Fourth of July is a holiday where we take a moment to celebrate our freedom. We should give thanks to our forefathers before us for the ability to live independently and free. Almost 250 years later, we are still celebrating this day which often comes in the form of parades, BBQs, weekend events, music and more! Like many other holidays, people like to express their freedom to be an individual and sometimes that includes hair. Here are some 4^th of July hair Insta-inspiration. Happy 4^th everyone!  

 

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A post shared by 𝖢𝖧𝖠𝖱𝖫𝖤𝖲𝖳𝖮𝖭 𝖧𝖠𝖨𝖱／𝖯𝖴𝖫𝖯 𝖱𝖨𝖮𝖳 (@jackieinmanhair)

@jackieinmanhair uses extensions and color to create this cool fourth of July hairstyle. With horizontal tones of red and blue down platinum blonde hair, this is a great style for a fun weekend on the lake, at a concert or other event where you can let loose and just enjoy the sun and festivities.  

 

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A post shared by Elaine 🇵🇷 (@hairby_laine)

@hairby_laine takes a stab at darker tones of red and blue on dark hair to give this rich independence day hairstyle. Curled for depth and added style, this look is great for someone who has naturally dark hair but wants fun colors.  

 

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A post shared by Kisandra/Hairstylist/Educator (@kissysbombshellbeauties)

@kissysbombshellbeauties creates a ‘look at me’ style that will turn heads. Bright red, white, and blue spikey hair on top, buzz cut on the sides and colored stars on the side scream fourth of July loud and clear. This look is great for true attention getters and those who love expressing themselves through their hair.  

 

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A post shared by Shelby Aldstadt | OC Hair (@paintitblonde)

@paintitblonde makes 4^th of July romantic with this wavy long haired red, white and blue hairstyle. Keeping the blue at the front of the head gives the style a focal point. The red at the bottom half of the hair gives it a dramatic pop. The beautiful curls keep this look feminine and soft.  

 

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A post shared by Private Luxury Salon Suites (@mysalonsuite_southhillspgh)

@mysalonsuite_southhillspgh makes braids fun when it comes to the fourth of July. Weaving in red, white and blue hair into three French braided sections, as well as some white ribbon, this is a cool hairstyle for an outdoor event, the beach or BBQ. It’s nice for those hot summer days when all you want to do is keep your hair out of your face and off your sticky back!  

 

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@samirasjewelry can we say gorgeous?! So romantic and yet requires no hair color or extensions or hair pieces. She creates a beautiful hairstyle that could even be wedding hair and simply places some red and blue flowers into the hair for that fourth of July touch.  

 

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A post shared by TAMMY JO • HAIRSTYLIST (@helmet__hair)

@helmet_hair has this cute little boy smiling with this red, white and blue hairstyle. After the color has washed out, the hair can easily be buzz cut off to start a fresh new look. But for now, this 4^th of July style will make him the talk of the party.  

 

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A post shared by Studio 226 Salon Suites (@stuido226salonsuites)

@studio226salonsuites designs a cute style for youthful girls incorporating a braid and pops of red, white and blue color into the hair as well as some star hair décor. It’s great for a parade, BBQ get togethers or a fun day with family and friends.  

 

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A post shared by Shannon @ Voltage Studio (@shannyscissorhands)

@shannyscissorhands has a similar look to @kissysbombshellbeauties except for the hair is much longer in the front and tapers off toward the back. The stars are a bit different but this has a more mohawk look that requires some serious dedication. @houseofhue_anahleejohnson might now have red or white in her hairstyle, but she incorporates a star hair design in this perfectly done undercut. It’s such a cool way to celebrate 4^th of July in a different way. With curly blue hair on top, this style is a great summer short hair look. Unfortunately, this image couldn't be embedded so you can see the look here. Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our freedom and a declaration of independence dating all the way back to 1776. While the meaning is still the same, people use it as a time to express their own individuality and freedom to express themselves whether that be through hair, clothes, make-up or whatever else they feel suits them. If you’re looking for some fun 4^th of July hair inspiration, this is a fun collection that should get your juices stirring! Happy fourth everyone and stay safe.    

