Our Guide To The Best Curly Hairstyles For Men

Short curls cut close enough to lie flat, with a fade and a sharp hairline. You get the curl without the volume. That makes it an easy cut to wear to work. Keep a small tub of cream for the days it frizzes.

Short curls left to do their own thing on top, with the sides shorter. It’s the cut for days when styling means running a hand through it. It grows out into something longer and still looks fine along the way.

Short sides and a top of tousled curls pushed forward. It’s the easy entry to curly hair, since the sides are tidy and the top forgives a lot. Towel-dry, add a little cream, and go.

Curls falling forward onto the forehead in a loose fringe, with the sides shorter. Everything hangs on the fringe. Make sure your barber leaves enough at the front. It’s a good cut for hiding a high forehead (we won’t tell).

Short waves cut to show off a hairline that dips in the middle of the forehead. Keep the front pushed up and back to show the peak. A little cream stops the waves from going fluffy.

Small, thick curls with a healthy shine, kept short and neat. Shine comes from moisture, so conditioner every wash and a leave-in afterwards do most of the work. A smile helps too.

Dense curls cut into a controlled shape, with no stray bits sticking out at the sides. It’s thick hair behaving itself for once. A cream set into damp hair holds the shape through the day.

A short curly crop with a taper at the sides, the curly version of a regulation cut. It’s quick to dry and quick to style, and a six-to-eight-week trim keeps the shape.

Short, tight curls brushed up, with the sides short. It’s neat and compact. A small amount of cream keeps the curls defined.

Curls gathered into a strip down the middle, with the sides faded and a sharp line-up. It’s the fohawk: a mohawk that doesn’t ask you to commit. Push the curls toward the center with your fingers.

Waves on top over a fade that drops lower behind the ear. The drop keeps more hair at the back, so the cut grows out softer than a straight fade. A little cream pushes the waves up and back.

Short curls on top over a fade that goes all the way to skin. The skin section is where the upkeep lives, so plan on regular trips back. The top can be left almost alone.

The fade follows the curve of the head, high at the temple and dropping behind the ear, with a full curly top above it. It gives curls a clean frame without taking them away. Push the top forward and let the ends fall.

Curls pushed up and roughed through, over a fade, with some texture left in the top. On lighter hair the color shows every twist. The auburn tone here is a good example. Work in a matte cream with your fingers for the brushed-up finish.

Styled curls on top over a fade that goes gradually from long to short. The blend is the detail here, so there’s no hard line anywhere. A curl cream sets the top.

A curly top over a taper with lines shaved into the side. The design fades as the hair grows, so book the touch-up before you leave. The rest of the cut is tame enough for anywhere.

Curls on top over a skin fade, finished with a line-up that comes to a point at the temple. The pointed corner is the signature, so keep it sharp. The beard follows the same line.

Fine curls on top over a mid fade that shows clearly. The contrast between the neat fade and the curls is the look. Keep the top short and the curls stay tidy.

A curly top over a low fade with a sharp finish. It’s neat at the edges and relaxed on top. Push the curls forward and let them fall.

Curls on top and a design shaved through the fade. The cut line is the detail, so choose a barber who’s good with a trimmer. The curls can be left alone.

Curls on top over a mid fade with a clear line between the two. The fade stops halfway up, so the curls sit on a clean ledge. A beard fills in the lower half.

Curls on top over a taper fade, with a part line shaved in. It’s neat enough for a wedding and still curly enough to look like you. A cream keeps the top defined.

A curly top over a temple fade, with the sides clean around the ear. The top stays full while the temple goes short. It’s a cut that looks sharp in photos from the side.

Curls on top over a mid fade, with the fade and the top meeting halfway. It’s a balanced cut, halfway between a crop and a curly top. A curl cream keeps the top defined.

Wet-look curls on top with a sharp line-up at the hairline. The wet look comes from gel applied to damp hair. Keep the line-up fresh so the look stays crisp.

The front curls get the length and the attention, and the sides fade away underneath. Think of it as a fringe with an attitude. A little cream keeps the front curls grouped instead of frizzing apart.

