Most Popular Men's Hairstyles Of 2026

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Most Popular Men's Hairstyles Of 2026

Here at Wahl we have been speaking with barbers and our own design team about current trends in men’s hairstyles in 2026. What we found was that current trends are sitting at a crossroads between of tradition, technology, and personal identity. Our academy team have seen classic haircuts like fades, tapers, and short back and sides keeping their popularity; but now they are being refined and personalised more than ever before.

Advances in barbering tools across the world, the influence of global culture on hairstyles, and the ways grooming as self-expression have pushed men’s hair beyond older trends toward the future, allowing for styles that work across more hair types, and bolder ways of showing themselves off. Whether clean cut or textured and expressive, today’s most popular styles reflect a shift: modern men want haircuts that are classic yet unmistakably their own.

below is a list of the most common styles our team and other barbers come across on a daily basis, and we discuss the history of the design and where it can go in 2026.

Short Back & Sides

The “short back and sides” is one of the most common and enduring men’s hairstyles in modern history. It originates closely with discipline, class and military standards. It thanks to those standards, it became the default working-class men’s cut.

Step 1 – Check how short the client wants it! How much length to keep on top, since the client usually won’t mention it.

Step 2 – Establish the Sides and Back by removing bulk from the back and sides first. A short guard (often #1 – #3) work the clippers upward and away from the head. The goal is to keep the sides clean while leaving weight higher up for blending.

Step 3 – Taper or Fade the Lower Edges. Refine the neckline and around the ears.
This step is done slowly, working your way up the guard lengths to blend into the sides. If the clipper has lever adjustments, this works well too. This is where most of the technical skill shows.

Step 4 – Blend into the Top. Use Clippers-over-comb or scissor-over-comb. The transition should look natural, not disconnected as a true short back and sides always has a smooth blend, not a hard shelf.

Step 5 – Cut the Top: The top is usually kept short but slightly longer than the side, we suggest using clippers with a longer guard for uniform length and then finishing with scissors for more texture and control.

Step 6 – Detail Work & Edging: Finishing touches include cleaning around the ears, shaping the neckline and giving light edging. Though it’s a short step, it defines how polished the cut looks on the client when worn daily.

Step 7 – Final Check & Finish up by cross-checking symmetry, making small adjustments and apply product if needed to show the final shape. A good short back and sides should look clean from every angle, even without styling.

Classic Fade

The Fade is the evolution of the “short back and sides”. Barbers began refining the blend rather than just chopping everything short. This was the technical seed of the fade. Real technical skill can make or break this classic look.

Step 1 – Starting on the sides using the Wahl Vapor clipper with the #4 guard and lever closed, work close to the scalp and slowly bevel out as the head rounds to remove bulk. Continue working all the way around the head shape, ensuring to leave length in the fringe.

Step 2 – Continue Blending by flipping your clipper upside down and cutting down into the bulk.

Step 3 – Section out the fringe from the apex through to the front hairline. Then, working in diagonal back subsections, cut each section at a 90 degree elevation and 90 degree finger angle. repeat working towards the back, using a travelling guide.

Step 4 – Work up the back profile to connect. Then, blend using a clipper over comb technique.

Step 5 – Section a 1 inch horizontal subsection at the front hairline. Working in vertical subsections just behind the fringe, elevate hair just above 90 degrees with fingers mirroring the part line and point cut to connect. continue movements working towards the back using a traveling guide. Repeat on the opposite side.

Step 6 – working with horizontal subsections at the top of the head through the crown, connect left to right by point, cutting horizontally.

Step 7 – Comb fringe down to low elevation and cut horizontally following the round of the head.

Step 8 – Working within vertical sections from the crown to the front hairline, elevate hair straight up and connect the back to the length in the front.

Step 9 – Using the Wahl Vapor clipper and lever closed, remove hair at neckline slightly bevelling out at length. Begin blending using a #1 guard. continue working up using #2 and #3 guards, adjusting the lever to blend. then drop down to 1.5 and blend around the hairline & behind the ears.

Step 10 – Detail the hairline using a trimmer. Blow dry and style as desired.

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Textured Crew Cut

Step 1 – Section out the top section from center of crown to recession on each side.

Step 2 – Starting at the front left hairline, create the first guideline using a horizontal section using the Wahl Super Taper X clipper with the lever closed at the parietal ridge, working all the way around the head shape.

Step 3 – Create a center part. Use diagonal back sections starting at the front hairline. Using previous section as a guide, cut with finger at a diagonal. Repeat movements on the opposite side.

Step 4 – On the top, create a one-inch center subsection. cut from the crown to the front hairline following the shape of the head.

Step 5 – using the previous section as your guide, work your way down towards the parietal ridge. Repeat movements on the opposite side.

Step 6 – Use the Wahl Vanquish blow dryer to prep the style before the next steps of clipper work.

Step 7 – Using the Wahl Black Magic Clip clipper with lever closed attach the #2 guard and blend into guide at parietal ridge.

Step 8 – Remove the guard. Starting in the sideburn area, work around the ear to the nape area. Set your zero-guideline parallel to the line of demarcation at parietal ridge. Use a shaver to blend the hair.

Step 9 – Attach a #1.5 guard, lever open, and start blending down. While working down, slowly start to close the lever. Repeat the same steps using the #1 premium guard. Then repeat the same steps using the #1/2 guard. Finally remove the guard and repeat previous steps.

Step 10 – Finish by cutting clipper over comb. Use a wax paste to mould style into place.

cLASSIC Pompadour

The modern day “Quiff”, the Pompadour is a combination of the Military Flat Top, with a little Fauxhawk mixed in.

Step 1 – Section the top profile from recession to recession. section front from back at the top of the ear on both sides.

Step 2 – Starting in the center back, create a vertical subsection. Using your Wahl Black Magic Clip Clipper, direct section straight out and cut to the shape of the head to determine your guide.

Step 3 – Take a horizontal section below the crown. Using the guide from the vertical section, cut back

Step 4 – Moving into the side profiles, use the section behind the ear as your guide. Continue working within vertical sections, overdirecting each back to the section at the ear, then cut.

Step 5 – Drop down the crown. Section front from back and horizontally at the parietal in the side profile. Take a vertical section from the crown in the back profile and cut using the underneath as your guide. Continue taking vertical sections throughout the crown and cut as you go.

Step 6 – Create a V parting in the top profile of the crown to the corner of each eye. In the side profiles, elevate the entire section straight out of the head shape and cut using the section underneath as the guideline.

Step 7 – In the fringe take a diagonal section. Comb down to side profile and connect back to front using a diagonal finger angle using the underneath cut guide. Take another diagonal parting and repeat the movements. Repeat on opposite side.

Step 8 – Detail the hair using the Vanquish Dryer to style & use the Black Detailer Li to shape the neckline around the ears & add texture throughout the haircut. Finish with hair holding paste or your choice of hair spray.

Knowing what the most popular men's styles of 2026 are is half the battle - If you would like to learn how to master these haircuts, why not check out our Wahl Academy barbering & styling courses. If you want to learn more why not get in touch with our academy team.