Men’s 1970s hairstyles were a joy to behold. There was a variation throughout the decade, from long to short, blow-dried and bouffant to spiked and bleached. Overgrown hair, whatever the style, is the look most people associate with the decade. Moustaches and mutton chops were in; even fake facial hair was worn and accepted. It was a hairy decade!
Influences on Men’s 1970s Hairstyles
Music & Musicians
The Beatles massive influence on men’s hair started in the early 1960s with their shaggy “moptop” style. Later, they went all hippie, influencing men to grow their hair and sparking the trend for facial hair.
Elvis Presley had been a style icon for a few decades – and the 1970s were no different. Now, his dyed jet black hair and sideburns were longer, influencing men worldwide to copy his look.
Jamaican immigrants and reggae artists like Desmond Dekker influenced the short hairstyles of the rude boy. This look started in the 1960s for British Jamaicans and continued into the 1970s.
There was a mainstream revival of the rude boy look in the late 1970s due to “2 Tone” ska bands like The Selecter and The Specials. This look, in turn, inspired the short haircuts and close-cropped skinhead look of working-class white youths.
Punks had hair that went upwards rather than down to the collar. There was also a rockabilly revival in the late 1970s, creating a rebirth of styles seen in the 1950s.
Film & Television
The big TV shows and films of the 1970s influenced men’s hairstyles. The fashionable faces include Robert Redford, Paul Newman, David Cassidy, John Travolta, Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, and Richard Roundtree – among many others.
The Establishment
Society influenced how men appeared to wear their hair and facial hair in certain circumstances during the very early 1970s.
Since men had started growing their hair longer in the 1960s, conservative people and institutions viewed long hair and facial as morally corrupt and just plain wrong. Also, long hair was linked to the political movements and protests of the so-called “hippie youths”.
Subsequently, traditional organisations and businesses laid down the rules. And there are examples worldwide of long-haired students getting banned from college or school. Similarly, men with long hair were attacked or forcibly shaved, and job adverts could state: “moustaches not welcome”.
However, men would find a way to make it work for them. They could adjust their style to fit in with more conservative situations yet could embrace the fast-growing trend for long hair. For example, short-haired wigs could be worn when flat-hunting or working to conceal long hair. Likewise, a false moustache could be worn outside of the “no moustache” bank or office.
The negative attitude towards longer hair soon started to change. Eventually, long hair and facial became an accepted part of every day – and, quite simply, nothing to bat an eye over.
Hair Products
Hair products geared towards men were on the rise, with adverts happily stating the benefits of using their products. It led to hairsprays and other things usually associated with women’s hairdressing getting masculine names, packaging and scents.
More men were using hairdryers to blow-dry their hair after shampooing and conditioning. It was now acceptable to style, blow dry and dress one’s hair, rather than just slicking it back with a bit of Brylcreem.
Sportsmen
1972 Olympic super swimmer Mark Spitz had a simple parted hairstyle, often referred to as a “Mark Spitz”. He also wore a moustache, helping to spark the trend for facial hair.
British footballers George Best (a playboy with style) and Kevin Keegan were both in the media spotlight. From the late 1970s into the ’80s, Keegan sported a famous “poodle perm”, influencing British men to go for the curl.
In the USA, Major League Baseball players seldom had facial hair in the early ’70s as baseball was a conservative world. However, after Oakland Athletics player Reggie Jackson showed up for training with facial hair and wouldn’t shave it off, club owner Charlie Finley relented and decided to hold a moustache-growing contest within his team.
Many players took part, including Rollie Fingers, who still wears a moustache today. When the A’s faced the Cincinnati Reds in the 1972 World Series, it was dubbed by media as “the Hairs vs. the Squares”. The Hairs won, and the trend for facial spread among other teams and fans alike.
Men’s 1970s Hairstyles
Long Natural Hair
Carrying on from the late 1960s trend towards longer hair, the 1970s man grew his hair. The length varied from “slightly overgrown” to “hippie long”, depending on one’s job, age and lifestyle.
As hair grew longer, it could be left as it was – albeit with a basic cut style. Be it straight, curly or wavy – the wearer went with what they had. Partings could be to the side or in the middle. Again, this depended on the style or wearer’s preference.
Towards the end of the 1970s, hair started to get a bit shorter, with some even going for the chop. The exception was the rock crowd, who had long hair whatever.
Long Styled Hair
The Afro
The Afro started to be worn more and more in the 1960s, predominantly by the African American and black communities.
Initially, it was a strong political statement and recognition of black pride. By the early 1970s, the Afro was becoming mainstream and fashionable. Its popularity grew so much that it was fashionable for white men to get their hair permed to create a mass of tight curls.
Afros were left natural – as in, the hair was not treated with harsh chemicals to straighten or alter the hair structure. As well as letting an Afro grow naturally, there were also many ways to cut and style the hair into various shapes and fullness.
Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks have been worn throughout history by people from many different cultures and religions. In the 1970s, it was the popularity of reggae artists, particularly Bob Marley, that brought dreads to the attention of popular culture. Marley wore dreads as part of his engagement with the Rastafari movement.
Dreadlocks can be intentionally created (for example, with backcombing) or formed naturally by letting hair twist, tangle and become matted.
