Hair cuts

[flat-top]

 

[Jan]

Advice: find a real barber.

You can't just say "find a real barber," if you mean walk into a "barbershop" rather than a salon. Just because their shop is labeled barbershop, doesn't make them honest to god barbers. My guy works out of a salon, but he's been helping out at his fathers barbershop since he was a kid in the 50s, had his own shop as he was older, but works out of his best friends salon now. He even has his old sheers he cuts hair with. And just because he cuts out of a salon, doesn't stop him from shooting the shit with you, as he would in a male oriented barbershop.

Being a barber is more than just barber poles, straight razors and vintage looking shops. Which you probably understand, but just saying in general.

Finding a real, authentic, barber, is tough. And I'm glad I found one.

 

[markthebarber]

Umm, I am pretty sure she is a real barber. I might remember wrong what kinda comb she used, because I've recently tried the bald look for a while and haven't been in a need of a barber. At the moment I'm growing my hair long enough for a flattop.
She has given me awesome retro haircuts in the past(the short back and sides etc.) and she does the same thing for my father. Even some of my male friends go their and they like their haircut results very much, too.

And yes, she has a clipper comb , she uses them to trim hair evenly with clippers. I think it's blasphemy to call her a cosmetologist, I've been going to her salon since I was like 15 and I've never got a bad haircut there.

Hey, I just call 'em like I see 'em. If I'm wrong about her, I'm wrong. I'm just basing my opinion on the details you provided. And I did point out that even if she were a cosmetologist she might be able to do it if there was something special about her, such as interest/experience in classic haircuts, a heavily male client base, etc. My point ultimately is that it's not an easy haircut to give. It requires a certain amount of precision that other cuts don't, because there's really no room for error. So you really want to avoid being anyone's first-ever flattop.

You know what? Next time you see her, just ask her if she's good at cutting flattops and see how she responds.

 

[markthebarber]

You can't just say "find a real barber," if you mean walk into a "barbershop" rather than a salon. Just because their shop is labeled barbershop, doesn't make them honest to god barbers. My guy works out of a salon, but he's been helping out at his fathers barbershop since he was a kid in the 50s, had his own shop as he was older, but works out of his best friends salon now. He even has his old sheers he cuts hair with. And just because he cuts out of a salon, doesn't stop him from shooting the shit with you, as he would in a male oriented barbershop.

Being a barber is more than just barber poles, straight razors and vintage looking shops. Which you probably understand, but just saying in general.

Finding a real, authentic, barber, is tough. And I'm glad I found one.

Jan, you're absolutely right about that. Actually, in some states in the US, there's really no such thing as a barber anymore. Many states have adopted an all-purpose haircutting license, which means that everyone who wants that license needs to go to cosmetology school. And then there are the salons that deck themselves out as traditional or vintage barber shops as a decorating scheme more than anything. And finally there are people like your barber that simply might be using a salon's facilities for whatever reason, but are in fact real barbers.

It can be tough to know for sure until you get in the chair.

 

[tylerevansokay]

And then there are the salons that deck themselves out as traditional or vintage barber shops as a decorating scheme more than anything.

Plenty of those around here.

 

[markthebarber]

Plenty of those around here.

Yeah, it's officially a "trend." I've gone to interviews at a couple of these places in the past. I remember a couple of years ago I went to an interview at one "gentleman's groomer" type place where they informed me that they didn't allow their "barbers" (and I use that term loosely) to use clippers, since that was just too too common. As I was talking to the manager, an older customer passed by on his way out with literally the WORST short haircut I've ever seen. It was the kind of close-to-the-scalp short cut that clippers were invented for, but some stylist had attempted it with scissors and had botched it up. And for this the poor guy had to pay close to $75.

 

[TrenchGuy]

That must suck. 75 dollars? Why so expensive? I thought the most expensive regular haircuts without any curling etc. are just around 20 dollars.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Sam's Barber shop around here used to do a flat-top for ten bucks, that was probably 10 years ago though.

 

[The Good]

There's no complicated decision here, you always go with the pomp!

I know this is an older post of your's, Tom, but I just might go with the pomp next time. These days, I'm often styling my hair like one anyway, only it's shorter than the variation found on Elvis Presley (which is a look I think is really cool, and I may try to go for the early Elvis style when my hair grows out longer in the front). My hair can look like this one day:

And then sort of similar to this on another:

My hair, without any product, is very straight, but I'm able to achieve the last, James Dean look, if I use somewhat less pomade than otherwise, comb it back, and raise the front of my hairline with my hands. Sort of a "messier" version of the pompadour. As for the first picture, my hair resembles more of that style when really slicked with the pomade and Brylcreem, which is admittedly a little less this month. I guess I'm trying to conserve my hair products a little more so they last longer.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I cannot get my hair to do anything without pomade in it. It is so poofy, it looks like a straight afro.

 

[Mr. 'H']

Hi Flat-top

I just bought the wedge version of this....

Here it is:

 

[Mr. 'H']

And with it out of the packaging:

Can't wait to use this on my 3 year old later!!!

 

[The Good]

Ironically, I heard someone mention in the background, behind or to my side a bit while in the cafeteria waiting for my lunch, something like "Looks like James Dean." Someone apparently might've thought I looked like James Dean a bit. I'm sure the hair, long sideburns, and leather jacket had something to do with that, classic parts of the '50s rebel image, but I was wearing a blue dress shirt and khakis, too.

 

[TrenchGuy]

Is wedge used for a flattop too or is it for something else? Looks like it could be for cutting the sides of the flattop.

Not a bad price for such a good tool. Every barber should own the flattopper, wedge and flatliner.

