Trump's crossover style and the psychology of men's hairstyle
Anyone who was even remotely connected to the pop culture of the 90s can remember Jennifer Aniston's haircut. And who does not associate Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue magazine, with her particular bob cut.
But men have also sported their share of iconic styles throughout the decades, from the locks of the Beatles to the pompadour of Justin Bieber and the hard-to-ignore hairstyle of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Increasingly, men seem to be taking care of his hair. A small survey of men in Canada found that they are concerned about their locks and think it is part of their masculinity and self-image.
"It's becoming more and more acceptable to have these hair concerns and talk about them ... it's no longer seen as a lack of masculinity," said Rose Ricciardelli, assistant professor of sociology at Memorial University in Newfoundland, and author of the study.
Men are fidgeting about their hair in large part to feel more comfortable and self-confident, Ricciardelli said. Many probably realize that people notice if they are going bald, despite their best efforts to use the cross hairstyle to cover their bald spot, but they still want to look good when they look in the mirror, she said.
Of course, this also has to do with the outside show. Men who do more than just ask to have some hair cut from the top and sides tend to be more outgoing and worry more about what others think of them, said Michael Cunningham, a psychologist who teaches at the Department of Communication at the University of Louisville.
Through hairstyle, men seek to blend in with their peers or look younger, more powerful or independent, Cunningham said, and in most cases, men are successful in conveying what they desire. They are aware of current style and social perceptions, he said, and they know what message they are going to convey if they pull their hair up or grow a beard for a few days.
The cross hairstyle that we all love (hate) is achieved by combing the long strands of hair to cover a space that is no longer hair. The style is a favorite among businessmen and politicians; the United States Congress is full to the brim with crossed hairstyles.
But a different kind of cross hairstyle is taking root among men with thick hair. "The crossover hairstyle is now defined as a strong side part where the hair is combed to one side and rigorously cut around the edges to convey a very classic look," said Sam Donofrio, educational supervisor at the Hair Design Institute in Manhattan. . "This is probably the most popular hairstyle we are seeing," he said. Some of the hairiest men in Hollywood, including George Clooney and Christian Bale, sport these updated crossover hairstyles.
The pompadour is another modern take on a classic style that is popular with young men and modern men, Donofrio said. For this style, men lift their hair on top and keep it short and slicked back at the sides. Justin Bieber is one of the most famous artists who wear pompadour.
Trump's wavy back hair
Although his hairstyle is often referred to as a crossover, the hairstyle that covers Donald Trump's head is an "animal of his own species," says Donofrio. And no, Donofrio hasn't actually heard anyone ask for this style yet. An illustrated guide to how to style it, it instructs you to first blow-dry your hair forward over your eyes and then toss it back and blow-dry again.
A more important question than how Trump creates this backward-looking style is why he does it. "He wants to look like the hot-headed young guy he's taking over ... he wears this Beatles cut style, but it doesn't work for him very well," Cunningham said. If Trump wanted to look like a top business executive, he probably should have gone for the traditional crossover hairstyle, he added.
Another possibility, which Ricciardelli suggested, is that Trump wears his hair back because it is part of his brand, as is Bieber's distinctive pompadour. He would probably change his hairstyle only if he was thinking of ditching the brand or reinventing himself, she said.
Or if he was moving into the White House. Trump has said that he would lose his hairstyle if he were elected president because he would not have time to maintain it.
The hair transplant club
About two-thirds of men in the United States lose a significant amount of hair by the time they reach 35, and 85% see their hair thinning by the time they reach 50. For some, the solution is hair transplantation, in which doctors graft patches of the scalp where hair is growing into bald areas. The transplant has made advances, which are called hair plugs and are intended to make the new covered area look more even.
If Vice President Joe Biden has hair plugs - which many experts believe he does - he unfortunately underwent the procedure decades ago, before those breakthroughs appeared. Biden's hair plugs must have been larger than the type used today, which leaves a less natural-looking hairline. A number of celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey and Tom Hanks, have been suspected of having earplugs because they show more hair these days than they used to.
As with the crossover style, hair plugs can be a way to keep a head looking younger. Although thinning hair is common, some men just don't want any of it, Cunningham said. "America values youth more than wisdom," he said.
Ricciardelli said that many men who undergo hair plugs begin to go bald when they are still young, in their teenage years and in their early twenties. Some have said they regret having undergone the procedure, he said. Even in the best cases, hair plugs can leave scars and make the scalp look less smooth and make it harder to shave, she said.
You see the monk, you see the monk's style
Baldness has not enjoyed a good reputation. A recent study found that both women and men perceive bald men as people who look more dominant and stronger than their counterparts who have a lot of hair.
Also less attractive. And older.
Other research over the past few years has found that they perceive balding men as less assertive and less likeable than their peers who are gifted with a lot of hair.
Therefore, some men just stop fighting and shave their entire head.
"A lot of people have a tipping point where they know it's time for them to go away, and other people never lose enough hair that they have to shave, but if someone thinks that if they shave, they will look more young people, they will, ”said Ricciardelli.
Some men begin to go bald on the crown in addition to - or instead of - the front. In the Middle Ages, Christian monks intentionally shaved off this bald spot and cut their hair short around this spot as a way to renounce vanity and as a display of their religious devotion.
Were they right? Then as now, baldness conveys wisdom, Cunningham said.
The real benefit of shaving your head completely could be for men who have already lost a significant amount of hair. "They will go for the full shave style because it looks more athletic and less aged" than thinning hair, Cunningham said.
Is your hair long? Can you tie it with a bow?
The stereotype of the long-haired hippie exists for a reason. "In general, longer hair means that no one can control you, shorter hair means that you are working within a system," Cunningham said.
It is not surprising then that young people and artists grow their hair longer, while businessmen and politicians generally keep it very short. Aside from Trump's back hair, the only unusual style cut among Republican presidential candidates is Rand Paul with slightly longer curly locks, Cunningham said. But as someone who leans a little more toward being a libertarian, Paul may prefer to go a bit more against the grain, and his hair is no exception, he added.
Long, sometimes falling locks may be more related to experimentation than rebellion, Ricciardelli said. "Boys tend to grow their hair out when they are younger in order to try something different when they have fewer responsibilities," she said.
Unlike curvy men who go for pompadour and trendy styling, businessmen's cuts haven't changed much over the years, says Donofrio. "These men are not looking to differentiate themselves by style, they just want their haircut to be clean and familiar" that is clean on the sides and short at the top, she said.
Whiskers and more
As every teenager knows, a little facial hair can make you look more adult and manly overall. In one study, women looked at photographs of men and ranked them not only as older but as having a higher social status if they had beards. When viewing photos of bearded men and fully shaved men with aggressive expressions, they classified bearded men as more aggressive.
Men with facial hair can also send the message that they are renegades. Just seeing a bit of stubble on the face of Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, was enough for the media to predict that he was unlikely to run for the presidency in 2016. In fact, there has not been a bearded presidential candidate. for a major party since 1916. In professions like politics and banking, you don't want to see yourself as someone who doesn't care what other people think of you, Cunningham said.
However, the mustache or beard does not necessarily denote a great perception of the nature of the person who wears it, Ricciardelli said. "Some men wear beards because they have very vague chins or acne scars, so your goal is to cover them up," she said.
