Older Men's Haircuts, Decade by Decade: Your 40s, 50s, 60s and 70+

Nobody hands you a memo when you turn 40, 50 or 60, but your hair gets the news anyway. It thins in places, thickens in others (hello, eyebrows), changes color, changes texture, and starts growing out of your ears like it’s paying rent. None of that is a problem. It just means the haircut that worked at 28 probably isn’t the right one now. This is a guide to older men’s haircuts, decade by decade — what changes, what to ask for, and what to stop fighting.

One ground rule before we start: this isn’t about looking younger. It’s about looking like a well-kept version of the man you are. A good cut at 65 reads as confident. A 25-year-old’s cut on a 65-year-old reads as trying. There’s a difference, and your barber can see it from across the room.

What actually changes as you get older

Every head is different, but a few things show up for most men sooner or later.

• Thinning and recession. Male-pattern hair loss is extremely common and largely genetic. MedlinePlus has a clear, non-scary overview of androgenetic alopecia if you want the science. For haircut purposes, what matters is where it’s happening: temples, crown, or all over.
• Gray and white hair. Many men find gray hair feels coarser or wirier than it used to, and it can stick up or refuse to lie flat in ways your old hair didn’t.
• Hair in new places. Longer, wilder eyebrows. Ear and nose hair. These are small details, but they’re often what makes a fresh cut look unfinished.
• Different priorities. Fewer guys want to spend ten minutes with a blow dryer. Most want a simple man’s hairstyle that looks good with a towel-dry and a comb.

Good hairstyles for older men work with all of that instead of pretending it isn’t happening.

Your 40s: the decade of adjustments

The 40s are when a lot of men first see their hair do something new. The temples start to move back a little. The first gray shows up at the sides. The crown might get a bit sparse. Most of the time, you still have plenty to work with — it’s just time to make smarter choices with it.

40s hairstyles, male edition: what works

• The short taper with some length on top. Clean sides that taper down to the neckline, an inch or two on top, pushed back or to the side. It’s the most dependable cut there is for a man in his 40s, and it works in an office or on a Saturday.
• A loose side part. Not the hard, shaved-in part — a natural part that follows how your hair already wants to fall. It looks grown-up without looking stiff.
• A textured crop if your hairline is starting to recede. Bringing the top forward with some texture softens the temples without hiding anything.

What to stop doing in your 40s

Stop growing the top longer to cover a thinning spot. Longer hair separates and shows more scalp, not less. If the temples are moving, our post on the best haircuts for a receding hairline goes deep on this. The short version: go a little shorter, add texture, and let it be what it is.

Also, this is the decade to stop fighting gray at the sides. A little silver at the temples looks good on almost everyone. We don’t color hair at the shop — if you want color, a salon is the place to ask — but honestly, most guys look better when they leave it alone.

Your 50s: shorter, cleaner, more deliberate

Men’s hairstyles over 50 tend to get a little shorter and a lot more intentional. You may have more gray than not by now. The crown or the front might be noticeably thinner. And you’ve probably figured out that you don’t want to wrestle with your hair every morning.

Mens hairstyles over 50 that hold up

• The classic short back and sides. Scissor-cut on top, clippers or scissors on the sides, a clean finish at the neck. Ask for it "short and neat, natural taper at the neck." If you’re curious about the trade-offs between tools, see scissor cut vs. clipper cut.
• The crew cut. Short all over with a touch more length at the front. It’s tidy, it hides thinning well, and you can style it with your fingers. There’s a breakdown in crew cut vs. buzz cut.
• The swept-back cut if your hair is still reasonably thick on top. A little length, brushed back, low-shine product. It’s a confident look and gray hair actually shows it off well.

The word I’d use for mature men’s hairstyles in this decade is "deliberate." Everything should look like you meant it: a clean neckline, tidy sideburns, eyebrows that don’t wander. That’s where your barber earns his keep — not on the top of your head, but on the edges.

Styling gray hair without a fight

If your gray has gone coarse and won’t lie down, more product is rarely the answer. A heavier, shinier product can make gray look greasy and flat. Try a small amount of a light cream or a matte paste worked in with your fingers, then comb it into place. Cutting the sides a little shorter also helps, because coarse hair puffs out at the sides first. Ask your barber which product suits your hair; they’re looking at it up close every few weeks and can usually tell you in one sentence.

Beards in your 50s

A lot of men grow a beard or a mustache in their 50s, and gray facial hair can look sharp. The key is keeping it shorter and more defined than you might at 30. Gray beard hair can look wiry when it gets long. A Classic & Beard keeps your haircut and beard on the same schedule; if you’re not sure which shape suits you, look through beard trim styles first.

