11 Long Hairstyles for Men With Straight and Wavy Hair
Long hairstyles for men look effortless, but the best ones are never accidental. A good long cut has shape: layers that stop the hair hanging flat, ends that are trimmed often enough to stay healthy, and a length that suits your face rather than simply wherever the hair happened to stop.
This guide is for straight and wavy hair. Straight and wavy hair does not shrink when it dries, so every inch you grow shows straight away. That makes the grow-out faster than it is on curls, but it also means the awkward in-between stage arrives sooner and is harder to hide. If your hair is properly curly, our guide to long curly haircuts for men is the better place to start.
Below are 11 long hairstyles for men, from classic middle-part lengths to tied-back styles and long tops with short sides. Each one tells you which face shapes it suits, what hair it needs, how long it takes to style and exactly what to ask your barber.
Growing it out for the first time? Ask for Long Layered Hair or Shoulder-Length Waves. Both look deliberate at every stage, so you will know within a few months whether long hair suits you.
How to Choose Your Long Hairstyle
Three things decide which long hairstyles for men will work for you.
How long it really takes. On straight and wavy hair, most men reach chin length in around six to nine months and the shoulders in roughly a year to a year and a half. The hardest stretch is usually somewhere between months five and ten, when the hair is too long to sit neatly and too short to tie back. Regular small trims to the back and sides get you through it without losing length on top.
Your hair type. Straight hair shows a clean line and looks sleek, but it can fall flat. Wavy hair has natural movement and hides the awkward stage better. Fine hair can grow long, but it rarely holds volume past the shoulders, so shorter long styles often look fuller.
Your face shape. A middle part suits oval and long faces. A side part or a fringe softens a strong forehead. Round faces look best with length past the chin and some height on top, which draws the eye downward instead of outward.
Classic Long Straight Styles
These long hairstyles for men keep the length even and the finish clean.
Long Hair With a Middle Part
Straight hair grown to the chin or shoulders and parted down the centre, falling evenly on both sides of the face. It is simple, balanced and easy to wear every day.
A middle part works best when the hair has a few long layers, so it frames the face instead of hanging in two flat curtains. It suits men with even features and an oval or long face.
- Face shapes: oval and long
- Hair: straight, medium to thick
- Styling time: about 2 minutes; a light leave-in and air-dry
- Barber visits: a trim every 8 to 10 weeks
- Ask your barber: “Keep my length, add a few long layers so it frames my face, and part it down the middle.”
Long Layered Hair
Shoulder-length hair with layers cut through the lengths, so the hair moves and does not sit in one heavy block.
This is the most forgiving way to grow long hair. The layers give shape at every length, and they stop thick hair from looking triangular. It works with a middle or side part.
- Face shapes: all
- Hair: straight to wavy, medium to thick
- Styling time: about 2 minutes; air-dry with a little texture spray
- Barber visits: every 8 weeks
- Ask your barber: “Long layers through the lengths so it moves, keeping as much length as possible.”
Slicked-Back Long Hair
Long hair combed straight back from the forehead and held with a light product, falling behind the ears and over the collar.
It is the most polished of the long hairstyles for men and works well for formal events. You need hair at least long enough to tuck behind the ears. For a shorter, office-friendly take on combed hair, see our guide to side part haircuts for men.
- Face shapes: oval, square and diamond
- Hair: straight to slightly wavy, medium to thick
- Styling time: about 4 minutes; cream or light pomade on damp hair, comb back
- Barber visits: every 8 to 10 weeks
- Ask your barber: “Long enough on top to comb straight back behind my ears, with the ends kept neat.”
Long Wavy Styles
Waves give long hair movement on their own, so these styles need very little work.
Shoulder-Length Waves
Natural waves grown to the shoulders, with light layers so the waves fall loosely around the face.
Waves hide uneven lengths during the grow-out, so this is one of the easiest long looks to reach. A sea salt spray or light cream on damp hair is usually all it needs.
- Face shapes: oval, square and round
- Hair: wavy, type 2A to 2C
- Styling time: about 2 minutes; scrunch with cream and air-dry
- Barber visits: every 8 to 10 weeks
- Ask your barber: “Shoulder-length with light layers so my waves fall loosely, no heavy thinning.”
Long Hair With a Curtain Fringe
Chin to shoulder length hair with a fringe parted in the middle and swept to each side, ending around the cheekbones.
The curtain fringe frames the eyes and softens a strong forehead. It looks relaxed and modern, and the fringe can be tucked behind the ears on days you want it out of your face.
- Face shapes: oval, long and heart
- Hair: straight to wavy, fine to thick
- Styling time: about 3 minutes; blow-dry the fringe outward, then air-dry the rest
- Barber visits: every 6 to 8 weeks, with a fringe tidy in between
- Ask your barber: “A curtain fringe parted in the middle, ending at my cheekbones, blended into my length.”
Long Hair With Short Sides
These long hairstyles for men keep the length on top and take the sides short, so the look stays tidy.
Long Hair With an Undercut
Long hair on top and through the back, with the sides clipped short underneath. When the hair is down, the undercut is mostly hidden. When it is tied up, the short sides show.
An undercut removes bulk from thick hair and makes buns and ponytails sit neatly. If you trim the sides yourself between visits, our guide on how to cut men’s hair with clippers explains each guard size.
- Face shapes: oval, square and diamond
- Hair: straight to wavy, thick
- Styling time: about 2 minutes
- Barber visits: sides every 3 to 4 weeks, length every 10 weeks
- Ask your barber: “Keep the length on top, and take the sides and back underneath short with a number 2.”
