The pompadour is a hairstyle named after Madame de Pompadour. She was the mistress of King Louis XV of France in the 1700s. However, most people today refer to the pompadour as a men’s short hairstyle with the hair back and extra volume on the top. The modern version of the pomp is considered a classic throwback and was made popular by Elvis Presley. This vintage style exudes class and masculinity. While this cut and style has the same general look, there are still a variety of ways to cut and wear this style to fit both your hair texture and your personality. Browse our extensive collection of the most popular men’s pompadour haircuts and hairstyles to find your next look.
High Volume Pompadour
The longer hair on top adds lots of contrast to the short back and sides. It’s one of the boldest pompadour haircuts you’ll see here.
Contour Pompadour
The pompadour, although originally associated with female haircuts is making a mark in crossing genders. A very theatrical cut, with a dramatic upper side, hair being lifted up as if to form a wall, then shifted backward for continuity.
Mountain High Pompadour
Skin faded sides, until the last possible moment hair is kept short and then ZOOM raised like a mighty mountain, unapologetic, a cut that’s definitely BOLD.
Cool Short Pompadour
Short pompadours don’t just pair with a suit and tie. This look keeps your style genteel no matter what the setting.
Classic Pompadour with Hard Part
Q&A with style creator, Ciprian Ungureanu
President @ Salon & Academy in Bucharest
How would you describe this look?
This haircut is called mid-razor fade with a hard part pompadour hairstyle. For me, it represents elegance and masculinity. My favorite thing about this look is the quality of the haircut.
Any advice for someone considering it?
First, I would recommend to a client a matte pomade. The best type of hair is straight and thick. The shape of the face should be oval, and the client should have a strong personality.
Disconnected Pompadour
Q&A with style creator, Kevin Nguyen
Instructor @ California Barber and Beauty College in San Diego, CA
How would you describe this look?
The haircut is a classic pompadour up due with a drop skin fade. My favorite thing about this haircut is that it’s a long disconnected classic look but with a short clean fade on the side.
Any advice for someone considering it?
Find a knowledgeable barber/stylist who will help cut, form, and shape your hair to your desired look and also provide the right product and volume for their hair.
Side Parted Pomp with Beard
Q&A with style creator, Ahmed Ayad Ali
Barber @ The Famous Barbershop in Sofia, Bulgaria
How would you describe this look?
While many barbers refuse to call this a combover and instead refer to it as a “side part”, the hairstyles are really similar. The combover hairstyle consists of hair combed to one side with a part. The primary difference between the classic side part and the combover is the side-swept look and angular brush back of the hair.
My favorite thing about this pompadour is the faded sides between the hair and the beard.
Any advice for someone considering it?
I give personal attention to each of my clients. If they have a long face, I advise them to keep a short and dense beard. They have to keep thick beards to make the face look less extreme. Beard scruff will only show that you can grow a lot of it!
Pompadour with Taper Fade
Q&A with style creator, Ben Cooke
Barber in Tonbridge, Kent, U.K.
How would you describe this look and what’s your favorite thing about it?
This pompadour is cool, stylish and smart. I like the fade and the amount of volume he has.
Which products would you recommend to help create and maintain this look?
I recommend using a salt mist and blow drying the hair up and back to create volume. Then, use a small amount of matte clay and hairspray to finish.
What type of person would this look work best for?
This style suits people with straight hair or with a slight wave to the hair. Curly hair will not work for this look. It’s perfect for people with an outgoing personality.
What’s your best tip for someone who’s considering this look?
Make sure you blow dry your hair every day for volume. Get the cut shaped up approximately every three weeks.
Low Fade Pompadour
Q&A with style creator, Ahmed Ayad Ali
Barber @ Ahmed fade in Sofia, Bulgaria
How would you describe this look and what’s your favorite thing about it?
This is one of my favorite haircuts from the past decade. The style is reminiscent of a 20s-40s haircut but with a modern touch. Using the hair dryer to add volume and achieving the skin-fade are two steps that are key to this haircut.
Which products would you recommend to help create and maintain this look?
This really depends on the hair type, but what I would describe as essential products are forming cream, pomade and hairspray.
What type of person would this look work best for? (Hair types, face shapes, skin tone, lifestyle, personality etc)
The type of the person and his personality really doesn’t matter. What matters most is his hair type to achieve this specific hairstyle perfectly. I prefer the not so silky smooth hair with a thick scalp because the hairdryer adds a lot of volume to it even without any additional products. Basically, this hairstyle can fit a lot of face shapes and looks and that is what makes it special to me.