A tall, round blob of curls on top of a low fade. It’s a better look than it sounds. The low fade leaves most of the sides, so the top doesn’t look perched. Pick it out gently for height.

Dense curls on top with a shaped neckline at the back, where most cuts don’t bother. The neckline is the detail that shows when you walk away. Ask for it to be squared or tapered, depending on your taste.

Curls brushed up on top, a hard part shaved in at the side and a mid fade below it. It’s the classic side part with more going on. Brush the top across the part while it’s damp.

A curly top over a crisp mid fade, the kind of cut that looks fresh for the first week and pretty good after that. The fade gives the curls a clean ledge to sit on. A line-up at the forehead sharpens the whole thing.

Loose curls piled on top of an undercut tapered skin-short at the temple and around the ear. The contrast is the point: all the volume sits above the temples. Expect to see your barber more often than your curls would like.

Long curls swept up and over the top, with the sides shaved and a full beard doing the rest. It’s a pompadour with more personality than hair gel usually allows. Keep the beard trimmed or the whole thing tips into pirate.

Textured curls on top of a shaved undercut, with a hard line where the two meet. The line is the drama, and it needs a touch-up to stay sharp. Style the top forward so it falls toward the line.

Curls kept tight to the top of the head, with the sides faded close and a beard picking up where the fade leaves off. It’s compact and sharp, the curly answer to a short back and sides. A light gel keeps the curls in rows.

Loose waves on top, swept back, over an undercut that fades down at the sides. It keeps the length where you’ll see it and none where you won’t. A comb and a little cream finish it.

Curls on top over an undercut with a sleek fade, with a color tint in the curls. With the sides taken away, the curls look fuller. A little cream keeps the tint shiny.

Wavy hair left messy on top, as if you’d just got up, with the sides tapered. The taper is what makes the mess look deliberate. Towel-dry and leave it.

Medium curls over a fade that curves around the ear, with the top pushed to one side. The fade keeps the look neat at the edges. The top gets most of the attention.

Loose curls pushed up and back off the forehead, with enough length on top to fall where they like. It suits waves and looser curls that have some bounce left in them. Scrunch a little cream through damp hair and let the quiff sort itself out (it will, mostly).

A quiff that doesn’t pretend to be tidy: curls pushed up at the front and left rough everywhere else. The sides stay shorter so the height reads as a choice. Finger-dry it with your head upside down if you want even more lift.

Medium curls pushed up and back into a soft quiff, with the sides tapered. The height comes from the curl itself, so it needs less product than a straight-hair quiff. Scrunch, don’t comb.

Waves or curls cut to one length all round, with a fringe at the brow. It’s the bowl cut, rehabilitated: the curl breaks up the helmet line that made the original famous. Ask for a taper underneath so it doesn’t mushroom.

Curls combed back off the face and allowed to curl up again at the back. The front is slicked, the ends aren’t, and that difference is what keeps it from looking like a wet-look accident. Rake a cream through damp hair with your fingers. Leave the comb in the drawer.

Medium curls swept to one side and left to fall there. It’s a loose, grown-in look that suits waves and looser curls. Part it where your hair wants to part.

A side part through curly or wavy hair, with the sides short and the top combed over. Curls make a side part look relaxed instead of strict. Ask for the part to follow your natural one.

Big, high curls with plenty of volume on top and at the sides. It’s a cut for people who want to be noticed from across the room. Diffuse it for extra height.

A round shape of curls, even all over, sitting on the head like a crown. It suits curls with plenty of spring (Type 3). Layers keep it round instead of flat on top and wide at the sides.

Plenty of curl on top, kept in check by the cut. Forte Series recommends light layers for bulk. They stop it from puffing out into a helmet. Scrunch in a cream and let it dry without touching it (the tricky part).

Golden-brown curls grown to a medium length and left loose. The color catches the light on every twist. It looks lighter in the sun and darker indoors. Let it air-dry with a little cream.

Medium curls brushed up and to one side. It’s tidy but not stiff. A cream and a quick brush through damp hair set it.

