Dream of long locks that flow freely in the wind? Just stylishly skate across the ice to discover the answer.
The flow hairstyle, aka hockey hair or the wings haircut, has been worn by everyone from professional hockey players to laid-back beach surfers.
However, don’t let the easygoing look fool you. To acquire such beauty requires plenty of patience and some seriously awkward stages to go through. Much like playing on any NHL team, the flow requires training.
The original look: Medium-long to long-length hair in a wavy fashion. The front is styled back towards the rear of the head, making it appear as if it was being blown gracefully by the wind.
The history of the flow:
In the Victorian era, (1830s – 1890s) the flow rose to fame, however by the 1950s it fell out of the spotlight due in part to the popular pompadour. Most notably, in younger male fashion cuts became shorter, yet a great deal of older gentlemen still continued to sport the look.
In today’s times, the haircut has evolved into a handful of different styles, most of which can be found on male surfers, skateboarders, hockey players, and among more preppy lifestyle males. For some men, the look is closer to a subtle shaggy hairstyle, while for others it’s longer in length with slight waviness. However, just look at the collection of 40 cool flow cuts for men below and you’ll get a better idea of what’s possible with a modern touch.
How to style this haircut:
For starters, you’re going to need two things: Patience and dedication. While it’s true this hairstyle looks super care-free, it actually takes a considerable amount of work to look right. Prepare to invest at least six months towards growing your hair out before it reaches the peak of perfection.
Head to the barbershop, and ask for a starter flow cut or simply mention you are aiming for a flow hairstyle. Most will know what this means, however if they don’t it’s always helpful to bring a long a picture of a hockey player or two. Remember, you can skip the barber if you already have a medium length haircut already; just aim to grow ears length.
Here’s where the hard part begins. In order to achieve your wings, you’ll have to earn them. That means shower daily, get your hair damp and brush like Rapunzel afterwards. The key here is to brush your bangs up, over your forehead towards a single side.
Once your head is semi-dry toss on a hat. Keep the bangs and sides tucked in. You’ll notice wings starting to form. If you’ve ever grown shaggy hair in high school, you’ll probably know just how well this method works. Once your hair is totally dry, it’s safe to remove your hat for the rest of the day.
However, those newly sculpted wings won’t last forever. Usually around the three or four months in mark your wings will look terrible. Their floppy, messy and downright discouraging; relax it’s normal. Within time you can go to the barber and ask for a light trim on the sides; just enough to keep up on proper maintenance and clean things up a bit.
Within time you’ll achieve the glorious flow hairstyle! Your hard work, patience and grueling struggle through the awkward stages will have paid off handsomely. To see what I mean, just explore these top 40 best flow hairstyles for men below and you’ll witness the splendor of long locks.
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