The 1980s was a transformative decade represented by excess, bold self-expression, and pushing innovative boundaries. Nowhere was this spirit better channeled than in the excessive, over-the-top hairstyles embraced by young men of the era.
Tired of boring, conservative cuts, guys took daring style risks through monumental heights of volume, ambitious curls, and gravity-defying spikes. Fueled by counterculture music movements like the New Wave and the burgeoning music video phenomenon, an environment was created where exaggerated hair became a sign of rebellious individualism.
Pop culture icons like Patrick Swayze, Kenickie from Grease, and members of Duran Duran and Bon Jovi further popularized elaborate dos that gave ‘big hair’ its cultural dominance. For men of the 80s, hairstyles became an extension of personality and a liberating way to project attitude and image through dazzling displays of styling prowess and experimentation.
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Factors that Influenced Trends
Music
- The emergence of new wave and glam rock encouraged experimentation
- Styles were emulated from popular bands like Duran Duran, Bon Jovi, etc.
Movies
- Leading actors in films sported exaggerated hairdos
- Characters like Tom Cruise in Top Gun set trends
Decline of conservatism
- Men grew comfortable with self-expression through bold hairstyling
Rise of youth culture and individuality
- Hair became a means of crafting unique personal styles and identities
Aerobics and fitness boom
- Emphasis on healthy, active lifestyles drove trends like long, loose curls
Growth of the styling products industry
- Gels, sprays, and more gave men tools to achieve elaborate looks
The visual nature of music videos
- Genres like new wave relied on distinctive, eye-catching visual styles
Role of stylists and salons
- Professional skills created a precedent for ambitious, high-maintenance cuts
Top 10 Trendy 1980s Mens Hair
Pompadour – Tall crest achieved by backcombing roots and using hairspray or pomade. Embodied rockabilly spirit and individualism.
Perms – Curly perm gave straight hair volume and movement. Easy to achieve a beachy wave look through perms.
Flock of Seagulls cut – Long spikes swept up dramatically from the forehead in a point. Named after the band’s guitarist who popularized the extreme flipped look.
Mullet – Short on the sides and back with longer hair on top and in the back. Business in the front, party in the back style transitioned between professional and playful looks.
Spiky spikes – Short sides with one or multiple tall vertical spikes gelled standing up on top of the head. Defined the new wave music scene.
Faux hawk – High and tight sides with a strip of hair down the center that stood up taller than the rest. Embodied punk attitude through edgy texture.
Feathered chop – Sides feathered outward with bangs swept across the forehead in a choppy style. Blended prep and rocker influences.
Blowout look – Massive hair volume created by backcombing roots while drying and piling on the product. Needed frequent touch-ups to maintain size.
Rat tail – Buzz cut with one long, thin strand of hair worn down the back. Unconventionally rebellious and eye-catching.
Curtains – Heavy bangs cut in a straight line hung down each side of the face. Suited heartthrob rock stars with brooding looks.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
The exaggerated and experimental hairstyles of the 1980s left an enduring mark on popular culture and men’s fashion. Pushing boundaries of masculinity and self-expression, these bold looks came to represent the rebellious spirit of being young and defiant in the decade. Iconic pompadours, perms and blowouts have since been embraced nostalgically through retro styling trends.
More significantly, they empowered future generations of men to feel freer in gender expression and less confined by traditional rules. Today’s masculinity is more fluid, diverse and open to alternative presentations partly due to the precedent set during the 1980s of gender norms being creatively challenged through hairstyling. The cultural legacy of big 1980s hair endures in its influence over modern ideas surrounding men and their relationship with personal styling choices.
Big Volume and Long Top Hairstyles
- Backcombing
Teasing hair with a comb to increase volume and style height
- Blow drying
Using a round brush to lift hair while blow drying for volume
- Hair spray
Heavily spraying hair with locking spray to maintain big styles
- Mousses and gels
Building structure with thick, stiffening hair products
- Back layering
Long layers at back curled under to add fullness
- Swept tops
Windswept styles swept dramatically upward and to one side
- Fringes and bangs
Long pieces left to drape across forehead
- Flowing locks
Loose, flowing locks curled outward from face and neck
- Texturizing products
Gritty creams added visible texture and dimension
- Coloring and highlighting
Lightening hair further amplified exaggerated outlines
Changed Attitudes Towards Masculinity
The outlandish hairstyles of the 1980s played a role in shifting prevailing views of masculinity. By showcasing vibrant self-expression through hair, men displayed a newfound willingness to experiment and prioritize personal style over strict gender norms.
Pompadours, perms and blowouts would have been unthinkable for preceding generations but were embraced by young men seeking an enhanced sense of individuality and rebellion against tradition. Confident display of visually loud hair signaled changing attitudes that embraced femininity and challenged narrow definitions of manhood.
The cultural messages send through 1980s menswear suggested it was acceptable for men to place greater importance on their looks and find pride in bold self-presentation rather than adhering to traditional standards of conservative masculinity.
Impact of Pop Culture Icons
Leading actors and musicians vastly influenced the hairstyles young men adopted in the 1980s. Movie stars like Tom Cruise and Patrick Swayze set the standard with their lush locks in iconic films like Top Gun and Dirty Dancing. On the music scene, bands like Duran Duran and Bon Jovi epitomized styles like voluminous blowouts, flamboyant perms, and spiky faux hawks in their TV appearances and music videos.
With the rise of youth culture, these pop idols became the epitome of cool and their exaggerated dos were eagerly mimicked. Teenagers across America tuned in to the latest trends through popular media, cementing pop culture icons as tastemakers who defined the decade’s biggest hair crazes.
FAQ’s
What decade is known for its over-the-top, wild hairstyles for men?
The 1980s
What type of hairstyle swept dramatically upwards forming a tall crest above the forehead?
The pompadour.
Which style combined short hair on the sides and back with longer hair on top and in the back region?
The mullet.
Conclusion
Men’s hairstyles of the 1980s came to personify the bold investigation and boundary-pushing vibrancy of the decade. Styles like the pompadour, perm, and blowout reflected young men’s desire to freely express individuality and rebellion through vivid self-presentation.
While outrageous at the time, these exaggerated dos have since become nostalgically embraced for representing a peak era of visual excess and empowering shifts in gender definitions. The legacy of 1980s hair endures in how it sparked new possibilities for men to showcase personality and creativity through styling choices. Ultimately, the bewildering variety of big, ambitious styles defined a catalyst period of change in masculinity.
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