As one of the most popular hairstyles for men, the mohawk is a stylish haircut style that can look edgy and cool. The mohawk haircut offers a short cut on the sides and back and longer hair on top to create a versatile, fashionable look for guys who want to stand out in any crowd. While the classic version was reserved for rebellious types, the modern mohawk has become a mainstream men’s hair trend that’s popular with celebrities, athletes and hipsters. Whether you have straight, thick, wavy or curly hair, the mohawk hairstyle can take your look to the next level.
Some men will want a short mohawk with an undercut for a classy look, while others may prefer a longer hairstyle with shaved sides for an edgy vibe. With so many different types of mohawks to consider, it can be a challenge choosing the perfect style. To inspire you with ideas, we’ve compiled a list of the best mohawk hairstyles for men to get right now. From short to long hair, explore these cool mohawk styles to find trendy cuts you’ll love.
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What Is A Mohawk?
The mohawk is a men’s hairstyle featuring a narrow strip of spiky hair with the sides of the head shaved bald. The mohawk haircut has traditionally been favored by rockers and punks who wanted a bold rebellious look with buzzed sides. From classic to modern, there are many different mohawk styles to choose from these days. The modern mohawk can be paired with a taper fade or undercut on the sides for a classy style. The longer hair on top can be left wide and thick or thin and concentrated in the middle.
Versatile and daring, this cool hairstyle for guys can work well with all hair types and lengths. If you have wavy or curly hair, you’ll want to ask your barber for a short mohawk to get an easy, low-maintenance style. Guys with straight thick hair can style a longer mohawk with minimal effort.
When styling, you’ll need strong hair products to keep the hair spiky and in place all day. Use a high-quality pomade or wax with a hair dryer on low-heat to style your favorite look.
Different Types of Mohawks
There are many types of mohawks to get and several ways to style these haircuts. From long and straight to curly and short, you can find a mohawk to suit your personal needs. Although traditional mohawk hairstyles with shaved sides were once the favorite, modern trends have pushed for more versatile styles. In recent years, the most popular style has been the mohawk fade, but guys can tailor this cut to fit their hair length and texture.
With an undercut or fade on the sides, the mohawk haircut becomes much more acceptable in a variety of settings. Many guys even choose to get a cool faux hawk since the sides are faded and short, meaning you can style a comb over, quiff, slick back, or spiky hairstyle to change things up. While the longer mohawk was the standard cut, most men prefer to get a shorter cut for a low-maintenance style.
Mohawk Haircut Styles
Modern Mohawk
The modern mohawk is a cool haircut for guys who want a bold and refined style. This contemporary version often features a short taper fade haircut on the sides with a wider and thicker mohawk on top. The modern mohawk hairstyle can be paired with a low, mid and high fade to create a unique look. For a sleeker cut, ask your barber to add a bald fade that blends the sides into the skin. Classy and full of volume, this latest trend is great with straight, wavy and curly hair. Consider getting an undercut and growing a beard for a ruggedly handsome finish.
Short Mohawk
The short mohawk is a low-maintenance hairstyle with a subtle and modern approach. With a taper fade or undercut on the sides, the short hair on top is easy to style and still looks edgy. These short mohawk haircut styles can be left thick, flat and wide for a high and tight cut that looks downright masculine. You can’t go wrong with this versatile cut since it can be styled spiky and messy or parted and swept to the side.
Long Mohawk
The long mohawk is a cool men’s haircut that can look attractive and daring, giving you the length necessary to achieve a range of styles. While it may require extra care and styling effort, a longer mohawk hairstyle offers increased intensity for an eye-catching style. While some guys will get shaved sides to highlight the height and volume, most men will ask their barber for a fade or undercut to complement the long hair on top. With so many longer styles to consider, you can spike your hair tall for a classic rockstar look, let your mohawk flow for an effortless finish, or comb it to the side for a classy touch. To maintain the style, you’ll need to use a strong pomade, wax or clay.
