David Beckham’s dress sense is something that, frankly, we spend too much time analysing, but the man’s frequently-changing hairstyles are just as worthy of our scrutiny. Yes, there have been some questionable choices along the way (shout out to the Alice bands and toe-curling cornrows) but on balance, Mr Beckham can safely lay claim to one of the best decorated heads on the planet.
To remind you of how good Beckham’s hair game is, we’re revisiting some of his highlights (not that kind) from over the years. We’ve also tapped the knowledge of some of the best barbers and hairstylists in the business, so you can recreate Beckham’s best hairstyles on your own head.
The David Beckham Buzz Cut
For years the skinhead suffered from pretty shoddy press. And who can blame men for not wanting to take barnet inspiration from politically-motivated thugs, football hooligans or newborns? Yet when David Beckham shaved his hair off, all that changed. He made the shortest of short haircuts cool, contemporary and less threatening. Game changer.
Beckham’s take on the buzz cut ranged from basic to bleached blonde, kicking off a mass emancipation from hairy heads everywhere. Suddenly you didn’t have to be part of an angry mob to go shaven up top and men with hair on permanent vacation could finally embrace their sparsely populated skulls. Ever since, the buzz cut’s been a go-to for the style-conscious, time-poor man.
How To Get The Look
Don’t be reckless with the hair clippers, achieving the Beckham-inspired buzz cut isn’t a just a case of pulling a Britney and shearing it all off on a whim. International hairstylist Joseph Lanzante explains: “Many will try to do this themselves; it is a simple cut in theory. However, you’ll struggle to achieve the sharpness on the back of your head needed for the look. Stick to your barbers if you want to [look like] David Beckham.”
To make sure your barber gives you the 2017 version of the buzz cut and not a bog standard, Britain First head barer, Lanzante says, “Ask to have the edges of your hair faded, leaving a small bit of length on top and complete the look with a line cut throat shave to keep everything looking neat and tidy.”
Job’s not done yet though, lads. Although there may be minimal hair on your head, it still needs the right treatment to look more Becks than bouncer. “Choosing the right product for this style is key,” Lanzante says. “For a dry look, use a powder based product. For the matte trend, try a fibre-based product and to achieve the wet look, use pomade.”
The David Beckham Curtains Hairstyle
Beckham’s love of highlighted curtains became the footballer’s (and nearly everybody else’s) trademark during the early days of his footballing career. Flying in the face of what was deemed acceptable to be sprouting from a man’s head, Becks’ artificially enhanced locks meant that men reaching for the bleach bottle weren’t necessarily giving the toilet bowl the once over.
He tried curtains swept across his face, parted in the middle, pushed back curtains. You name it, he did it, even though curtains aren’t exactly practical for running around a football pitch. So why are we including them on this list?
Well, before you tell us that curtains are only good for soft furnishing, they’re back as a legitimate men’s haistyle. Don’t take our word for it though, take the word of Joe Mills, a hair stylist and barber whose sharp cuts have appeared on the likes of Ben Affleck, Dermot O’Leary and James Bay. He says: “For a long time Becks’s curtains cut was considered uncool, but now that’s gone 180. This style is on trend currently and has been seen in magazines and on the catwalks this year.” It’s no longer curtains for this most nineties of styles.
How To Get The Look
If your bemused barber reaches for the bowl, abort mission immediately. “It’s a modern version of the curtains look, it should be scissor cut to finger length around the back and sides but left longer on top,” Mills says. “The top should ideally have no layers and reach down to the ears and past the eyebrows.”
Surprisingly, bleach isn’t out of the question either, just leave the platinum to the ladies. Mills says: “This style looks really good with colour and some dirty blonde will add texture.”
Maintenance requires a degree of technical skill, he adds. “To style this you need to use a hairdryer and a vent brush to blow dry your freshly washed hair back from your face with the brush. Once your hair is nearly dry part it with your fingers (not a brush) and then apply a small dollop of styling cream through the mid lengths and ends. If your hair is finer then use a sea salt spray to help it feel thicker. Apply to damp hair and then blow dry it in to add texture.”
Don’t keep it too neat though. “This is meant to look a bit messed up, it needs to look unwashed almost lived in. To make this look even cooler it could be longer, so you can almost tuck the fringe behind your ears,” says Mills. You’re aiming for Beckham in his prime not a Backstreet Boy singing on a stool.
The David Beckham Textured Fringe Hairstyle
Among David Beckham’s greatest hair hits, his forward short and textured fringe style rarely ranks as the most memorable. For us though, it’s a woefully under-appreciated moment of barnet brilliance. Forget the fact that he may have been hair-twinning with his wife when he first sported it, it’s a hairstyle that hasn’t really dated a day.
Essentially just a messier, trendier version of the classic short, back and sides and unlike some of Beckham’s more challenging haircuts, this style is democratic. Ergo, nearly everyone who tries it is a winner. Even better, this style is not only high on the safe haircuts scale, it’s low effort too, says Robinson. “This low maintenance floppy crop was really fresh at the time because most other men were wearing hair slicked back, this crop was David’s way of wearing something different yet easy to manage.”
How To Get The Look
If you want a David Beckham hairstyle that won’t require putting in the man hours, this cut is a standout option. “Ask your barber for a classic scissor over comb cut on the back and sides. Hair on the crown should be well blended and left longer at front, cut blunt just above the eyebrow,” says Robinson.
Then all you need to do is a pick a product for the finish you want (matte or shine) and gently work through with your fingers for texture and separation. At no point should you pair this with a head-to-toe biker leathers look. Just saying, Dave.
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