Eighties mens hairstyles fall into three groups: short and sharp (crew cut, flat top, high top fade), short and straight (slick back, feathered blow-dry, quiff), and long at the back (mullet, rat tail, glam rock hair). The right one for you depends on your hair length and whether it is straight, wavy or curly.
This guide sorts 16 cuts by hair type, with 80s mens hairstyles pictures for each one. Each one comes with the exact words to say to your barber and a toned-down version you can wear today.
In this guide
Quick picker: which 80s cut fits your hair
To choose between eighties mens hairstyles, start with what you have now. Hair length on top decides most of it, and hair type decides the rest.
| Your hair now | Best 80s cut | Daily effort | Works at the office? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 inch, any type | Crew cut | None | Yes |
| 1 to 2 inches, straight and thick | Flat top | Medium | Depends on the job |
| 1 to 2 inches, straight or wavy | Ivy League side part | Low | Yes |
| 2 to 3 inches, straight | Textured crop or short spikes | Low | Yes |
| 3 to 4 inches, straight | Slick back or feathered blow-dry | Medium | Yes |
| 3 to 5 inches, straight or wavy | Quiff or new wave fringe | Medium | Yes |
| 2 inches or more, tight curls or coils | High top fade | Medium | Yes |
| Any top length, 4 inches or more at the back | Classic or feathered mullet | Low to medium | Depends on the job |
| Shoulder length, any type | Glam rock layers | High | Rarely |
| Medium length, curly or permed | Jheri curl or permed mullet | High | Depends on the job |
Hair grows about half an inch a month. If your target cut needs 2 more inches, plan for roughly four months of growing before the cut.
Eighties mens hairstyles for short hair
Short hair was the everyday 80s look, even if the mullet gets all the attention. Office workers, athletes and soldiers wore tight, clean cuts, and hip-hop brought sharp fades. These six eighties mens hairstyles need 3 inches or less on top.
1. Crew cut
The crew cut is short all over, slightly longer at the front hairline, and tapered at the sides. It was the standard military and sports cut of the decade.
- Tell your barber: “Number 2 on the sides, tapered. About an inch on top, a little longer at the front.”
- Wear it today: Ask for a skin fade on the sides instead of a taper.
2. Ivy League side part
This is a crew cut grown out enough to part and comb to one side. It was the preppy and Wall Street look of the mid 80s.
- Tell your barber: “Scissor cut, 1.5 to 2 inches on top, tapered sides with a number 3, natural side part.”
- Wear it today: Use matte clay instead of shiny gel so it looks soft, not wet.
3. Flat top
The flat top stands straight up and is cut level across the top, like a deck. Think Ivan Drago in Rocky IV (1985) or Iceman in Top Gun (1986).
- Tell your barber: “Flat top, about 1 inch at the front, number 1 or 2 on the sides.” Pick a barber who does this cut often. It is hard to get level.
- Wear it today: Keep the top slightly rounded at the edges so it reads less military.
4. High top fade
The high top fade is a tall, squared top on tightly curled hair with the sides faded to skin. Big Daddy Kane and Kid ‘n Play made it the signature hip-hop cut of the late 80s.
- Tell your barber: “High top, 2 to 3 inches on top, squared off, skin fade on the sides. Add a part line if you like.”
- Wear it today: Go 1.5 inches on top with a softer, rounded shape.
5. Short spikes
Short spikes are 2 inches of hair pushed straight up with gel, often bleached. Billy Idol is the reference photo.
- Tell your barber: “Two inches on top, point cut for texture, short back and sides.”
- Wear it today: Swap hard gel for a matte paste and twist only the front.
6. Textured short crop
This is the Maverick cut from Top Gun: short sides, 2 inches of messy texture on top, pushed up and slightly forward.
- Tell your barber: “Short back and sides with a number 3, 2 inches on top, choppy texture.”
- Wear it today: It needs no changes. This cut never left.
Eighties mens hairstyles for short straight hair
Straight hair suits the smooth, shaped eighties mens hairstyles: slick backs, blow-dried layers, fringes and quiffs. Its weak point is volume, so each cut below relies on layering and a blow-dryer, not just product. All four work with 3 to 5 inches on top.
7. Slick back
The slick back is combed straight back from the forehead with a wet shine. Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987) made it the power haircut of the decade.
- Tell your barber: “Four inches on top, left long enough to reach the crown. Tapered sides, no hard line.”
- Style it: Comb gel or pomade through damp hair, front to back.
- Wear it today: Use a low-shine cream and let a few strands fall loose.
8. Feathered blow-dry
Feathered hair is cut in soft layers and blow-dried back and away from the face. George Michael in the Wham! years is the clearest example.
