Last updated on April 17th, 2025 at 03:20 pm
Just a while back the thirties were back in style – now it’s the 50s! We’re not mad, these 1950s hairstyles for men are a bit more modern and with a bit more variety. So it’s nice that you can basically twist these hairdos however and they’ll still look both fresh and old school.
1. “The Dad” Widow’s Peak 1950s Hairstyles
The round glasses, the receding hairline, the stubble, the widow’s peak. Everything about this hairstyle says it’s a “dad” look! But it looks fresh.
What to ask for: widow’s peak for receding hairline
2. Middle Part Slick Back with Pencil Mustache
The pencil mustache completes Don Amache’s look here. We love the middle part, and the slick back’s going to make many appearances on this list.
What to ask for: simple slick back with middle part and pencil mustache
3. Side Part Slick Back 1950s Hairstyles
Since we’ve done the middle part, it’s time for the side part. Same style, but this time no mustache. You could definitely add one, though!
What to ask for: simple slick back with side part
4. The Johnny Cash Pomp
The Pompadour had to make an appearance and who else to go with than Johnny Cash, of course. This simple pomp is extra stylish, not too much (like Elvis), and perfect for a 50s or even 60s party!
What to ask for: the Johnny Cash
5. Forward Swept Gelled Hair
Simple, efficient, using tons of hair gel or pomade. Not much to say about it other than it looks awesome and it’s very easy to maintain – if you like gel in your hair, that is!
What to ask for: simple slick back with forward swept fringe
6. Peter O’Toole Wavy Hair
He’s had tons of cool hairstyles, but this one’s probably the dreamiest one from Peter O’Toole. It’s difficult to style however, has absolutely no gel in it, and you really need very fine hair to rock it.
What to ask for: simple wavy haircut with a clean shave and no sideburns
7. Gary Cooper Widow’s Peak
Did you know Gary Cooper’s natural hair was actually very curly? It’s true! But he preferred to use lots of gel and slick it back, that’s how he got his signature widow’s peak look – like here.
What to ask for: the Gary Cooper
8. Sophisticated 1950s Wavy Hairstyles
Arthur Goose looking sharp here in a shoot for Hugo Boss. The wavy side part was a classic 50s style that men wore casually.
What to ask for: medium length wavy side part, clean shave
9. Curly Top and Slicked Back Sides 1950s Hairstyles
Men with curly hair tended to favor hiding it back in the 1950s. However, gelling your sides and leaving your top a bit curly was considered a casual gentleman hairstyle. Try it on, see how it looks!
What to ask for: curly medium top with short slicked back sides
10. Wavy Blonde Hair like Burt Lancaster
Simple, wavy – this is a beach hairstyle if I’ve ever seen one. Burt Lancaster is rocking the wavy blonde look here and we’re all for it. Sometimes, 1950s hairstyles really looked fresh despite their apparent simplicity.
What to ask for: the Burt Lancaster
11. Fine Hair Side Part
A hairdo for fine haired people, this style works wonders and adds a whole lot of authenticity to your whole 1950s look.
What to ask for: simple side part, no sideburns, short mustache
12. Thick Forward Swept Waves 1950s Hairstyles
The glasses make this look, but the hair is equally cool. A lot of people in the 1950s were going for slightly more rebellious dos, and we don’t blame them! They gave us this look.
What to ask for: medium length forward swept, side parted hairstyle
13. Blonde Widow’s Peak 1950s Hairstyles
Put on a sweater and try on this 1950s hairstyle, then go to the park and maybe do a photoshoot? I don’t know, it’s what I would do. It looks perfect for men 40-something years old.
What to ask for: simple slicked back widow’s peak
14. Curly Widow’s Peak with Pencil Mustache
When you get older, you’re going to have to add something to your look to make up for that receding hairline. David Niven did just that and put on a mustache to complement his whole thing.
What to ask for: basic rounded widow’s peak with long sides and pencil mustache
15. The Nerdy Bad Boy 1950s Hairstyles
The 50s was an age where you were shunned for being a bit different. So naturally, a lot of rebellious youth sported hairstyles that were not so conservative (like this one). We’re all for it!
What to ask for: wavy medium-long hair, trimmed along the edges to look neat
Take your wavy hair into the present with these cool trends!
