How To Make Hair Less Wavy Guys

I've rocked a mustache for the meliorate part of 12 years. During that time, I've had guys tell me, "Dude! You await like Sam Elliott!"

A flattering comparison. But, until recently, non a wholly authentic one.

For while I sported a Sam Elliott-esque stache, I lacked his long, flowing mane.

For most of my adult life, I rocked a close-cropped side-part hairstyle. It was the dude hairdo to have in the early 2010s when Mad Men and heritage Cherry Wing boots were all the rage.

A couple of years ago, I was getting tired of my Don Draper hairstyle, decided to embrace my inner 1980's Sam Elliott, and started growing my hair out. Operation Sam Elliott Pilus was on.

The Platonic Ideal of Long Dude Hair: 1980'southward Sam Elliott

My first effort at growing my pilus out was in 2018. It started off strong only then got weird. My hair simply got really poofy and broad. I looked more similar a Chia Head and less like Sam Elliott.

Then I aborted the functioning and razed my hair back to my standard close-cropped side-role style.

My 2020 attempt at Functioning Sam Elliott Hair. Taken right before my mother-in-law buzzed my hair. Mission failed . . . but only temporarily.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, and everything, including barbershops, shut downward, I figured it was an splendid time to pick up Operation Sam Elliott Hair over again. Just similar the first time, my resulting bouffant made me await more like a lady who could star in Hairspray than a dude who might feasibly be cast in a Western. At to the lowest degree every bit an actress.

Abort mission. I had my female parent-in-law fizz my unruly mane.

In January 2021, I decided to requite Functioning Sam Elliott Pilus ane more try. Simply this time, I brought in a professional to guide the process to improve my chances of achieving my goal.

In March 2021, I drove two hours upwards the turnpike to Springfield, MO to pay professional barber Thad Forrester a visit at one of the locations in his chain of Hudson / Hawk barbershops. I first met Thad when we made some pilus-related AoM videos together, and he'd given me the all-time haircut I'd ever had. So I trusted him with my locks. And my yet unfulfilled dream.

I told him of my epic quest to attain 1980'due south Sam Elliott hair and how it always ended with wailing and gnashing of teeth and a pile of pilus on the floor after I buzzed it all off.

Thad listened attentively and created a game plan to achieve the Sam Elliott Hair of my dreams. After nine months of working with him, I believe we've virtually reached the elevation.

Here's what I learned over the grade of the journey about what dudes need to know if they want to grow their hair out.

How to Grow Your Hair Long (When You're a Dude)

Make sure your hair is a practiced candidate for wearing long. Just like specific beard styles crave specific types of beard growth, particular hairstyles crave particular kinds of hair growth.

The long hairstyle is best for guys who have thick hair; thin/fine hair can look stringy and unattractive when worn long.

Long hair also won't look good on a man who's losing his hair. "A lot of men who offset to thin make up one's mind now is the time to permit it abound for one concluding hurrah. My advice . . . don't," Thad told me. "The longer the hair gets, the more it pulls down on the hair because of the additional weight, leading to more than scalp exposure, which accentuates the hair thinning."

If your hair is on the thicker side, and you're non balding, and then yous're a good candidate for growing your hair out long. If you take thinning hair, definitely consider getting a closer cropped haircut or even a buzz cut. Exist certain to check our guide on picking the all-time hairstyle for balding men.

Visit a hairdresser/stylist when you start growing your hair out to prep it for the process. The biggest mistake that Thad sees guys make when trying to go for long hair is they stop going to the barber completely. "They just cease up looking really ragged and like they haven't seen a barber in a long time. There'southward a difference between growing your hair out and not getting a haircut for months," he says.

If you decide to abound your hair out, visit your hairdresser and let them know that's what your goal is. "They tin can beginning 'prepping' your hair for longer growth by cut it a certain way so that information technology doesn't look unkempt as it grows out," Thad says. "Equally your hair grows, your barber tin can make adjustments to your cut so that information technology lays better and looks better."

While Thad is a hairdresser (a pilus professional trained and licensed in using clippers for shut-cropped cuts), he'due south also a trained hairstylist (who's adept in using scissorstoo). Men who are growing their hair long might consider switching from a barber to a hairstylist. "Barbers are great for shut-cropped cuts, but a lot of them don't have a lot of feel with longer pilus. Hairstylists do, though, and they might be in a better position to guide you through the pilus growing process," Thad advises.

