Garfield is no stranger to a well-styled hairdo, but in recent months, the star has been noticeably growing out his hair. In March this year, the 42-year-old actor revealed a messier, shaggier ‘do at the premiere of his film The Magic Faraway Tree. What is usually a tamed and parted coif was replaced by a voluminous nape-grazing shag that has since grown even fuller.
“This is a great example of modern men’s grooming,” Aaron Chan, cofounders of Kings Domain Melbourne and Kings Domain Barbershops, says. “The hair has personality, movement and confidence. That’s exactly where we’re seeing men’s hair trends heading—less rigid, more authentic.”
Dubbing it the “modern maverick,” Chan’s cofounder at Kings Domain Joey Scandizzo describes Garfield’s hair as a layered medium-long cut that removes excess weight from the hair while allowing ample movement at the ends. Plus, the perimeter of the hair isn’t cut “too bluntly,” so that the hair doesn’t look as if it were freshly trimmed, but relaxed and natural.
The actor’s natural hair texture—thick and wavy—helps to accentuate the style’s shape and playfulness all while complementing his face structure. As Scandizzo notes, the hair softens his strong jawline, and the volume on the sides make it so his face doesn’t appear longer than it actually is.
Chan has noticed other public figures making the shift to looser locks, too. From Aaron Taylor Johnson to Jay-Z, longer hair has been dominating the men’s grooming space, in part because guys are more willing to put in the work to achieve the looks they want. “Men are also more confident using the right products, so they’re not afraid of styles that require a bit more movement and texture,” Chan says.
If you’re looking to grow out your hair like Garfield, remember that you can’t simply let your mane go wild. Maintenance for longer locks is arguably more important than that for short hair, so a good relationship (and regular contact) with a barber is a must. And with just the right amount of care and upkeep, you and your hair can serve courtside—or, you know, on a grocery run—too.