16. The John Travolta Grease Look
Whatever happened to this greaser look? We don’t know. We just know that it looked… interesting. Let’s see you try to pull it off!
What to ask for: John Travolta in Grease (basically medium length hair gelled back, with a short mullet, and a messy short fringe)
17. Neat Side Part for Fine Hair
This is a step down from number 15. Maybe the dude was forced to get a haircut by his boss? Either way, the side part really works, especially for such straight, fine hair like his.
What to ask for: simple side part for fine hair
18. Curly Gelled Hair
Despite the 1950s hairstyles shunning all types of curly hair, Ronald Colman combined the decade’s love for pomade with his natural curls resulting in this dashing style!
What to ask for: short curly cut and a mustache
19. Slicked Back Side Part 1950s Hairstyles
We love the touch of color in this photo. The hairstyle – we’ve all see it, but it doesn’t make it les representative for 1950s hairstyles.
What to ask for: basic side part, slicked back
20. Gelled Hard Part with Contour
The hard part wasn’t as popular in the 1950s as other styles on this list, but it’s still one of the defining looks of the sophisticated gentleman. So it couldn’t be missing from this list.
What to ask for: hard part, simple contour around the ears (no fade)
21. Wavy Modern 1950s Hairstyles
This style takes on the 1950s style and ups it by just leaving the hair a bit longer, and the eard a bit more unkempt. Works well with a scarf.
What to ask for: 50s wavy hair but longer
22. The Very Young Marlon Brando
With Marlon Brando, it was all about style, less about hair. But this is one of his early hairstyles that looks so fresh, especially for the 1950 hairstyle scene.
What to ask for: a young Marlon Brando with wavy medium hair
23. Extra Gelled Slick Back
We know just from this list that Ronald Colman had very curly hair, so naturally this photo exists of him just combing it back with ridiculous amounts of pomade.
What to ask for: just make it shine (oh, and there’s also a pencil mustache there)
24. Simple Medium Slick Back 1950s Hairstyles
If you want something business that won’t draw too many looks, this is the way to go. Or it might draw lots of looks because nobody wears their hair like this anymore.
What to ask for: simple medium business hairstyle
25. Vintage Slick Back 1950s Hairstyles
Honestly this is getting ridiculous. Who knew there could be so many ways to slick back your hair with a ton of pomade and still make it look different?
What to ask for: at this point, if you don’t know, you haven’t been paying attention at all
26. Side Part with a Nice Sheen
I love how this haircut looks paired with the thick-rimmed glasses. It’s a basic side part, but there’s a sheen to it that suggests a different, more expensive pomade.
What to ask for: simple side part (buy some good pomade for sheen)
For more modern side parts, we got you covered!
27. Messy Unkempt 1950s Hairstyles
When you’re talking 1950s hairstyles, this is the messiest it can get. The sides really look like a mess, but I personally approve of this style. My parents wouldn’t, however.
What to ask for: a widow’s peak and then let it go a bit wild on its own
28. Henry Fonda’s Stylish Subtle Part
What I love about Fonda’s look here is that the part is not too hard, just enough to be seen but still subtle – somewhat like his acting style.
What to ask for: the classic Henry Fonda
29. The Basic Short 1950s Hairstyles
There’s nothing more basic than James Garner’s look. That’s so people know you’re serious whenever you talk. Or so you just fade into the background – your choice!
What to ask for: simple short haircut in the 1950s style
30. 1950s Cut for Receding Hairlines
Effective and great for receding hairlines – the white hair haircut of the 50s really hasn’t changed much. It just looks a bit more old-school now.
What to ask for: a short cut that masks your receding hairline
Ready to Go Back?
We’ve put these hairstyles from the 1950s together – now it’s your turn to pick one of them. Once you do, let us know which one. And once you get it – maybe for a 1950s themed Halloween party – send us your best photo on our Pinterest! We might feature it.
Lara has been working with us since the website launched. She is an accomplished hairstylist with years of expertise giving her clients the style they dream of. Lara is working on her own cosmetics brand and has certifications from some of the greatest hairstyling schools in her wallet. She is committed to leading an active life and specializes in men’s hairstyles, haircare, and coloring.