Visit your barber/stylist every two months or so for a trim. Even though you're growing your hair out, y'all notwithstanding want to visit the barber every couple months or so. "Once again, nosotros desire to make certain you look well-groomed during this process and not like you're growing your hair out," Thad told me. Regularly visiting your barber tin can allow him to clean things upwards and make adjustments with your fashion.

Growing your hair out is kind of like growing a fruit tree or plant. You allow information technology grow, prune it, allow it abound some more than, prune it, grow, etc. Once y'all attain your desired length, you'll still need to go in for occasional trims to keep it at that length, and to maintain a non-unruly shape.

Besides keeping your hair looking sharp while information technology's growing out, your regular visits to the hairdresser will requite you lot a chance to get communication on styling and managing your longer hair.

During my 2021 Operation Sam Elliott Hair attempt, I visited Thad three times for a trim and consult. The regular trims were the key to growing my hair out without looking like Mr. Chia Caput. This was the game changer! Below was the progression of how my hair looked later on each visit to Thad in the past yr:

First haircut in 2021

Second haircut in 2021

2d haircut in 2021

Third haircut in 2021; scroll to the finish to see a moving picture of how my hair looks now.

How to Accept Care of and Style Your Longer Hair

While longer hair is often associated with a more freewheeling, maverick lifestyle, and you do have to get it cut less often than a short style, you'll quickly learn that, on a daily basis, managing longer hair actually takes a little more work than managing a short 'exercise. At to the lowest degree if you desire it to look decently kempt. Your styling routine is going to be a bit longer, and look a lilliputian different also. Here are a few things that I've noticed and learned from Thad on how to take care of longer locks:

Information technology takes longer to dry your hair. When I had short hair, I could just bound out of the shower, give my hair a quick rub with the towel and move on to styling. With my longer mane, I accept to spend a few minutes patting and squeezing my hair with a towel until information technology's decently dry.

Yous've got to castor your hair. I never actually brushed my hair with my Don Draper 'do. Just combed it into the part. With longer hair, I've got to run a brush through it several times like Marcia Brady to become out all the kinks and clumps.

If yous don't take one already, y'all'll want to go yourself a paddle brush; y'all can find out more about the right brushes and combs for different kinds of men's pilus hither.

Don't accident-dry your hair. I tried blow-drying my pilus to speed up the drying procedure. I simply got really poofy hair. Looked like a Troll Doll. Thad doesn't recommend that most guys with longer hair blow-dry it. "It takes a lot of time and tends to leave the hair looking a niggling too polished for what most guys are looking for when they grow their hair out," Thad told me.

My pilus looks best when completely dry; when wet, it looks similar a Jheri curl. So if I have somewhere important to exist, I have to keep in mind that it will take hours for my hair to air-dry, and plan when I'll shower accordingly.

You may need to modify your styling products. "The products and techniques yous use to way your hair when information technology's long vs. curt change drastically," Thad says. "I typically move toward lighter styling creams, body of water salt/texture sprays, or go out-in conditioners in most cases." The thicker styling pomades volition just get clumpy in your hair. You can get the lowdown on the right styling products for different kinds of hair here.

If you have wavy or curly pilus and desire to raise the waves and curls even more than, use a conditioner when you shower.

Thad as well recommends experimenting with going longer between shampooing your long hair. For instance, try shampooing merely ane to two times a calendar week. "It just makes your hair look shinier and healthier considering you're non washing away the natural oils in your hair," he told me. While your torso may demand washing daily (due east.m., if y'all regularly piece of work out), a rinse, sans shampoo, is all you oftentimes need to give your hair. I've noticed my hair looks all-time a few days afterwards my last shampoo.

If y'all accept naturally oily hair, look into dry shampoos to help control the oil. Brand certain you lot are keeping your scalp make clean and moisturized to avert dandruff and flaking.

I've been using a light pomade that Thad'due south been developing. It will be on sale to the public adjacent year. Information technology's crawly.

Your hands are your best combs for styling longer hair. After I towel-dry out my pilus, I'll utilize my product with my hands and so run a brush through my hair to distribute the product evenly and brand sure I don't have any knots and tangles. I so use my fingers to style my hair. "Your fingers are your all-time combs for long hair," Thad told me.

So in that location y'all take it. How to abound your pilus long for men.

Big thanks to Thad at Hudson / Hawk Barber & Shop for helping me attain the 1980's Sam Elliott pilus of my dreams. I may grow it an inch or so longer, but information technology's pretty much in that location. I love it, Kate loves it, and I go compliments from random dudes and ladies while I'm out and near.