If you look at a photo of a random street corner in 1974, you’ll see a lot of hair. It’s everywhere. It’s over the ears, brushing the collars, and defying gravity in ways that modern pomades can barely replicate. Honestly, the 1970s was the last decade where men actually experimented with volume without looking like they were wearing a costume.
We’ve spent the last decade obsessed with the "high and tight" look. The skin fade has been the undisputed king of the barbershop. But things are shifting. Men are tired of getting a haircut every two weeks just to keep their ears visible. This is why 70's hair styles for men have suddenly become the most requested references on Pinterest and Instagram. It isn't just about nostalgia for a time when gasoline was cheap and pants were flared; it’s about a specific kind of relaxed masculinity that we lost somewhere along the way.
The 70s was a rebellion against the buzzcuts of the 50s and the manicured "Mod" looks of the 60s. It was messy. It was intentional. It was, above all else, incredibly diverse. You had the rockstars with their shags, the disco kings with their blowouts, and the guys in the suburbs just trying to look like Burt Reynolds.
The Shag: Not just for Mick Jagger anymore
The shag is basically the holy grail of 70's hair styles for men. It’s the ultimate "I didn't try, but I look better than you" haircut. If you look at David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust era or Keith Richards, you see the blueprint. It’s all about layers. Short on top, messy on the sides, and long in the back.
Modern barbers call it the "wolf cut" or a "soft mullet" now to avoid sounding like they’re stuck in a time loop, but let's be real—it’s a 74' Shag.
The trick to making this work today is texture. Back then, guys were using pretty harsh soaps, which actually gave the hair a bit of grit. If your hair is too clean and soft, the shag just falls flat and looks like a bowl cut gone wrong. You need a sea salt spray or a matte clay. You want that "just rolled out of a tour bus" vibe.
What most people get wrong about the shag is the length. It doesn't have to be shoulder-length. A "micro-shag" works perfectly for guys who have corporate jobs but still want to feel like they own a vintage leather jacket. It’s about the movement. When you walk, your hair should move. If it's frozen in place by hairspray, you've missed the point of the entire decade.
The Moustache and Sideburn Combo: A Lesson in Proportions
You can't talk about 70's hair styles for men without mentioning the facial hair. It was a package deal. If you had the hair, you had the "flavor saver."
Look at the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers or the cast of CHiPs. Sideburns weren't just an afterthought; they were a structural component of the face. They usually ended somewhere around the mid-ear or even the jawline. It helped balance out the massive volume on top of the head.
- The Chevron Moustache: Think Tom Selleck. Thick, wide, and covering the top lip.
- The Mutton Chops: A bit more extreme, usually reserved for the bikers or the guys who really wanted to look like Wolverine before Wolverine was a movie star.
- The Horseshoe: Think Hulk Hogan in his early days. Very polarizing.
The key to pulling this off in the 2020s is grooming. In the 70s, it was a bit of a wild forest down there. Today, keep the edges crisp. A 70s silhouette with 2026 precision is a killer combination.
The Long and Flowing: The "Mid-Length" Sweet Spot
There was a specific length in the mid-70s that wasn't quite "long hair" but definitely wasn't "short hair." It’s that awkward phase that most guys give up on. But if you push through, you get the Barry Gibb or the Robert Plant.
This style relies heavily on the "feathered" look. Feathering was achieved by brushing the hair back and away from the face in layers. It requires a blow dryer and a round brush. Most men today are scared of blow dryers. They think it’s too much work. But honestly, if you want that 70s flow, you have to embrace the heat.
- The Center Part: This is the defining characteristic of the era. Forget the side part. If you want to look authentic, you split it right down the middle. It’s symmetrical, it’s bold, and it frames the eyes.
- The Ear Tuck: A classic move. Keep the hair long enough to tuck behind the ears so you can actually see what you’re doing, but let the back flow over your collar.
Natural Texture and the Afro
We have to talk about the Afro. It was more than a hairstyle; it was a political and cultural statement of "Black is Beautiful." In the 70s, the Afro reached its peak in terms of scale and perfection. Think Questlove’s hair today, but everywhere.
The 70s version was often perfectly spherical. It required immense skill to pick out and shape. Unlike the 60s, where some styles were still trying to mimic European textures, the 70s embraced the natural coil.
Modern iterations are a bit more relaxed. We see "tapered fros" or "fro-hawks" now, but the essence remains the same: volume is power. If you’re going for this look, moisture is your best friend. The 70s guys used a lot of oils, and that’s still the gold standard. A dry Afro is a sad Afro.