Mohicans & All Things Punk
The late 1970s saw a revolution in music and fashion with punk rock, partly in reaction to hippie and mainstream values.
Hair was largely styled upwards in gravity-defying sculptures rather than left down. Mohicans were fixed upright by using gels and hairspray. Likewise, punks would use everyday household products like eggs, sugar water, soap, or gelatine.
Some punks went for really short hairstyles or even a full-on skinhead. Clippered or shaved areas of the head were commonly incorporated into Mohicans and horns.
Hair colour was rarely natural. Bleached blond and jet black hair was particularly popular. Bleached hair was dyed with bright Crazy Colours – a range of temporary neon hair dyes in a tub that came out in 1977. Likewise, everyday products could also be used, such as food colourings and even coloured drinks like Kool-Aid and Kia-Ora. Text and patterns were also seen.
The Mullet
The much-maligned mullet became fashionable in the 1970s and experienced a rise in popularity well into the 1980s.
Its initial arrival can be attributed to David Bowie’s hot-orange Ziggy Stardust cut of 1972, created by Suzy Fossey. Other influential mullet-wearing chaps included Paul McCartney.
A mullet is a hairstyle of two separate parts. Firstly, it has short layers on top and at the sides by the ear. It is completed by leaving the hair longer at the back. In short, it is a wonderful style that no one looked cool in!
The Shag
A popular hairstyle for men and women, the shag was created by hairdresser Paul McGregor for Jane Fonda’s character Bree Daniels in the film Klute (1971).
The unisex cut features lots of evenly-progressing layers with a fringe. The layers on the top are the shortest and gradually get longer as you go down the head. It was also fashionable for the graduated sides to be rolled under, creating a sort of pageboy look.
A shag could be worn sleek, or the upper layers could be fluffed out or spiked up, creating a bog brush or rooster look. It was also known as a feather cut.
Short Hair
The 1970s were not all about long hair, of course. There were many shorter styles for those who didn’t want long hair.
Some haircuts were sleek and combed smooth – others were for those with thicker or wavier hair. Whatever the style, they still had a little fullness or length. Even the short cuts were rarely close cut.
Surfer Hair
This style was initially popularised by beach bums and surfers during the 1950s.
The 1970s “Californian surfer” hairstyle was short to mid-length, but it was always shaggy and highlighted. It created that tousled, carefree and sun-kissed look of someone who spent all day at the beach and in the sea.
Well mullet big thing in Australia it grow out. From 70s each state different what class from. Rock mullet pro cut pay for it when cheaper mullet it soso but it short on top then back long all same. The got worse it very short on side just past ear it long omg so bad he thinks cool it something from mad Max 2. After different one style like cut too Number 2 on cuter on side an you left top long
Top an back real up you 3″ top at crown 6″ back 15 “. It more mullet/Viking model old cut hip mullet for 2000 but get see poor man mullet around old then dodo bird ah ah
Sideburns are awful and dated. I’m so glad they disappeared in the 80s.
Fortunately they didn’t disappear. There are still people who grow them and they look no worse than some of the modern hairstyles around. I prefer seeing sideburns to things like man-buns.
Sideburns are not awful or dated. It depends on one’s face. Some like Henry Cavill look fantastic with sideburns but that requires a fantastic face.
This is so insightful. I can see that the hair trend is now coming back from the past. 50’s haircut is now being used as a hairstyle in some barbershops.
Hey all you hot dudes who love shag cuts. Is the shag coming back? I heard rumors that it may be. Guys are starting having long hair again from what I’ve seen. I would love it!! I’m such a 70’s guy. But am older, I don’t care. Life is too short. Too each there own.
I’m going to my stylist in an hour and I am going to get the Shag (or feathered) cut. I have very long hair right now. Maybe you could call it Savage Caveman and I also have a crazy long beard. If you were thinking about getting the Shag go ahead and do it! Make sure that you have a good stylist.
Hey James, love ur thoughts on Paul McCartney. I love that look very much. The mullet/shag look is one of my favorites on guys….Wish it would come back…..I’d feel young again…yes!!
I was a 70’s kid. My mother was a hairdresser. My father wouldn’t let me have long hair. And it was in on guys. I wanted a shag soo bad but no. I wasa huge David Cassidy fan. He had those hot shoulder length shag haircuts. Oh well, had to wait til I was out of school and away in college to grow my hair and get the shag I had always wanted. And I did and it was a bit on the fem side. gorgeous. Got my eyebrows done too, cool. Loved my new look. An still have it today and going farther with it. YES.
Love the shag cut too Jay. Ah, David Cassidy…! Joan Jett was the version of this style that we’d love to have – what a look ?
Yeah, funny times, you only look at Paul McCartney mullet or at The Beatles they look like priests! But it’s very interesting to know your meaning about one of the key hairstyle trends and 1990s-inspired wet look. I think it is coming back especially with popularity of slick-back hairstyle and beards. What do you think?
Did some young men still have long Peter Frampton style hair in both 1978 and 1979?
Thanks
Chris
Hi Chris, Some guys still wore their hair longer like PF (shaggy with a natural wave) in the late 70s, esp. those into rock music or heavy metal ?