Long Top With Tapered Sides
A long top swept back or to the side, with the sides tapered gradually shorter toward the ears and neck rather than cut sharply.
The taper is softer than an undercut, so this is a good choice for the office. It is also a smart halfway point if you are growing your hair out from a short cut.
- Face shapes: round, oval and square
- Hair: straight to wavy, medium to thick
- Styling time: about 3 minutes; a little cream and a comb
- Barber visits: every 4 to 5 weeks
- Ask your barber: “Keep five to six inches on top, and taper the sides gradually down to the neckline.”
Tied-Back Long Styles
These long hairstyles for men are as practical as they are stylish, and they are perfect for the gym, work and hot days.
Man Bun
Long hair gathered at the crown or back of the head and twisted into a loose bun. It needs hair at least long enough to reach the crown when pulled back.
Keep the bun loose and change its position often. Very tight buns and ponytails pull on the hairline, and Alopecia UK’s guide to traction alopecia explains how repeated tension can lead to hair loss over time.
- Face shapes: oval, square and diamond
- Hair: straight to wavy, medium to thick
- Styling time: about 1 minute
- Barber visits: every 10 to 12 weeks for a trim
- Ask your barber: “Just tidy the ends and keep enough length to tie it into a bun at the crown.”
Low Ponytail
Shoulder-length or longer hair tied loosely at the nape of the neck, with a few pieces left free at the front.
The low ponytail is calmer and more grown-up than a bun, and it works with almost any outfit. It also reaches its ideal length a little earlier, as soon as the hair touches the collar.
- Face shapes: oval, long and square
- Hair: straight to wavy, any thickness
- Styling time: about 1 minute
- Barber visits: every 10 to 12 weeks
- Ask your barber: “Keep it long enough to tie at the nape, with a few face-framing pieces at the front.”
Half-Up Long Hair
The top half of the hair tied back at the crown, with the rest left down over the shoulders.
It keeps the hair out of your eyes but still shows off the length. It is especially useful during the grow-out, when the front is long enough to tie but the back is not.
- Face shapes: oval, round and heart
- Hair: straight to wavy, medium to thick
- Styling time: about 1 minute
- Barber visits: every 8 to 10 weeks
- Ask your barber: “Long layers that let me tie the top half back and leave the rest down.”
Long Hair for Fine Hair
A chin to shoulder length cut for fine hair, with blunt ends and only a few layers, so the hair looks thicker at the bottom.
Fine hair can grow long, but it often looks thin past the shoulders. Stopping around the jaw or collar and keeping the ends blunt is usually the most flattering choice. A volumising spray at the roots adds lift.
- Face shapes: oval, long and heart
- Hair: fine, straight to slightly wavy
- Styling time: about 3 minutes; volumising spray and a quick blow-dry
- Barber visits: every 6 to 8 weeks
- Ask your barber: “Blunt ends at about collar length, only light layers, nothing thinned out.”
Long Hairstyles for Men at a Glance
| Cut | Best for | Styling time | Barber visits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long hair with a middle part | Oval and long faces | 2 min | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Long layered hair | First-time grow-outs | 2 min | 8 weeks |
| Slicked-back long hair | Formal events | 4 min | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Shoulder-length waves | Natural waves | 2 min | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Long hair with a curtain fringe | Softening the forehead | 3 min | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Long hair with an undercut | Thick hair | 2 min | 3 to 4 weeks (sides) |
| Long top with tapered sides | The office | 3 min | 4 to 5 weeks |
| Man bun | Gym and hot days | 1 min | 10 to 12 weeks |
| Low ponytail | A grown-up tied look | 1 min | 10 to 12 weeks |
| Half-up long hair | The awkward stage | 1 min | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Long hair for fine hair | Fine hair | 3 min | 6 to 8 weeks |
If you are choosing between two long hairstyles for men, pick the one that matches your hair type and how much time you spend on it each morning.
Mistakes to Avoid
Skipping all trims while growing. Small trims to the back and sides keep the shape tidy without losing length on top. Skipping them makes the awkward stage worse.
Tying it too tight. Tight buns and ponytails pull on the hairline. Use soft hair ties and change the position often.
Brushing wet hair roughly. Wet hair stretches and snaps easily. Detangle from the ends upward with a wide-tooth comb.
Washing every day. Daily shampoo strips long hair of oil and leaves the ends dry. Two or three washes a week is enough for most men.
Ignoring split ends. Long hair is old hair at the ends. A trim every two to three months keeps it looking healthy.
Expecting fine hair to look thick at every length. Fine hair often looks fullest around the collar. Going much longer can make it look thinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take a man to grow long hair?
For straight and wavy hair, chin length usually takes six to nine months, and shoulder length takes around a year to a year and a half.
How do I get through the awkward stage?
Ask for small trims to the back and sides, use a little product to push the hair back, and try a half-up style once the top is long enough.
What long hairstyle suits a round face?
Length past the chin with a side part or some height on top, which makes the face look longer.
Do men with long hair need to see a barber?
Yes. A trim every two to three months removes split ends and keeps the shape tidy.
Is long hair good for fine hair?
It can be. Fine hair usually looks best at chin to collar length with blunt ends.
Do man buns cause hair loss?
They can if they are always tied very tight in the same place. Keep them loose and change the position often.
Final Thoughts
The best long hairstyles for men suit your hair type, your face and the time you have each morning. Grow it with patience, trim the ends regularly and choose a shape instead of just letting it grow.
If you are unsure where to start, ask for long layered hair or shoulder-length waves. Both look good at every stage and give you plenty of options once the length arrives.