What’s your best tip for someone who’s considering this look?
Anyone who would like to have this haircut needs to have a thick hair, a good hairdryer and some of the products that I mentioned previously to help it look clean and tidy.
Shadow Taper Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Emily Son
Manager/Hairstylist @ Mojo Barbershop in Hawaii
How would you describe this look and what’s your favorite thing about it?
This haircut is a shadow taper with a textured top. My client is military, but this cut allows him to look like a civilian too.
Which products would you recommend to help create and maintain this look?
I recommend any pomade with a matte finish to create this look. This time I used Layrite Cement. It is a matte based pomade that make his hair look natural. It is water based so it is very easy to wash out
What type of person would this look work best for?
This haircut would work best for the military man who wants to look like a civilian, and civilians who want to have a clean beach look.
What’s your best tip for someone who’s considering this look?
If you have never buzzed your sides short, try it out. Hair will always grow back!
Razor Fade Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Joey Del Toro Sarrionandia
Barber/Owner @ Big Mels Barbershop in Carmarthen, Wales
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
The pompadour was a popular haircut back in the 50s with likes of Elvis and Johnny Cash making it a popular style amongst rock and rollers. This razor fade is giving the classic haircut a modern twist.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
It all about the blow dry to achieve volume in the hair. I like to add Holland’s finest Reuzel Hair Tonic before blow drying to give volume and then Reuzel Clay Matte Pomade to hold it in place
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
This style suits straight to fine hair best. I think of it as a barbershop classic rock and roll/rockabilly haircut. There are now a lot of variations on this classic cut that really give it a modern twist.
Transitional Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Bengie Candelario
Barber @ Bengie Salon in Puerto Rico
How would you describe this look and what’s your favorite thing about it?
This is a men’s pompadour. My favorite thing about it is the transition between the top and the bottom.
Which products would you recommend to help create and maintain this look?
I recommend Elegance hair products.
What type of person would this look work best for?
No matter what haircut you want, you have to be sure that your hair type will work with the cut you want.
What’s your best tip for someone who’s considering this look?
My advice is to dare to change your look. Change is good and can take your hair to the max!
Modern Comb Over Pomp
Q&A with Style Creator Alex Degens
Barber @ d’Heeren van Hofland, NL
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
This is a classic cut with a slightly modern twist. I’m always trying to stick with traditional barbering techniques as the base, then I’ll try to think outside the box with styling and modern barbering techniques. The shape of the cut is very classic and traditional while the fade and the styling gives the look that modern twist. The shape is probably my favorite thing about this look.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
I personally use a grooming tonic before blowdrying. Reuzel’s grooming tonic is my favorite, but I like the Suavecito one as well. Once the hair is completely dry, I use a matte pomade like the Uppercut Deluxe Matt Pomade). The hold of this pomade is great for heavy hair as well as for men with thin hair.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
The model for my cut has very thick hair. I think that most hair thicknesses will work for this look, but with thick hair you can get the best shape on the sides.
I would recommend this look for someone with an oval shaped face. If someone has bigger forehead, this cut may give the appearance of an even bigger head. I don’t think you need to have a specific lifestyle for this cut. I’m convinced that this look will work for a fancy businessman, as well as a tough construction worker.
Gentlemen’s Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Chris Curry
Barber
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
This is a gentleman’s cut with a light taper. The texture of the client’s hair is what brought the cut to life. That would be my favorite part!
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
To create this look, I recommend a medium hold pomade.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
The look is best suited for on-the-go Millennials, individuals with profound jawlines, and oblong face shapes.
Rockabilly Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Aaron Maxwell
Barber @ Finnegans Green Rooster Barbershop in Dublin, Ireland
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
I like this look because it is the perfect example of classic barbering and the 50s rockabilly style.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
To recreate this style, I would recommend Uppercut Deluxe Matte Pomade or Sweet Georgia Brown Pomade. The blow drying is very important. You need to start from the back and then for the fringe, you have to dry the roots to stand up with tension from the brush. The best brush for this style is a Denman d3.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
This style is good for someone with strong hair or thick hair. Even men with curly hair, when blow dried properly, can become straight and hold its shape.
