Formal Hairstyles For Men 24/10

For important occasions, your hairstyle deserves almost as much consideration as your clothes. You would never show up to a formal event in a wrinkled suit, so why would you style your hair, or not style it as the case may be, in the same way you would on casual days? Styling your hair in a formal way for significant events completes the package and shows others your polished side, whether you’ve known them for years or you’re meeting them for the first time. To help you look your best, we break down formal hairstyles for men according to hair length and type, and let you in on how to successfully master each one, including which hair products you’ll need.

SHORT HAIR

Smooth and slick

Although last year's hair trends emphasized rugged masculinity, men’s hairstyles for 2010 veer toward the classic and conservative. Witness the transformation of Hugh Jackman's mane from the wild, uncontrolled style he adopted as Wolverine to the cropped cut he recently sported on the red carpet and you'll understand the new direction in men's hair.

To achieve this formal hairstyle, visit your barber up to a week before the big day and have the sides and back of your hair cut short and close to the head using clippers. Ask to have your top layers snipped more jaggedly, however, to balance out the neatness of the rest of the cut.

On the day itself, apply a little gel (a pea-size amount) all over your head. You don't have to get fancy -- any drugstore brand should do the trick, but try Aveda Men Pure-Formance Firm Hold Gel for a lightweight product that nourishes while it styles. Then, using a fine tooth comb, brush the sides of your hair down and back. Add a slight lift to your front to keep your style from being too controlled and don't get hung up on flyaways.

Hair product: Aveda Men Pure-Formance Firm Hold Gel
Where to buy: Aveda.com

Naturally groomed

Though short hair is popular for 2010, you'll be relieved to know that most of this year's men’s hairstyles aren't too difficult to maintain. In fact, natural color and didn't-try-too-hard styling methods are the order of the day. In the world of celebrities, no one is wearing theau naturel look better than George Clooney.

Copping Clooney's style requires a cut that's fairly uniform in length. Next, in addition to a light mousse, you'll need a brush, preferably one with boar bristles, rather than a comb. Frederic Fekkai's MORE All-Day Density Styling Whip lifts and plumps each strand of your hair from root to tip. Plus, with a patented nutrient system that feeds your scalp to give you fuller, thicker hair with regular use, this mousse is a great product for men with thinning hair.

Just remember to be extra careful to avoid overdosing on hair products when you're aiming to attain a naturally groomed style. Work only a small squirt of mousse through your entire head, then lightly run your brush over your mane to keep everything in place. The end result shouldn't be sticky or piecey looking at all.

Hair product: Frederic Fekkai MORE All-Day Density Styling Whip
Where to buy: Fekkai.com

MEDIUM-LENGTH HAIR

Swept back

The swept back look, as recently worn by Mad Men’s Jon Hamm, is a little more time-consuming and involved than most of the styles mentioned here. To recreate this formal hairstyle for men, you’ll need styling cream, a paddle brush, hairspray, and a blow-dryer with two temperature settings. Comb a styling cream like Ojon’s Animated Styling Cream through wet hair, then blow-dry on high heat using a paddle brush to lift your hair from the root toward the back of your head, creating volume in the front. Finish off this style by holding a can of hairspray six inches from your head, applying a fine mist, and then blasting your hair quickly with your blow dryer on cold to keep everything in place.

Hair product: Ojon’s Animated Styling Cream
Where to buy: Ojon.com

Side part

Brylcreem and the 1950s will be the major inspiration for hairstylists in 2010. Lately, the celebrity who best captures this timeless style is Leonardo DiCaprio. Best on short- to medium-length hair, the side part is a great choice for dressy nights out as well as important business meetings. It's also an almost universally flattering style, although you should avoid it if you have a high forehead.

What's more, it's incredibly simple to achieve, requiring only two tools: a fine- to medium-toothed comb and pomade. To nail the '50s feel of this style, tryMurray's Original Pomade for a firm hold and a wet-look finish. Begin by working a dime-size amount of the product though your hair, then use the pick end of your comb to make the sharpest part you can. Note that your part should fall somewhere in line with the inner corner of your eye socket. Finally, slick your hair down on both sides using your comb and create a slight lift in the front.

Hair product: Murray's Original Pomade
Where to buy: MurraysPomade.com

HAIR TYPE

Curly hair

With haircuts generally being on the short side in 2010, you'll need to put the extra effort into controlling and defining your style this year if you have curly hair. Particularly in hot, humid weather, curly hair can quickly become unruly, and because a messy, frizzy mane isn't exactly formal-event-friendly, it's crucial you use the best hairstyling products to avoid this calamity.

Ask your barber for a cut that's short all over like the one Justin Timberlake has recently been favoring. On the big night in question, evenly distribute a lightweight gel like Anthony Logistics For Men Hair Gel through your strands. Shape your curls into place using your fingers and let the product air-dry to reproduce Timberlake's slightly wet-looking but still healthy do.

Hair product: Anthony Logistics For Men Hair Gel
Where to buy: Anthony.com

Black hair

Always an example in the grooming and style department, LeBron James continues to impress in 2010 with a slightly longer hairstyle. To replicate James' look, ask your hairdresser to shape your mane so that it stands up slightly but still follows the contours of your head as you're aiming for a natural, not contrived or overly styled appearance. While you won't really need much in the way of styling products to recreate James' formal hairstyle, you will require products that encourage a healthy scalp and strong strands, so try Dr. Hauschka's Neem Hair Oil, an all-natural serum specifically formulated to treat pesky skin problems and condition dry hair.

Hair product: Dr. Hauschka's Neem Hair Oil
Where to buy: DrHauschka.com

FORMAL HAIRSTYLES FOR MEN

For the legions of men that are not particularly dedicated to the appearance of their hair, styling their mane for a formal event will most certainly involve more time in front of the mirror than normal. Fortunately, though they all require a hair product, no special skills are required to recreate the styles listed here. The golden rule is to use a minute amount of product, increasing it gradually if necessary. Finally, practicing your formal hairstyle beforehand ensures that on the big day your hair will look as good as the rest of you.