In today’s world, manicures and nail polish are basically synonymous with women. After all, women (as opposed to men) are generally more into beauty and fashion trends. However, things are changing. And as gender lines continue to blur and androgynous looks and styles evolve, we continue to question what is ‘socially acceptable’ and what is not. Men don’t usually think of getting manicures or wearing nail polish. But there has been a noticeable trend happening over the last several years that could be overturning the idea that manicures and nail polish are just for women.

 

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A post shared by @harrystyles

At the forefront of the male manicure is Harry Styles. A fashion trendsetter and icon, Harry has not been shy about showing the world his unique style. From fur to lace to pearls and ruffles, Harry always manages to make it all still look sexy and cool. He can rock the manicured nails, showing off nails painted with happy faces or pastel colors. Or he can make it a point to dress his nails with a variety of colors paired with large opulent rings around his fingers. He’s shown them off in various ways and people are noticing. While Harry is not the first man to wear nail polish, he is leading the way to a greater trend at large. If you think back far enough you may remember some other high-profile artists who liked to challenge the status quo. Kurt Cobain from Nirvana would often wear chipped nail polish and metal bands such as Aerosmith and Motley Crue liked to wear black nail polish. Johnny Depp has always been a user of nail polish and even Seal has been known to wear a coat or two. But these guys are not the first men to wear nail polish. In fact, men have been wearing nail polish for centuries, 3000 BC to be precise. While the nail polish ingredients are quite different today, so are its meaning. In ancient times, nail polish was used to signify class rankings or worn by men in preparation for battle. And then somewhere along the line, manicures and nail polish became primarily associated with women and indicative of beauty. A lot can change over thousands of years!

 

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A post shared by SepulvedaHairStudio (@sepulvedahairstudio)

Today, while the use of nail polish or getting manicures by men has primarily been a trend for artists and musicians, there is a great possibility it will reach the masses soon. Today, more than ever, celebrities have closer ties to their fans. With social media and mini celebrities of social media, the transition from celebrity to mini celebrity to the masses is no longer 6 degrees of separation. This means trends can easily hop to the masses in an instant. To top it off, men are becoming more aware of their own beauty. The boom in men’s grooming began about a decade ago and it’s still going strong. What started off with a boom in men’s grooming products such as razors, shaving creams, beard and moustache oils and skincare products, the trend has continued to expand to various trendy hairstyles, more bold fashion and now….man-icures and nail polish. Afterall, why should women have all the fun? Having groomed nails is attractive to anyone and adding a little color doesn’t hurt nobody. Right? Even rappers are cashing in on the trend. Like clothing, like hairstyles and like shoes, nail art is a form of expression. And as we move more toward genderless hair and fashion statements, it’s only natural for genderless manicures and painted nails to make its way to the mainstream. If anything, if it makes you feel good, then why not?  

While a large focus is always on women’s hair trends, there is growing attention on men’s hairstyles. With more options and a desire to create greater versatility for men, men’s grooming, fashion and hairstyles are growing in a big way. Getting through the pandemic has been tough, but 2021 became a year of finally being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. With stores and businesses opening up, people started to pay more attention to their grooming and outward appearance. For men, there has been a stable trend in pompadours. Shaved on the sides and longer on top, the pompadour is a flattering, stylish and versatile men’s haircut. For a while the trend was shaved on the sides with curly hair on top. This look was popularized by basketball players and has taken storm in the mainstream public. But this trend is cooling down so what’s new? The pompadour is becoming more of a demi pompadour. While the hair is still longer on top, it is half as long. This is a more conservative, classic and easy to manage type of haircut that can easily be worn by any man. Nick Jonas is representing the demi pompadour nicely. In 2022, the demi pompadour will more popular than the longer hair pompadours we’ve been seeing in the past. The longer hair on top can achieve greater volume by using a razor to texturize the hair.