- Tell your barber: “Layered scissor cut, 3 to 4 inches on top, sides long enough to brush back over the ears.”
- Style it: Mousse on damp hair, then blow-dry backwards with a round brush.
- Wear it today: Skip the hairspray. Let the layers move.
9. New wave fringe
The new wave fringe is short at the back and sides with a long, straight fringe swept across one eye. Bands like Duran Duran and A Flock of Seagulls pushed it to extremes.
- Tell your barber: “Short back and sides, disconnected top, fringe left to the cheekbone on one side.”
- Wear it today: Keep the fringe at eyebrow length and push it sideways with a light paste.
10. Quiff
The quiff is short on the sides with the front lifted up and back. Morrissey wore the neat version, and Brian Setzer of Stray Cats wore the taller rockabilly pompadour.
- Tell your barber: “Number 3 on the sides, 4 inches at the front getting shorter toward the crown.”
- Style it: Blow-dry the front upward first, then set it with pomade.
- Wear it today: Lower height, matte finish.
What if straight hair goes flat?
Flat hair is the main complaint with straight hair and 80s cuts. Fix it in this order:
- Ask for layers on top. One-length hair lies flat.
- Blow-dry against the direction you want it to sit, then flip it back.
- Use mousse or sea salt spray before drying, and paste after.
- Wash less often. Second-day hair holds shape better.
80s hairstyles male: mullet, long hair and curls
The mullet is short on top and sides and long at the back, and it is the single most recognised 80s hairstyle for men. Long hair in the 80s was rarely one length. It was layered, teased or permed for volume. These six need at least 4 inches at the back.
11. Classic mullet
The classic mullet has 2 to 3 inches on top, sides cut over the ears, and the back left to the collar or longer. MacGyver and Uncle Jesse from Full House are the easy references.
- Tell your barber: “Mullet. Scissor cut over the ears, 2 to 3 inches on top, keep all the length at the back and just tidy the ends.”
- Wear it today: Add a low taper at the temples and keep the back at collar length.
12. Feathered mullet
This is a mullet with soft layers through the top and sides, blow-dried back. Patrick Swayze in Road House (1989) is the model. It suits straight and wavy hair best.
- Tell your barber: “Layered mullet, sides long enough to sweep back, back to the shoulders, feathered ends.”
- Wear it today: This is close to the modern shaggy mullet or wolf cut. Ask for that if your barber looks unsure.
13. Permed mullet
The permed mullet adds tight curls to the top and back. Men with straight hair got perms in the 80s for exactly this volume.
- Tell your barber: “Mullet shape first, then a perm on the top and back with medium rods.” Book a salon that does perms, not a walk-in barber.
- Wear it today: Choose a loose wave perm so the curl looks natural.
14. Rat tail
The rat tail is a normal short haircut with one thin strand left long at the nape, often braided. It was mostly a kids’ and teen style.
- Tell your barber: “Short back and sides, leave a half-inch-wide section at the centre of the nape.”
- Wear it today: Honestly, this one is for costume parties.
15. Glam rock long hair
Glam rock hair is shoulder length or longer, heavily layered, teased at the roots and held with hairspray. Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe wore it on every album cover.
- Tell your barber: “Long layers all over, shortest layer at the cheekbone, lots of texture on top.”
- Wear it today: Keep the layers, drop the teasing. Use sea salt spray for a loose rock look.
16. Jheri curl
The Jheri curl is a chemical treatment that turns tightly coiled hair into loose, glossy curls. Michael Jackson in the Thriller era and Lionel Richie made it famous.
- Tell your stylist: This is a salon chemical service, not a cut. Ask for a curly perm or texturiser consultation.
- Wear it today: Most men now get a similar look with natural curls, a curl cream and a taper fade.
Mullet lengths at a glance
| Mullet type | Top | Back | Best hair type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short mullet | 1.5 to 2 inches | 3 to 4 inches | Straight, thick |
| Classic mullet | 2 to 3 inches | 5 to 7 inches | Any |
| Feathered mullet | 3 to 4 inches | 6 to 8 inches | Straight, wavy |
| Permed mullet | 3 to 4 inches | 6 inches or more | Straight hair with a perm, or natural curls |
How to ask your barber for an 80s haircut
Give your barber three things: a photo, the length you want on top in inches, and a clipper guard number for the sides. A style name alone is not enough, because “mullet” or “flat top” means different things to different barbers.
- Bring two photos. One front view and one side or back view of the same cut. The 80s mens hairstyles pictures in this guide work as reference photos.