Executive Contour Pomp
Q&A with Style Creator Raphael Diego
Barber/Owner @ Diego Barber Official in São Paulo City, São Paulo, Brazil
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
This haircut is called the “Executive Contour”. My favorite thing about it is that it can be done on the majority of hair types and be worn by men with short hair or longer hair and at any age.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
I recommend Layrite Grooming Spray to mold the hair (using a hair dryer) and Layrite Original Pomade to style as desired. The product used here was a Brazilian hair modeler called Caballeros. I used it as a grooming product to dry and mold the hair, and again after to style.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
I recommend this look for clients whose want a classic haircut and don’t have much time to spend styling the hair. The majority of my clients are doctors, lawyers, engineers and college students, but this look can match with any lifestyle from the conservative to modern. This haircut can be applied on all face shapes because its structure elongates the head silhouette. The curlier the hair, the harder it will be to style like this.
Rock N’ Roll Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Miky
Barber @ Schorem Haarsnijder & Barbier in Rotterdam, Netherlands
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
I would describe this pompadour as pure rock ‘n roll. I love the fact that it gives a lot of styling options to fit the client perfectly in terms of height and how it is connected/styled at the top and rear.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
This depends on the client’s hair type and preference. I like to use a strong oil pomade like the Pink Reuzel and either a touch of Green Reuzel or Grooming Tonic. If the client wants a clean head, a water soluble will work just fine if you blow dry the hair in place with the help of some grooming tonic.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
Anyone that has hair that is moldable (because you don’t want to fight with your hair every day) will suit this style. The cut can be easily customized to the client’s preference. If you want that classic pomp, you want length on the sides. With a younger client, I love to go skin-faded. Let’s not forget that you can never go wrong with a taper either!
Old School Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Hlisa Tsigakos
Barber in Athens, Greece
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
This is an “old school” type of pompadour hairstyle. It’s hard to share my favorite thing about this look because it’s the final result with all the details that make it so great.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
I used two kinds of products for this look. I used a powder for volume and a pomade for hold and shine.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
This style is suitable for anyone that is willing to at least spend a little time styling their hair.
Traditional Pompadour for Curly Hair
Q&A with style creator, Brian Jensen
Owner / Stylist @ Jensen & Co. Salon in Reno, NV
How would you describe this look?
This pompadour is a textured curly crop. My favorite thing about this style is how easy it is to maintain daily. I also love the disconnection from the length on the sides to the length on the top.
Any advice for someone considering it?
This look is definitely for someone who already has a naturally curly texture and doesn’t want to spend a lot of time on styling. A little scrunch of Sexy Hair’s Not So Hard Up Gel cocktailed with Shaping Cream puts those curls in place as well as adding texture, shine, and hold.
This look can also work with naturally straight hair but requires more styling, using a blow dryer on low while scrunching, and using your fingers to manipulate the texture.
High Fade Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Dallas Hoy
Barber @ MOD Hair & Body in Spokane, WA
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
This look is my modern twist on a true rock n’ roll classic pompadour. I absolutely love pompadours because it offers a ton of versatility as far as styling is concerned, and it’s a great way for men to get comfortable using more than just their hands to put it together.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
I use a styling spray while the hair is still damp, round brush to set, then finish with a mix of grooming cream and fiber by Crew to finish it off.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
Because this style is so versatile, it can be styled to meet almost any liking. As far as I’m concerned, anyone can wear it. It’s a style that just screams confidence so as I always say, “You have to rock the cut, don’t let the cut rock you”!
The Businessman Pompadour
Having a very busy day means you get to retouch your styling less often. This pompadour cut proves to be a trusty one for all busy bees out there. Less styling but still giving a lot of flare.
Faded Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Cady Gomez
Barber @ Y-Chrome Barbering in Portland, OR
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
I would describe this pompadour as a fade haircut for men with a disconnected cropped top styled up into a faux hawk. I love this style because it’s versatile and can be styled multiple ways. You can comb everything forward and up in a faux hawk, comb it back for a pompadour, or over to the side for a business professional look.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
I used Imperial’s Gel Pomade for this style because it provides a very high hold with high shine. This client in particular has more difficult hair to style, so I went for the high hold. For someone with easier hair to style, I’d recommend more of a matte texture paste for a faux hawk or a high shine pomade for a pompadour or combed over look.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
This is one of my favorite pompadour styles because it’s suitable for any face shape or hair texture. I like it most for people who aren’t quite sure what they’re looking for because it gives them different styling options. It’s great for the guy on the go who doesn’t have all the time in the morning to blow dry and style. It’s simple yet sophisticated no matter which way they decide to wear it for the day.