 

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A post shared by Nick Jonas (@nickjonas)

Along the same lines, the classic crew cut continues to be popular and will remain popular throughout 2022. Like the bob, this hairstyle never goes out of style. Even shorter on the top, this is a very manageable hairstyle. Very little maintenance is needed on a daily basis. However, regular haircuts are required to keep it looking sharp and clean. In these haircuts, it's important to clean up necklines and sideburns for final finishes with a razor.

 

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2022 will also feature some longer styles with parts. With longer hair on top reaching the ears, the hair can be worn straight with a center part or tousled to the side. Hair on the sides is somewhat short but not tight to the head. This is a more romantic look. It’s sexy yet still masculine. Finneas and Sebastian Stan are popularizing this hairstyle in a big way.

 

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A post shared by FINNEAS (@finneas)

Moving into 2022, men’s hair will remain on the shorter side. For the most part, men still like styles that are simple, easy to maintain yet look stylish. Tight fades will be popular for a long time but the trend of some longer hairstyles will be interesting watch. With longer hair comes more unique styles and more versatility. Only time will tell what will come to fruition.      

[caption id="attachment_22915" align="alignleft" width="300"] Euro-centric[/caption]

It’s an eclectic fashion scene out there for Spring-Summer 2021 Men’s Hair. With the men’s designer collections running so diverse, it’s no wonder that this season’s extra hair styles vary so much in support of what we’re all seeing from the neck down!

Designers like Kuon featured male models wearing shorter, lighter top hair with deeper sideburns and hair down on forehead. Tokyo 2021 showed fades and texture on top. The Saint Lauren collection was all about diversity, from longer waves to short Afros to simply way long straight hair. Designer Stan went with the windblown, beach tousled surfer looks, worn with upcycled vintage remnants with patchwork jackets in his collection.

I think there are three main influences that are driving men’s hair fashion this season.   I call them Euro-Centric, African Embraced and West Coast Surfer influences on men of all ages.

I interpret the Euro-Centric trends from my industry friends in London and Europe, who I reach out to regularly to learn ‘what’s hot’ and ‘what’s not’. We all know that the European trends, especially in London’ always travel immediately across the pond.

[caption id="attachment_22914" align="alignright" width="400"] Afro-centric Inspired Hair[/caption]

Going ‘more Euro’ this season means lots of short texture looks with high top fades … tons of texture at the top and really high and tight on the sides. The overall look is more matte versus shine – no more wet looks anymore. Preferred styling and shaping products include texture powders and more clay for the matte finish and high hold … light on the pomade!

Curls are also huge, with lots of mid-length combovers. Also, longer hair is making a comeback, growing out to neck and shoulder length. Many of my students at Hair Lab Detroit Barbering School like the longer cuts.

[caption id="attachment_22917" align="alignleft" width="300"] West Coast Surfer[/caption]

The African community-inspired looks include the high top fade variations with pop color added for accent –and comb twists. I recommend using a curl sponge to add product to Afro-textured hair – it’s a fantastic urban ethnic market tool for you. To color or lighten hair – or to put fun vivids inside or on top of hair – just twist your curl sponge into a circular motion. Creating blonde streaks to create light in the hair, or simply white washing the tips, adds kick and dimension to any high top fade.

Finally, like the ebb and flow of the Pacific tide, the U.S. West Coast Surfer looks never stop influencing the global and the national men’s hair fashion scene. Watch for those soft wavy beachy looks … more beach wave than curl this season. The sun-kissed blonde highlights make any guy look like he’s just been surfing, diving, pooling, or beachcombing no matter where you live … a desired look no matter what the season.

One thing’s for sure … men always want to look authentic in the way they dress or wear their hair. Finally, men care just as much about the hair as they do their clothes.  Men’s grooming overall is now high on the pedestal … more men are taking better care of themselves which I think is great.

As a barber, the cutting tools I use is so important to achieve the most current hair trends. For more piecey textures, the Feather® Razors work best for me. I also do lots of shear work for classic shear over comb techniques. For this season’s looks, I am definitely using more blends, razors, shears for point cutting, and minimal use of clippers except for those tight fades.