Curls tossed into a rugged shape that looks better a week after the cut than the day of it. It’s for the man who’s never owned a comb and doesn’t plan to. Scrunch a little cream through damp hair and walk away.

Medium curls allowed to fall onto the forehead, the way they’d land if nobody interfered. It’s soft and a bit boyish (in a flattering way). Let them fall where they want and keep your hands off while they dry.

Curls well past the shoulders, left alone to do their thing. At this length, light layers keep the bulk down so the shape doesn’t go triangular. Tie it back for the gym, wear it loose for everything else.

Curls grown to the chin, left messy and parted wherever they fall. Nothing is faded or lined up, and that’s rather the point. A leave-in conditioner stops the ends from going dry.

Long shaggy curls with a fringe cut into the front. It’s loose, layered and a bit rock band. Layers keep the bulk at bay, so ask for them rather than thinning.

A short mullet in curls: shorter on top and at the sides, longer at the back. It’s the mullet made reasonable. Keep the back curls defined with a leave-in conditioner.

Curls cut into a messy, layered shape, long at the back and around the face. It’s loose on purpose. Layers keep the curls from going flat on top.

A curly mullet with lines shaved into the side. It’s loud, and it knows it. Keep the lines sharp and the back curls long.

Long curls parted in the middle and left to curl up at the ends. The middle part splits the curls evenly. Layers stop them from forming a triangle.

Long, loose curls with barely any shaping, for men who’d rather spend the money on conditioner than on the barber. Trim the ends when they go dry and leave the rest alone. A leave-in conditioner is the only product in the bathroom.

A curly shag brushed up at the front, with layers throughout. It’s full on top and softer around the edges. Scrunch in a cream and push the front up.

A loose curly shag brushed to one side, with long layers that swing when you move. It’s a little bit 1970s, in the good way. Push it across with your fingers and let it fall.

A round, layered shag on fine blonde hair, where the layers do the heavy lifting. Fine hair can hang flat, and the layers give it movement instead. Keep the products light, or it’ll droop by lunchtime.

A wavy shag with a fringe, on hair that’s fine rather than thick. The layers give fine waves somewhere to go, so the ends flick out instead of hanging. A salt spray adds grip if it falls flat.

A dense curly shag with the weight taken out at the temple by a short undercut. You keep the volume on top and lose the bulk at the sides. It’s a good trick for thick hair that grows out as well as up.

Big curls in a shag shape, with a taper underneath so the width doesn’t get out of hand. The curls stay big on top and the sides stay sensible. Ask for the taper low, or you’ll lose the shag.

Messy curls with a middle part so faint you’d have to look for it. The part stops the curls from all falling one way. It’s the grown-out look with just enough intent.

A layered curly shag, full and round, with the layers carrying the shape. Without layers, curls this long pile up at the bottom. Scrunch in a cream and go.

Short, tight coils cut into a rounded shape, with a clean line at the forehead and temples. It looks the same on day one and day twenty. Most of us can’t say that about ourselves. Keep the coils moisturized and the shape takes care of itself. Our haircuts for Black men guide has afros next to twists and locs.

A full, rounded afro grown out evenly all over. Coils (Type 4) are the pattern most prone to shrinking as they dry. The afro looks shorter than it is, and that’s a nice problem to have. Pick it out gently and keep it moisturized.

Short, tight curls brushed flat on top, with a temple fade that keeps the edges sleek. It’s low on fuss and high on neatness. A soft brush every morning keeps the pattern even.

Tight curls cut short, with a mid fade that goes crisp and clean. It’s tidy from every angle. Keep the curls moisturized so they stay defined.

Short afro curls with a temple fade that sharpens the edges. The fade frames the curls without taking any height from them. Moisture keeps the curls springy.

Loose afro curls on top with a drop fade, the curls a little finer than a full afro. The drop fade dips behind the ear. Pick out the top gently for height.

Shoulder-length curls and a full beard, both left to grow into each other. The beard gives the curls a frame and the curls soften the beard. Keep both conditioned and you’ll look less like a man lost in the woods.