Wide Mohawk
The wide mohawk features volume and fullness for a sexy look, giving guys a versatile hairstyle that can be transformed to style many different looks. This mohawk haircut can be cut short or long and looks great with straight, wavy or curly hair. For a more clean classy look, get a wide mohawk hairstyle with faded or undercut sides. While there are many types of fades to consider, the high burst fade will take your look to the next level. If you want to make a bold statement, shave the sides and enjoy that easy high and tight style.
Mohawk Fade
The mohawk fade is one of the most popular styles for guys who want a trendy and modern haircut. Sharp and fresh, you’ll have many different fade haircuts to choose from, ranging from low to high and tapered to skin. The mohawk fade hairstyle provides a stylish cut that starts with short sides and still allows the longer style on top to take center stage. Be sure to make frequent trips to your barber to keep your fade fresh and maintain the clean aesthetic.
Mohawk Undercut
The undercut mohawk can be a striking and edgy hairstyle with an even length cut all around the sides and back of the head. The undercut is a timeless men’s haircut that looks masculine and clean, offering an excellent complement for any mohawk. If you don’t want to shave your head, the undercut mohawk looks amazing with short and long hair on top. When styling, you can get a semi-mohawk with some spiky parts or leave it flat, messy and textured. Add a rugged dimension to your style by growing a thick beard.
Classic Mohawk
The classic mohawk was a popular hairstyle styled by rock legends of the past, allowing you to channel your inner rebel. This mohawk requires shaved sides with long hair on top, creating the contrast necessary to highlight the edgy styling. This eye-catching mohawk haircut style is usually spiked up with a high-hold gel or pomade but can also be left naturally flowing for a casual look.
Mohawk with Shaved Sides
The mohawk with shaved sides is the iconic rebel variation that is sure to stand out and turn heads. A shaved mohawk hairstyle intensifies the look and plays into the non-conformist attitude of the cut, giving guys maximum contrast between the sides and top. While you can use clippers to shave the back and sides, we recommend going to a barbershop for the initial haircut and getting a really clean line. Afterwards, you may consider investing in quality hair clippers and maintaining the cut at home yourself.
Spiky Mohawk
The spiky mohawk is a bold hairstyle that’s reserved for the most daring guys who want a fierce style. Whether you have faded, undercut or buzzed sides, this spiky hairstyle will stand out in any crowd, giving you a daring look that’s hard to compete with. Popular with the rebellious punk movement and rock legends, guys can choose from short and long spiky mohawk haircuts. You can style your hair with a few individual spikes or many spikes that are lined up down the middle of the head. Although the classic version requires longer colored spikes, the modern and less dramatic version may include shorter spiky hair with a high taper fade.
Double Mohawk
The double mohawk is a unique haircut that may feature a line shaved through the middle of the head or parting your hair in the center to create two spiky strips. Daring and sharp, the double mohawk hairstyle can be styled into spikes or left flat and natural, depending on your desired cut and look.
Flat Mohawk
The flat mohawk is a popular short haircut that looks ruggedly handsome and low-maintenance. With buzzed hair on the sides and back, this flat top mohawk hairstyle features a thick strip that demands attention. This cool style is generally cut evenly across the top, giving it a flat surface much like the traditional military-inspired flat top. Most guys will style this mohawk spiked up and textured for a natural finish. You’ll need to visit your barber frequently to maintain the even length and spend time styling with gel or pomade. If you decide to leave your hair down for the day, the short cut will still look good parted or shaggy.
Classy Mohawk
The classy mohawk is a tempered version of the hairstyle with a taper fade on the sides and a versatile longer cut on top. While maintaining the traditional style, this elegant option makes the haircut more socially acceptable, allowing guys to style it for semi-formal and formal occasions.
Slicked Back Mohawk
The slicked back mohawk is a chic and elegant men’s hairstyle that’s undeniably sexy and manly. Slicked back hair offers a retro look that commands respect and attention. When combining the slick back and mohawk, you’ll want to keep your haircut sharp and on-point by asking your barber for a fresh fade or undercut. Whether you have short or medium long hair on top, you’ll need a high-hold pomade or gel with a shiny finish for the perfect wet look. Complete the look by growing a full beard for a ruggedly handsome touch.