 

[markthebarber]

That must suck. 75 dollars? Why so expensive? I thought the most expensive regular haircuts without any curling etc. are just around 20 dollars.

That's the new trend: pricey hair salons for men that are decorated like old-time barbershops, or otherwise reflect some sort of vintage or nostalgic sensibility. It's usually not a 50s/rockabilly type of vibe, but more a "tonsorial parlor" or "gentleman's groomer" feel--decidedly upscale. It's just a gimmick, really. Peel back all the retro trappings and you generally find that these places are no different from any other modern salon in terms of staff or expertise.

 

[scottyrocks]

Ironically, I heard someone mention in the background, behind or to my side a bit while in the cafeteria waiting for my lunch, something like "Looks like James Dean." Someone apparently might've thought I looked like James Dean a bit. I'm sure the hair, long sideburns, and leather jacket had something to do with that, classic parts of the '50s rebel image, but I was wearing a blue dress shirt and khakis, too.

People pick out the parts they want to for reference, and ignore the rest.

But you do resemble James Dean. Thats pretty cool.

 

[The Good]

Thought this was pretty cool. A photograph of Clint Eastwood getting a haircut done, circa mid or late 1950s. The back of his hair seems longer than was typical for the decade. Is there a name to describe this type of style, would this be a variation of the pompadour/quiff?

Looking at some pictures spanning from the '50s, to the late '60s, it seems that he had maintained virtually the same, or a similar hairstyle for about a decade, getting longer by 1969 or 1970, more like the Dirty Harry look. For example, here's a site with some pictures of Eastwood throughout the decades, from the 1950s on up to the present.

http://www.celebrity-photos.buy-art-posters-prints.com/Clint-Eastwood.html

Any idea what hair products he may have used during the 1950s or '60s? It looks like he didn't use too much in a number of shots, but in others his hair appears to be more oiled and shiny. Clint Eastwood always struck me as the single coolest actor, and I like his style too.

But you do resemble James Dean. Thats pretty cool.

You know what, I think I do see it now, a little bit. That's cool. I just happened to watch Giant today as well, great film by the way. I've seen East of Eden too, so now it's just Rebel Without a Cause to watch and I've seen all his work.

 

[The Good]

Brendan Fraser in his 'Mummy' movies has a pretty good period haircut - considering he's pretty thin on top in reality!

-dixon cannon

Hmm, I think I could pull this look off if I have the appropriate amount of hair length and more faded sides (I'm keeping the sideburns though). Today I tried the center parted look (I guess my family likes this on me, as I've been commented on it several times), and my hair doesn't really look like those pictures at all yet, although it turns out I had to run out the door for class, and wasn't able to use any product either. How far down should I grow the front of my hair, to the bottom of the nose? I know that I should specify to the barber that my sides be tapered...

Anyway, the neat thing about having my hair cut and styled like that, is that I can still go with a pompadour if I want, since there'll be good length for it. I like the pomp, but I'm not sure about sporting one all the time, so I see the curtained look as a more casual, maybe easier to do alternative on days that I'd rather not spend five minutes perfecting the style. I tend to associate this style with the stereotypical adventurer look too (not a bad thing, quite a bit of my style is inspired by Golden Era adventurers), but probably because I saw Brendan Fraser's role in The Mummy, and River Phoenix sporting this style as young Indiana Jones. Was the curtain hairstyle that common during the 1920s or '30s, or is it just a late '80s, '90s thing that was sported by the aforementioned actors at the time of their film roles?

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Hmm, I think I could pull this look off if I have the appropriate amount of hair length and more faded sides (I'm keeping the sideburns though). Today I tried the center parted look (I guess my family likes this on me, as I've been commented on it several times), and my hair doesn't really look like those pictures at all yet, although it turns out I had to run out the door for class, and wasn't able to use any product either. How far down should I grow the front of my hair, to the bottom of the nose? I know that I should specify to the barber that my sides be tapered...

Anyway, the neat thing about having my hair cut and styled like that, is that I can still go with a pompadour if I want, since there'll be good length for it. I like the pomp, but I'm not sure about sporting one all the time, so I see the curtained look as a more casual, maybe easier to do alternative on days that I'd rather not spend five minutes perfecting the style. I tend to associate this style with the stereotypical adventurer look too (not a bad thing, quite a bit of my style is inspired by Golden Era adventurers), but probably because I saw Brendan Fraser's role in The Mummy, and River Phoenix sporting this style as young Indiana Jones. Was the curtain hairstyle that common during the 1920s or '30s, or is it just a late '80s, '90s thing that was sported by the aforementioned actors at the time of their film roles?

TG, I just had mine done about ten days ago and I love it! Yes, my hair comes to about the tip of my nose now, but will continue in length over the next six months. That's how long I wait between trims! I tend to believe this was a popular cut in it's day, especially amongst the soldiers of Germany. Short back and sides with long on top seemed to be their style. Many with even more extreme taper on the sides. Post some pics when you've got it done - I'll do the same. Good luck!

-dixon cannon

 

[Jan]

Thought this was pretty cool. A photograph of Clint Eastwood getting a haircut done, circa mid or late 1950s. The back of his hair seems longer than was typical for the decade. Is there a name to describe this type of style, would this be a variation of the pompadour/quiff?

It's just brushed back, with very little to no product. If there were product in his hair, he would be able to do a pompadour or whatever hairstyle. The Pompadour is the hairstyle, not the haircut.

When you look at hairstyles like this, you have to consider the type of hair you have. Your hair is rather fine and straight, whereas Eastwood's hair is considerably thicker and slightly wavy.