Scumbag Boogie Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Tom Pipkin
Barber @ Baldy’s Barbers in Aylesbury, England
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
This look is a modern pompadour, sometimes known as a Scumbag Boogie. It’s a very popular style at the moment as it is smart, but very up to date. My favorite thing about this style is that it compliments both classic and modern barbering into one look with a skin fade on the sides and a classic scissor cut style on top.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
I used American Crew Alternator before blow drying with a Denman brush. Then I used American Crew Grooming Cream to get that classic shiny finish to the hair, followed with just a blast of hairspray to keep it all in place. If these products aren’t available to you, just look for something with high shine and heavy hold.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
This pompadour hairstyle really compliments everyone and can be worn a number of ways. Whether you have thin or thick hair, it’s very simple to recreate this style. If someone has a busy lifestyle in which they don’t have time style their hair every day and still want to look smart, I wouldn’t recommend this look as it needs to be styled in order to achieve its potential as it is cut to a style.
A Modern Side-Part Pompadour
Q&A with Style Creator Dean Hart
Barber @ The Barber Shop Dale Street in Liverpool, UK
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
The pompadour is an always classic and always stylish hairstyle. The style has evolved since the 20s and 30s, and in the 50s, Elvis made this his signature look. Modern takes on the pompadour, such as this one I created, take inspiration from the traditional style and give it a modern twist, experimenting with length through the top and keeping the back and sides sharp and short. My favorite thing about this style is that it can be dressed up to look sharp for a black tie event and still look good going for a coffee on a Sunday.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
While the hair was wet, I set the part and applied a sea salt pre-style spray (Beach Muk by Muk) before drying with a hairdryer to create the volume and lift essential to the style. I finished the look by styling with Pomp and Co Pomade, thoroughly working it from root to tip before combing into the finished style. This product gives great hold and medium shine.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
Pompadours are a classic look that can suit all ages, lifestyles and face shapes as long as it is cut correctly. It does sit best with straight hair, but can also be achieved on wavy hair with the correct styling and products. This is definitely my all-time favorite cut/style to do on my clients. The main elements of this cut stay the same (i.e. the side part, the lift at the front and finish), but it can be tailored to suit a variety of clients. Regardless if you’re a businessman, hipster, celebrity or student, this look will always fit the occasion.
Slicked Back Pompadour
Q&A with style creator, Mike Rita-Procter
Barber @ Scumbags & Cavaliers Barbershop Club in Brantford, Ontario, Canada
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
This is a classic tapered slick back pompadour. It’s cut to an executive length and utilizes the natural hair flow and growth pattern of this client. The best part of this look is its classic nature. It’s been around forever, always being slightly modified through subtleties over time.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
To recreate this look, we recommend a matte finish pomade. Choose something that does not have a lot of sheen, but instead looks dry and natural.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
Basically this haircut would be suited for someone with a natural back-flowing growth pattern (some people’s hair naturally would prefer to go forward not back) and a fairly full top head of hair.
This hairstyle is also best suited for someone that is cool with applying some product and taking a little time to create the look in the morning. We consider this a medium maintenance level hairstyle. It works for anyone hanging around the garage, the office or the bar. It’s a very versatile look!
Disconnected Pompadour
Q&A with style creator, Josh Webb
Barber @ Tommy Guns in Alberta, Canada
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
My favorite part of a pompadour is the vintage class of the style. It brings you back to the days of the 50s when hair was done every day and everyone was well dressed.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
If you are looking to style a larger pompadour, I recommend a blow dry product such as a salt spray or a grooming tonic. For styling, I recommend a pomade or fiber product.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
The pompadour cut is a great style for most face shape as it can be cut and styled according to your face shape. A low and slick pompadour can be styled quickly with pomade and comb, whereas a larger pompadour should be blow dried for volume.
Rockabilly Pompadour
Q&A with style creator, Mike Chau
Barber @ The 59 Tattoo and Barber Shop in Kowloon, Hong Kong
How would you describe this look and what is your favorite thing about it?
This pompadour style is a very classic hairstyle. I love this look because you can match the different shape to each personality type and lifestyle.
What products do you recommend to recreate this look?
I mainly use and recommend Reuzel Red pomade.
What type of client would you recommend this look for?
Gentlemen, rockers, teddy boys, rockabillies can all wear their version of the pompadour! A good barber will design a pompadour to flatter any face shape.
Progressive Pompadour
I would describe this look as your classic and traditional pompadour haircut. My favorite thing about the cut is the silhouette. Creating the volume in the front and ending it slicked up in the back gives it a progressive style.
I recommend a light gel or grooming spray to help create a base when blow drying. To finish, I would use a water-based pomade with a high hold.
I recommend pompadours to the gentlemen who take time in the morning to style their hair. This isn’t for the wake up and go guys.