Curly Mohawk
The curly mohawk is a sexy style for guys who want to leverage their curls. Paired with shaved or tapered sides, curly hair adds a fresh new take to the mohawk hairstyle. From wide and short to narrow and long, most men will use a lightweight hair product to style a curly hair mohawk, allowing their natural texture to come through and add another dimension to the look. Hispanic and black men with tight curls will get an amazing bounce and lightness for a soft, elegant finish.
Wavy Hair Mohawk
The wavy hair mohawk is a cool hairstyle to try if you want short sides and longer hair on top to complement your waves. Thick and full, a mohawk with wavy hair comes with many excellent styling options. You can let your hair run wild with its natural wavy texture for a light and sexy mohawk or change it up and brush your waves back to look like a boss. Make sure to apply a light to medium hold styling product to maximize volume and flow.
Half Mohawk
The half mohawk is a less extreme version of the original style and generally resembles a faux hawk with a fade haircut. The half mohawk hairstyle is a versatile option that can be styled into a fake hawk, combed over to look professional or spiked up for a more audacious finish. Great with short and medium length hair, the mohawk fade haircut is worth considering if you’re trying this style for the first time.
Pompadour Mohawk
The pompadour mohawk is a cool hairstyle that combines popular styles to create a really stylish look. The pompadour features increased volume and height in the front that gradually blends into the back. When this pomp is combined with a mohawk haircut, the result is a unique and fashionable style that grabs attention.
Braided Mohawk
A braided mohawk is a masculine hairstyle often associated with warriors, most notably the Vikings. With a high skin fade or shaved sides, you can braid your mohawk into a long ponytail or keep the hair short and tight on top. There are several braided mohawk styles to experiment with and some guys may want to style different designs or patterns. Braids minimize daily styling and care, making this look easy and unique.
Buzzed Mohawk
The buzzed mohawk is a short haircut that makes a big statement, giving guys a shorter cut all around for a rugged look. This buzz cut style starts with trimmed down sides that are cut very short using clippers and results in a thick full mohawk on top. As a military-inspired hairstyle, the buzz cut mohawk provides is a bold clean cut that’s sleek and easy to style. Complement the look with heavy stubble or a thick beard.
Gentleman’s Mohawk
The gentleman’s mohawk is a charming and stylish hairstyle for guys who want a clean-cut and edgy look. For the modern man, this mohawk haircut is subtle without sacrificing too much of the classic look. Guys should choose a wide top with a taper fade on the sides to avoid the extreme style. Similar to a faux hawk fade, watch as this cool look turns heads and commands respect in any setting.
High and Tight Mohawk
The high and tight mohawk features buzzed sides with short hair on top, giving guys a trendy low-maintenance hairstyle that looks youthful and fresh. This military-style haircut can be paired with a taper fade or undercut as long as the sides and back contrast the strip of hair on top. For a refreshing and edgy cut, tell your barber you want a high bald fade, resulting in the shortest length possible. Great for the summer, this mohawk style is perfect for those with manly face shapes, sharp jawlines and chiseled cheekbones.
Mohawk For Boys
The mohawk is a stylish boy’s haircut that lends itself perfectly to a youthful and unique appearance. The different mohawk styles are great for little boys and teenage guys who want a cool look for school. While some schools may have strict dress codes, a fresh taper fade or strong undercut on the sides and back can soften the look. When styling, kids can experiment with a faux hawk fade hairstyle to tame their appearance.
How To Style A Mohawk
- Start with clean hair that has been towel-dried and is slightly damp.
- Use a strong styling product like pomade, wax or gel and spread evenly through your hair.
- To style your mohawk, spike your hair up and shape your desired look.
- Apply low-heat with a hair dryer to keep your hairstyle in place all day.
- A short wide mohawk can be left messy and textured for a natural look.
- The long mohawk can be parted to the side, combed back or styled spiky.
To style a mohawk, you’ll need to ask your barber for a proper cut. The mohawk haircut will require your stylist to trim your sides and back short while leaving longer hair on top. You’ll need to use a high-hold hair product when styling spiky hair, while a low to medium-hold option with a matte finish is ideal for a natural textured look.