The "Surfer" Look: Sun-Bleached and Salty
Not everyone in the 70s was a disco dancer or a rockstar. A huge portion of the aesthetic came from the California surf culture. This was the era of the Z-Boys and early skateboarding.
This hair was functional. It was bleached by the sun and hacked off with kitchen scissors. It’s the "surfer shag." It’s longer in the back to protect the neck from the sun and shorter in the front so you can see the waves.
This is probably the easiest 70's hair style for men to pull off today. It’s low maintenance. You just need a good stylist who understands "point cutting"—a technique where they cut into the hair at an angle to create jagged, natural-looking ends rather than blunt lines.
Why the "Mullet" Isn't Actually What You Think It Is
People love to joke about the mullet. "Business in the front, party in the back." But the 70s mullet was different from the tragic 80s version.
In the 80s, the mullet became stiff, permed, and weirdly aggressive. In the 70s, it was just a natural progression of the shag. It was softer. Think Paul McCartney in his Wings era. It wasn't a sharp contrast between the front and back; it was a gradual slope.
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If you want to try a 70s-inspired mullet, tell your barber you want a "layered taper." Avoid the shaved sides. Shaved sides make it a modern mullet. Keeping the sides about an inch or two long makes it a 70s masterpiece.
The Maintenance Reality Check
Look, 70s hair isn't "easy." It’s "effortless looking," which is the hardest thing to achieve.
In the 70s, men started using conditioner. This was a big deal. Before that, it was just 3-in-1 soaps or straight-up pomade that felt like axle grease. To maintain 70's hair styles for men today, you need a different kit than your dad had.
- Leave-in Conditioner: Vital for the "flow." It keeps the hair heavy enough to hang right but light enough to move.
- Wide-Tooth Comb: Never use a fine-tooth comb on 70s styles. It breaks up the natural clumps of hair and makes you look frizzy.
- Dry Shampoo: Since these styles rely on volume, oil is your enemy. A little dry shampoo at the roots gives you that "day two" grit that makes the hair stay where you put it.
The "Silver Fox" 70s Vibe
One of the coolest things about 70s hair is how well it works for older men. In the 40s and 50s, if you were over 40, you got a crew cut. Period.
The 70s changed that. You had guys like Sean Connery or Clint Eastwood letting their hair get a bit shaggy and grey. It added a level of ruggedness. If you’re thinning a bit, the layered nature of 70s cuts actually helps hide it. A blunt cut makes thinning hair look obvious. Layers and texture create the illusion of density.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't go full costume. You aren't auditioning for a Starsky & Hutch remake.
The biggest mistake is the "helmet" effect. This happens when you use too much product and the hair becomes a single, solid mass. 70s hair is about individual strands moving independently.
Another mistake is the "bowl" factor. If the layers aren't cut correctly, a shag quickly turns into a bowl cut. Ensure your stylist uses a razor or thinning shears to keep the ends light. You want the ends to look "shredded," not chopped.
Lastly, watch the sideburns. If they get too wide, they start to look like costume shop adhesives. Keep them the same width as your natural hairline, just let them grow down longer.
How to Ask Your Barber
Walking into a shop and saying "Give me a 70s cut" is a recipe for disaster. You’ll walk out looking like a disco ball.
Instead, use these specific terms:
- "I want a layered shag with a lot of internal texture."
- "Let's do a tapered neck but keep the length over the ears."
- "I’m looking for a low-tension cut that works with my natural part."
- "Keep the fringe long and heavy, hitting just below the eyebrows."
Bringing a photo is essential. But don't bring a photo of a celebrity with a different hair type than you. If you have thin, straight hair, don't show them a picture of 1977 era Leo Sayer. It’s not going to happen. Find someone with your hair texture and go from there.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Hair Journey
If you’re ready to ditch the fade and embrace the 70s revival, start slow. Hair grows at an average rate of half an inch per month. You’re going to hit the "ugly phase" in about eight weeks.
- Stop the 3-week haircut cycle. Push it to 6 or 8 weeks. You need length to work with.
- Invest in a blow dryer. You don't need a $400 one. A basic one with a "cool shot" button will do. Learning to blow dry your hair "up and back" is 90% of the battle.
- Switch to a matte paste. Shiny gels are very 80s/90s. The 70s was a matte decade.
- Focus on the health of your scalp. Long hair shows damage more than short hair. Use a scalp oil once a week to keep the follicles healthy so the hair grows in thick.
The return of 70's hair styles for men is a sign that we're moving back toward individuality. It’s okay to have hair that touches your ears. It’s okay to have a fringe that you have to shake out of your eyes. It’s a bit messy, a bit wild, and honestly, a lot more fun than a standard buzz cut.