Men's Trends in 2015: Year of the Lumbersexual

Maybe we’re oversimplifying a bit, but it seems like men’s trends went one of two ways in 2015: wild and free, or tight and trimmed.

Man bun or undercut—the mystifying dilemma for men in 2015.

 

Men’s business was booming this year, and there was no shortage of new products, creative styles and literature on how to make sure you’re pulling in the ever-loyal male clientele segment.

 

“The man bun and top knot were big in 2015 as men expressed their individuality,” says Aileen Nunez, international education manager for Andis. As they say, if you’ve got it (hair), flaunt it.

 

This year saw length coming back in a big way in men’s hair. The man bun was a polarizing phenomenon elevated into the spotlight by actor and musician Jared Leto.

 

A second Leto-endorsed trend of 2015 was the beard. They were big, they were wooly, they were lumbersexual—a mix between a lumberjack and metrosexual resulting in a well-groomed man with a carefully maintained beard.

 

But on the opposite end of the spectrum, hard parts, undercuts and disconnected styles held strong this year. Macklemore, Justin Timberlake and Adam Levine have persisted as oft-replicated examples of the kind of severe styles that many men requested.

2016 Forecast

As for 2016? Nunez believes next year will be a little less hairy.

 

“The long hipster beards of the past few years have been going shorter and groomed,” Nunez says. “In 2016, beards will be more of either a stubble (three-day look) or clean-shaven. No more lumberjack beards.”

 

David Beckham’s perpetual 5-o’clock shadow is a good example of the shorter facial hair that might crop up next year. Nunez adds that tapers and fades will likely move toward a more blended, precision silhouette with longer length on top.

 

Public School’s spring/summer 2016 show, styled by Allen Ruiz for Aveda, is a good example of the more gradual tapers and longer top-lengths that are coming into favor.