- Say the top length in inches. “About 2 inches on top” is clearer than “medium”.
- Name the guard for the sides. Use the table below.
- Say how the edges should finish. Taper (gradual), fade (down to skin) or scissor cut over the ear.
- Mention your routine. If you will not blow-dry every day, say so before the cut starts.
| Clipper guard | Length left | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Number 1 | 1/8 inch (3 mm) | Flat top sides, high top fade |
| Number 2 | 1/4 inch (6 mm) | Crew cut sides |
| Number 3 | 3/8 inch (10 mm) | Ivy League, quiff, textured crop |
| Number 4 | 1/2 inch (13 mm) | Softer, modern versions |
Products and styling steps
Most eighties mens hairstyles come from three steps: a volume product on damp hair, a blow-dryer, then a hold product. The 80s originals used mousse, gel and hairspray. Modern versions swap in matte products for a softer finish.
| Product | What it does | 80s cuts that need it | Modern swap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mousse | Volume from the roots | Feathered blow-dry, mullet, glam rock | Sea salt spray |
| Gel | Hard, wet-look hold | Slick back, short spikes | Low-shine cream or paste |
| Pomade | Shine and shape | Quiff, Ivy League | Matte clay |
| Hairspray | Locks height in place | Flat top, glam rock | Light texture spray |
| Curl activator | Keeps curls glossy and defined | Jheri curl, permed mullet | Curl cream |
Will an 80s haircut suit you?
Yes, most eighties mens hairstyles will suit you if you match the cut to your face shape and hair density. Height on top makes a round face look longer. Length at the back and sides softens a long or angular face.
| Your feature | Go for | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Round face | Flat top, quiff, high top fade | Feathered blow-dry with full sides |
| Long or narrow face | Ivy League, feathered mullet | Tall flat top or high quiff |
| Square jaw | Crew cut, slick back, textured crop | Nothing. Most cuts work |
| Receding hairline | Crew cut, textured crop pushed forward | Slick back, which exposes the temples |
| Thin or fine hair | Short spikes, crew cut | Long mullet, glam rock layers |
| Thick, coarse hair | Flat top, classic mullet | Slick back without strong product |
FAQs
What were the most popular eighties mens hairstyles?
The mullet was the most famous, followed by the feathered blow-dry, the flat top, the high top fade, the Jheri curl, the perm and the slick back. Short cuts like the crew cut and Ivy League side part were the most common in daily life, especially in offices and the military.
What 80s hairstyles work for men with short hair?
The crew cut, Ivy League side part, flat top, short spikes and textured crop all work with 3 inches or less on top. For tight curls, the high top fade is the short 80s option. None of them need growing time. Most men can get one at their next haircut.
Which 80s hairstyles suit short straight hair?
The slick back, feathered blow-dry, new wave fringe and quiff suit short straight hair best. Straight hair falls flat easily, so ask for layers on top and blow-dry with mousse. The flat top also works well if your straight hair is thick enough to stand up.
How long does my hair need to be for an 80s mullet?
You need at least 2 inches on top and 4 inches at the back for a short mullet. A classic 80s mullet needs 5 to 7 inches at the back. Hair grows about half an inch a month, so from a regular short haircut, expect six to ten months.
Are 80s hairstyles back in style?
Yes. Many eighties mens hairstyles are back: the mullet, the perm and the textured crop have all returned in softer versions. The modern mullet uses a taper or fade on the sides and a shorter back. Today’s wolf cut and shag are close relatives of the feathered mullet.
What products did men use on their hair in the 80s?
Mousse for volume, gel for wet-look hold, hairspray to lock in height and pomade for shine. Jheri curls needed a daily curl activator spray. Most modern versions replace gel and hairspray with matte clay, paste or sea salt spray.
Can I wear an 80s hairstyle to work?
Most short eighties mens hairstyles are office-safe as they are: the crew cut, Ivy League, textured crop, slick back and quiff. For the mullet, keep the back at collar length and the sides tapered. Flat tops and glam rock hair depend on your workplace.
Where can I find 80s mens hairstyles pictures to show my barber?
Use the pictures under each cut in this guide. Save one front view and one side view of the cut you want. Film stills and album covers from the decade also work, as long as the hair type in the picture matches yours.
Conclusion
Eighties mens hairstyles are easier to wear than their reputation suggests. Pick by hair type first: short and tight for low effort, short and straight for shaped looks, and the mullet family if you have length at the back. Then give your barber a photo, a top length in inches and a guard number.
Next step: Save the quick picker table, choose one cut and take two reference photos to your next appointment. For a modern take, see our burst fade mullet hairstyles and messy hairstyles for men.
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