Harry Styles’ Best Long Hairstyles (& How To Get The Look)
With over a decade of experimentation and refinement under his belt, here's a run down of some of Harry Styles' most desirable long hairstyles to date.
For countless X Factor contestants those Saturday nights on ITV are about as good as it got as far as a career in music is concerned. But from the word go Harry Styles teased his potential for breaking the cookie-cutter mould, going on to reach immeasurable levels of superstardom before he’s even 30.
At just 16 he was inspiring guys to wear their hair longer with those natural flowing curls. Now, with over a decade of experimentation and refinement under his belt, here’s a run down of some of Harry’s best long hairstyles to date.
Harry Styles Gucci campaign hair
What it is
Loose longer-length texture.
Why we love it
The overall relaxed shape to this cut allows for plenty of choppy texture and free-flowing direction.
Who this haircut would suit
This style is ideal for guys with straighter, long hair combined with the right product to introduce plenty of volume and the handsomely dishevelled finish.
What to ask for
You need to allow plenty of growth to achieve this look and the most crucial element is the shaping. The top and back need to be left much longer and heavier than the sides, so make sure your barber is pointing you towards this end goal so you can maintain a workable shape and avoid any kind of mushroom profile along the way.
How to style it
To get that height into the fringe apply a sea salt primer or volume mousse and ruffle through, sweeping the hair back over to the sides by hand and crunching those hanging sections into place.
Harry Styles mid-length quiff
What it is
Swept back mid-length quiff.
Why we love it
The mighty pulled-back quiff draws immediate attention here, but also blends really well with the overall shape of the style created by the bulkier sides.
Who this haircut would suit
This look is great for guys with thicker, curlier hair who want to be a bit more creative and playful.
What to ask for
Make sure you leave plenty of length on the fringe in order to pull it back in such a dramatically high fashion while also allowing the wavy texture to weigh over to the side. The sides should be left with plenty of natural weight to help them blend with the raised fringe and create a more natural overall shape to the style.
How to style it
To style this slicker Harry Styles look you’re going to need a comb or brush and some good blow drying skills to guide the height and direction of that heavy fringe.
A light cream or putty will work wonders to the overall texture and shaping of the hair while leaving a cleaner finish.
Harry Styles long sweep back hairstyle
What it is
Mid-length straight sweep back.
Why we love it
Harry rocked up to the Met Gala here sporting what must go down as one of his neatest and tidiest hairstyles to date. This is a really easily achievable swept-back look for most guys that offers plenty of versatility in its finish.
Who this haircut would suit
A short hairstyle by Harry Styles’ standards, this is an ideal medium-length look for any gent with straighter and finer hair to strive for – providing you have the ability to keep the fringe quite long. This is crucial to achieve the overall shape.
What to ask for
Have the fringe kept long enough so that it can be swept backwards and blended over the crown. Harry’s sides here have been kept relatively long in order to blend naturally with the top and create a more oval profile. As an alternative you can opt for a sharper, squarer finish to this haircut by fading in much shorter on the sides.
How to style it
Sweeping this look into style every morning isn’t going to set you back too much time or fuss. Apply sea salt spray to damp hair and blow dry backwards, guiding the fringe with a comb in order to recreate the light, natural finish that Harry wears here. Once you’re happy with the volume you can shape in some light hold with a texture putty. For a sleeker finish, use a water based pomade but at the risk of losing some of that natural height and texture.
Harry Styles messy middle part hairstyle
What it is
Volumised lift with tighter sides.
Why we love it
Like Mick Jagger before him, Harry Styles just makes long hair look so easy to work with. This sharper, choppier change-up highlights how sometimes a more rigid and less free-flowing approach to long hair styling is the way to go.
Who this haircut would suit
Having slightly thicker hair with a natural curl is going to set you up wonders for recreating this look.
What to ask for
True to form, Harry has been sure to keep plenty of length on his fringe so that the lifted front can take centre stage and influence the rest of this hairstyle to fall neatly from the top, running down to those tight but more heavily textured sides. It’s a stylish, contemporary take on a middle parting.
How to style it
Maintaining the right length in the right places is crucial here; so is not being afraid to apply a heavier matte product to craft the tighter shape. The last thing you want is for that fringe to flop down, so plying in a strong wax or clay will hold it tight while boosting the texture of those curls and leaving a healthy sheen.
Harry Style long side swept hairstyle
What it is
Swept mid-length texture with a side parting.
Why we love it
This strong, free-flowing hairstyle with layers of wavy texture looks the absolute part on Harry Styles. Dramatic and desirable, it needn’t be reserved exclusively for editorial shoots and fashion campaigns.
Who this haircut would suit
This look will work best for men with slightly fine, wavier and durable hair with it being so texture-led and swept around in styling.
What to ask for
Harry’s familiarity with longer hair makes this look appear deceivingly short, but you will need a healthy amount of length to work with in order to craft all that forward-hanging texture and the swept-back side parting.
One further requirement is keeping the back nice and neat in length and fullness to ensure the overall weight and emphasis of the style is top-heavy.
How to style it
The vast volume and shaping of this hairstyle can only really be achieved with some solid blow drying. Plenty of hot air aimed in the right direction will lift the hair to a more dramatic height while you use a combination of a brush and fingers to tousle each section into shape.
A very light styling cream or paste will help bring more control to the finished look – keeping the dominant top wavy in texture and weighed into place while defining the side parting.
Harry Styles messy, volume quiff hairstyle
What it is
Lifted texture with a side parting.
Why we love it
This mid-length haircut on Harry is all about that volume. While the loose, wavy height shows off plenty of flair and creativity, there’s an overall neatness about this style that makes it highly replicable and not too ‘out-there’ for those of us who aren’t expected to be on stage day to day.
Who this haircut would suit
Most hair types can thrive with a boost of height and texture but having a natural curl like Harry as opposed to straighter hair will benefit you greatly when replicating this look. Harry’s curls provide that natural flow and signature edge to just about every haircut he’s worn without ever looking too forced.
What to ask for
Plenty of length left on the fringe and top is once again crucial to achieving this hairstyle. The back should be cut shorter with the sides being more tightly swept back to add definition to the overall shape.
How to style it
Sea salt spray will give your hair the welcome boost of volume it needs to reach the levels that Harry has gone for with this look. After spraying it in, blow dry while directing the hair upwards and messing through from the roots with your fingers to recreate the twisted, loose texture.
Shape through using a texturising paste to provide a steady hold and give the hair a natural sheen.
Harry Styles shoulder-length hair
What it is
Shoulder length flow with a side parting.
Why we love it
Harry Styles might just have reached peak ‘long hair’ with this one. Here he basks in the glory of a hairstyle grown patiently and styled to his strengths.
Who this haircut would suit
This is a statement hairstyle reserved for men with the willingness to let it all grow out. We’re talking months of hard work and patience here to reach the enviable lengths that Harry has gone to.
What to ask for
Having grown out such healthy layers, Harry has added some great definition to what could otherwise be considered a relatively straightforward long hairstyle. He has injected plenty of volume into the top for some healthy height and swept in a side parting to complement the layers of ruffled waviness running down the sides.
How to style it
Regular conditioning is an absolute must to keep hair this long healthy and detangled. You can also try working in a leave-in conditioner after a shower using a brush for even coverage. This will help provide a nice body and natural sheen to the hair.
A solid blow dry and brush combo will build the height on top, while a lighter cream finishing product can further help to shape and control any frizziness.