Your 60s: simple, sharp and easy to live with

By your 60s, most men have a pretty clear picture of what their hair is doing. Maybe it’s thinner all over. Maybe there’s a bald crown and good sides. Maybe you got lucky and it’s thick and white. Whatever you’ve got, the best mens hairstyles for an older man in this decade have one thing in common: they’re simple.

What works in your 60s

• Short and tidy all over. When the top is thin, a uniform short length makes everything look fuller and more even. Ask for a short taper with the top just long enough to comb.
• The classic side part, softened. If your hair is still full enough, a side part with the top combed over looks great with white hair. Keep the sides shorter than you would have at 40 so it doesn’t get puffy.
• The close buzz. If the top has mostly retired, going short all over is often the cleanest answer. Pair it with a neat beard or mustache and it’s a strong look, not a resigned one.

The worst thing you can do in your 60s is hold onto length you don’t have. A long strand combed across a bald patch isn’t fooling anyone, and it’s more work than just cutting it short. Every barber has had the conversation. It always goes better than the guy expects.

The details that matter most now

This is the decade where eyebrows, ears and nose do the most to make a haircut look finished — or not. Ask your barber to tidy the brows when you’re in the chair. At our Williamsville shop, we also offer brow, ear and nose waxing by appointment; there’s a full explanation in brow, ear and nose waxing in Williamsville. It’s quick, and it does more for your overall look than most haircuts.

And if you still shave, a hot towel shave is worth trying at least once. Pre-shave oil, hot lather, hot towels and aftercare. It’s 30 minutes of nobody asking you for anything.

70 and beyond: comfort first, then style

Past 70, the goals get even simpler: a cut that’s comfortable, clean around the ears and neck, and easy to keep up. Hair often gets finer and slower-growing, but the edges — neck, ears, brows — keep growing like they have somewhere to be.

• Keep it short around the ears. Hair over the ears looks untidy faster than anything else, especially with white hair.
• A neat neckline. A clean, natural taper at the back is much easier to keep than a blocked line, which shows growth quickly.
• Easy styling. Comb it, done. If you use a product at all, a light cream or a little water is usually enough.

If getting to the shop has become a hassle, it’s worth knowing that we do House Calls — a barber comes to your home, office or hotel anywhere in Western New York, by appointment, starting at $225. For a lot of families, that’s an easy way to keep Dad or Grandpa looking like himself.

How to ask for older men’s haircuts in the chair

You don’t need fancy vocabulary. Most good older men’s haircuts can be described in a sentence or two. Here’s what helps your barber the most:

1. Say how much you want to do in the morning. "I want to towel-dry and comb it" is enormously useful information.
2. Point out the problem spots. A thin crown, a cowlick, a stubborn bit at the temples. We’d rather know up front.
3. Say how long you want it to last. Shorter, tidier cuts look best when you come in every three to four weeks. There’s more on timing in how often should you get a haircut.
4. Ask about the edges. Brows, ears, sideburns, neck. A finished cut is about all of them.

If you want a few more ideas that need almost nothing between visits, our list of low-maintenance haircuts for men has several that suit guys of any age.

Coming from Glen Park? Here’s the short drive

Glen Park, at 5565 Main St., is the village park at Glen Falls on Ellicott Creek — a good spot for a walk if you’re in the Village of Williamsville. From there, the shop is about 4 minutes away, roughly 1.2 miles via Main St.

1. Head northeast on Glen Ave (0.1 mi).
2. Turn right onto Mill St (0.2 mi).
3. Turn left onto Main St (0.9 mi).
4. Turn left into 6100 Main St — the shop is on the left.

Open these directions in Google Maps

Come see us in Williamsville

Our Williamsville shop is at 6100 Main St., open Tuesday through Friday 9AM to 6PM and Saturday 8AM to 12PM, closed Sunday and Monday. I’m there along with Dave, Michael and Bryan, and we see a lot of men from Williamsville, Amherst and Snyder. You can meet everyone on the barbers page, see the full menu on the services page, or read more about the shop in choosing a barber shop in Williamsville, NY. Closer to Tonawanda? Both shops are on the locations page.

A Classic cut is 30 minutes, from $25, and you’ll see each barber’s exact rate before you confirm. Book online or call 716-389-0192. Walk-ins are welcome when there is an open chair — appointments are encouraged, so call 716-389-0192 to confirm someone is free.

Whatever decade you’re in, bring the hair you’ve got. We’ll make it look like you meant it.