Most Stylish Person” nod, is a reference photo you'll see often in the chair.
Who It's Good For: Square, oval, and heart-shaped faces. Wavy and curly hair carries it naturally. Straight, fine hair can flatten at the back and needs product support.
Technique Notes: Keep the back conservative, no longer than the collar. Blend the transition from top to back cleanly; a disconnected line makes it look dated fast. Recommend your clients use matte clay and light-hold spray for styling.
3. French Crop Fade
This sharp, low-maintenance cut features short sides faded clean, a cropped blunt fringe sitting forward across the forehead, and a textured top with just enough length to style.
It's a look that sits at the intersection of clean and casual, which is exactly why it keeps showing up in chairs across every client demographic.
Why It's Trending: The French crop fade rewards clients who want to look put together without spending time on it. It's one of the most versatile cuts in the shop, working across hair types and face shapes with minimal adjustment. That kind of broad appeal keeps it consistently in demand.
Celebrity Mentions: Cillian Murphy's association with the cut through “Peaky Blinders” gave it a sharp cultural identity, and that influence has been durable. Ross Butler has been spotted with this cut, along with Tom Holland, both of whom refreshed its visibility with a younger audience.
Who It's Good For: While it works on virtually every face shape, this look is especially effective on round faces, where the structured fringe adds angles and definition.
Fine and thinning hair responds well to it too, as the fringe creates the appearance of density at the front, which can cover up a receding hairline as well.
Technique Notes: The fringe line is everything. A blunt, clean cut across the forehead is what defines the style. Point-cutting the top creates texture without sacrificing the structured silhouette.
For the fade, low to mid works best for a refined finish; high fades push it toward a more aggressive look that not every client wants. Paste or matte clay through the fringe keeps it forward without stiffness.
4. Messy Shag
A medium-to-longer layered cut built on choppy, graduated layers throughout the top and sides, a heavy fringe worn forward or pushed to the side, and a finish that looks intentionally undone.
It borrows from the '70s original but trades the era's excess for a leaner, more modern silhouette. The defining quality isn't length or fringe placement but movement. Every part of the cut should flow naturally without looking worked over.
Why It's Trending: The broader shift toward texture-driven, voluminous, and low-maintenance styling has made the shag a highly-requested cut.
It thrives on natural wave and movement, which aligns perfectly with how clients want to interact with their hair right now — minimal product and minimal effort with a strong result.
Celebrity Mentions: Zayn Malik, always adventurous with his hair, has rocked this look, as have Shawn Mendes and Jacob Elordi. Each wore it differently — curly, polished, and loose — which speaks to how adaptable the style is across hair types.
Who It's Good For: Thick straight, wavy, and curly hair, where the layers activate natural movement. Dense hair benefits most from the bulk removal the layering provides. Straight fine hair can carry it, but needs sea salt spray or a light wave to stop it from going limp.
Technique Notes: Ghost layers (invisible cuts through the interior) are your primary tool here. Avoid over-thinning, which destroys the volume the style depends on.
Point-cut the fringe and ends to keep them soft, not blunt. The client should be leaving the chair with shape, not a finished style.
5. Long Buzz Cut
A buzz cut worn at a longer guard length (typically a #3, #4, or #5 on top) with faded or tapered sides. It keeps the low-maintenance appeal of the classic buzz while adding just enough length for subtle texture and occasional styling.
It's the middle ground between a really short style and a textured crop or crew cut, and that balance is exactly what's driving its popularity right now.
Why It's Trending: Clients who've been buzzing short for years are letting it grow out slightly, drawn to the added versatility without the upkeep of a longer cut. Trending strong, it photographs better than a shorter buzz, which matters to younger, image-conscious clientele.
Celebrity Mentions: Michael B. Jordan often wears this style outside film roles, showing a bit of texture without being scalp-close. Joe Burrow's bleached buzz cut became a defining look, bringing mainstream attention to the longer variation. Jake Gyllenhaal is also frequently cited as a reference.
Who It's Good For: Oval, square, and diamond face shapes where the short length highlights strong bone structures, such as chiseled jawlines and cheekbones. Round and long faces can carry it with the right fade placement.
All hair types work, though coarser hair gives the top more natural texture at this length.
Technique Notes: The key variable is the contrast between top and sides. A #3 or #4 on top with a low to mid fade gives a clean, modern result without looking harsh.
Avoid going too aggressive on the fade, since a softer blend suits the relaxed tone, whereas the alternative is effectively a high-and-tight. If the client has thick hair, the longer guard length on top may need slight tapering at the crown to avoid bulk.
Gary Dekmezian is a men’s grooming expert and the co-founder of Relentless Grooming. He has spent more than a decade writing about men's haircuts, hair products, and barbering.