Curls on top, a fade down the sides and a beard picking up at the sideburns. It’s one continuous line from the top of the head to the chin. Keep the beard and the fade on the same schedule.

Curls brushed up and back, with a beard to balance the height. The curls add height. The beard keeps the face from looking long. A brush through damp hair sets the shape.

Thick curls with a retro feel, grown to a medium length and paired with a beard. It’s a look from an old film, updated. Comb the curls back and let them fall.

A drop taper that blends straight into the beard, with curls on top. The taper and beard meet in one line. Keep the beard trimmed to match the taper.

Curls left messy on purpose, with a short beard to make the mess look planned. It’s the cut of a man who owns a linen shirt and wears it unironed. Rough-dry it with your fingers and don’t touch it again.

A heavy fringe of waves that stops at the eyebrows, with the sides kept close to the head. Waves (the Type 2 end of the scale) sit flatter than curls, so the fringe hangs rather than springs. Push it to one side on days you want to see where you’re going.

Waves combed straight back from the forehead, with the sides left long enough to follow along. It’s the red-carpet version of wavy hair. The wave keeps the slick back from looking painted on. Comb it through with a little cream while it’s damp and leave it to dry.

A short, wavy top with a fringe cut at an angle across the forehead. It’s tidy enough for the office and loose enough that nobody thinks you tried. Cut choppier, the fringe falls forward in heavy, textured pieces.

A classic taper with a scissor crop on top, cut short enough that the wave shows only as texture. It’ll pass in any office. Comb it to the side or push it forward.

A casual curly top, fairer hair here, with the sides tapered neatly. It’s a relaxed look that still looks like a haircut. Push the top up and let it fall where it wants.

Wavy hair tousled into a loose, grown-out shape. It’s a cut you can wear to a black-tie dinner or on a beach. Rough-dry it with your fingers.

Semi-wavy hair in a textured side part. The wave softens the part, so it doesn’t look stiff. Comb it into place and rough it up a little.

A mass of curls on hair that’s finer than it looks. The curl adds bulk that straight fine hair wouldn’t have, so let it do the work. Light products stop it from going flat.

Thin hair with a loose curl, kept short and a little messy. Keeping it short means there’s less weight to pull the curl flat, and a little texture does the rest. Use light products so it doesn’t lie flat.

Long, layered curls on hair that’s on the thin side. Layers add movement and stop the hair from hanging flat. Lightweight products keep the curls from being weighed down.

Short curls brushed up with a side part, on hair that’s on the thin side. Keeping it short gives the curl less weight to fight, so it holds its shape. A light cream is enough.

Dense curls on hair that’s thin in places, with the sides tapered close. The curl stacks up on top and covers more scalp than straight hair would. Use a light mousse so the curls stay up instead of sagging.

Natural red waves and curls on top, with the sides kept short. Red hair is its own statement, so the cut keeps things simple. Protect the color from the sun, since heat and UV dry curls out.

Dyed curls on top over a faded side. The fade keeps the color to where you want it. Use a color-safe conditioner every wash.

Tight curls bleached light on top, with a drop taper at the sides. The color makes the pattern stand out. Color-treated curls need extra conditioner.

Blonde curls in several tones, from honey to ash, grown out to a full shape. The mix of shades makes the curls look deeper. This one’s a job for a colorist.

Highlighted curls on top over a high fade. The fade keeps the sides natural, and the color stays on the curls. Condition all of your hair, not just the ends, to keep color-treated curls soft.

Curls dyed on top, worn with a wet look, over a low fade. The wet finish makes the color look deeper. Use a gel on damp hair for the shine.

Blonde springy curls on thin hair, with the color picking out each curl. The spring comes from the curl pattern itself. Keep products light so the curls don’t drop.

Fine curls with a rusty, warm dye running through them. The color gives thin hair more depth. The curls look thicker than they are. Color-treated hair needs conditioner every wash.

Warm, rusty tones picked out through a curly top. Highlights show off the curl pattern, since each twist catches the color differently. Condition all of your hair, not just the ends, to keep treated curls soft.