If you lived through the ‘80s, you definitely lived through some hair moments. While women were crimping and teasing, men were, well, also teasing, but they were also going into the Mullet Zone in droves. And some were even wearing the, shudder, rat tail. Yes, it’s sad but true.
Today we’re diving into 10 of the most memorable of these ‘80s mens hairstyles. And if you were a guy in the ‘80s and didn’t rock one of these, we would be absolutely shocked.
More into the ‘90s? Check out our article: 10 Awesome (or Awesomely Bad) ‘90s Mens Hairstyles
Mullet
Goodness did a lot of guys wear mullets in the ‘80s! They were everywhere. Some were more extreme than others. In the photo above, for example, Patrick Swayze’s mullet was a little more subtle, Rob Lowe’s was sort of in between, and then John Stamos in the middle was really going full mullet. Some other famous dudes who also “rocked” the mullet were George Clooney, Kurt Russell, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Andre Agassi.
Rocker
The rocker look was all about huge volume and long length, and was almost exclusively worn by actual rock bands. Did anyone in everyday life wear this look? That’s more questionable, but it was certainly a hit among Tommy Lee, Jon Bon Jovi, and Axl Rose as you can see in the above photo.
Punk
Of course, if you were more of an alternative, goth type, then instead of the traditional rocker look, you may have gone more punk rock. While the hair was certainly an important part of the punk look, the rest of the outfit was super important too. Lots of leather, as you can see in the photo above featuring Billy Idol, Sid Vicious, and a member of the punk band Vice Squad. The hair was usually spiked and often colored.
Feathered
When you think of feathered hair, you no doubt think of Farrah Fawcett’s luscious locks in the ‘70s. But the ‘80s held over that trend, and the men even got in on the action with varying lengths of hair. Mel Gibson was full on feather, but Brad Pitt and James Spader were a little more subtle about it, and in some ways were verging on mullet territory. It’s a fine line, for sure.
Jheri Curl
The Jheri Curl became super popular in the ‘80s thanks in part to stars like Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wearing the look. As you can see, they inspired people like Jamie Foxx to rock the ‘do in high school. This style was everywhere in the ‘80s — Jackson started wearing a longer version as the decade went on that was almost like a mullet as well. Everything’s connected!
Rat Tail
Most lists that look at popular hairstyles of the ‘80s like to forget about the rat tail, and we don’t blame them. But we’re featuring it here to remind you that this is a look that no one should ever go back to. Pictured above, we have Neil Peart of the band Rush, Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block, and Theo Huxtable in The Cosby Show all wearing a version of the rat tail.
Perm
Ah yes, the perm. While women were more known for wearing a permed look, some men decided to make their hair curly as well. In the picture above, we have Donald Sutherland wearing a more relaxed version, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister wearing a very tight curl, and Tom Hanks somewhere in between. It’s definitely a choice, that’s for sure.
Pretty Boy
If you were young and upcoming in the ‘80s, then this look was for you, for sure. This hairstyle is definitely a timeless one, as it doesn’t really date a person to a specific decade like pretty much all of these other looks. In the ‘80s, many a young man donned this layered look, including Johnny Depp, River Phoenix, and Christian Slater all pictured above.
Headbands
Yes, the headband was definitely in style in the ‘80s — whether it was a bandana-type, a scarf, or something a little more utilitarian to keep the sweat out of your eyes. Rockers were definitely known for putting their rocker hair up in a headband, like Jon Bon Jovi and Bret Michaels pictured above. Tennis player Andre Agassi also always wore a headband on court, which was a whole look with his long mullet of hair.
Voluminous
As we mentioned, the ‘80s were all about volume. If you had straight hair, you had to make sure you got some product up in there and made it voluminous. While many did this with long hair, that wasn’t necessary, as you can see in the photo above. George Michael, David Hasselhoff, and Ted Danson all added oomph to their locks.
What are your favorite ‘80s mens hairstyles? Did you rock any of these looks? Let us know in the comments!
- The Jheri Curl was invented by hairdresser Jheri Redding (born Robert William Redding), who is also credited with inventing the modern-day hair conditioner. He founded many different hair care companies over the years, the most famous one being Redken in 1960.
- The term mullet to describe the hairstyle was apparently coined and popularized by the band the Beastie Boys in their song “Mullet Head” in 1994. What did they call this hairstyle before then, as it was clearly very popular prior to the ‘90s? Just give me that “business in the front, party in the back” look?
- Perms have been around for quite a long time, dating back to the 1870s where special tongs were heated over gas or a flame before being used on the hair. These days, chemicals are used to help hair keep the desired curl for months, though there are also straightening perms as well.
- A 1990 doll made by Hasbro of Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block features his ubiquitous rat tail, though on the doll it goes all the way to his waist, which we’re not sure if his actual rat tail ever got quite that long.
- An offshoot of the punk hairstyle was the mohawk, which was famously sported by Mr. T. Though many associate the mohawk with the Mohawk people among the Iroquois nation, they didn’t actually wear their hair in mohawks. The Pawnee people’s hair more closely resembled what we would consider a mohawk today.
- The Jheri Curl was invented by hairdresser Jheri Redding (born Robert William Redding), who is also credited with inventing the modern-day hair conditioner. He founded many different hair care companies over the years, the most famous one being Redken in 1960.
- The term mullet to describe the hairstyle was apparently coined and popularized by the band the Beastie Boys in their song “Mullet Head” in 1994. What did they call this hairstyle before then, as it was clearly very popular prior to the ‘90s? Just give me that “business in the front, party in the back” look?
- Perms have been around for quite a long time, dating back to the 1870s where special tongs were heated over gas or a flame before being used on the hair. These days, chemicals are used to help hair keep the desired curl for months, though there are also straightening perms as well.
- A 1990 doll made by Hasbro of Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block features his ubiquitous rat tail, though on the doll it goes all the way to his waist, which we’re not sure if his actual rat tail ever got quite that long.
- An offshoot of the punk hairstyle was the mohawk, which was famously sported by Mr. T. Though many associate the mohawk with the Mohawk people among the Iroquois nation, they didn’t actually wear their hair in mohawks. The Pawnee people’s hair more closely resembled what we would consider a mohawk today.
