Main image courtesy of NKiQ on Reddit, The Modest Man, and Pinterest
The styling of one’s hair is one of the oldest and most important means of self-expression there is. You can tell a lot about a person by how they wear their hair and conversely hair can be a great way to make a statement. For example, long hair is often associated with freedom and fun whereas shorter styles give off a more reserved or serious vibe.
The possibilities are almost endless when it comes to hairstyles, so it’s no wonder that people often turn to the internet for the latest hair trends that will make them stand out from the crowd. One such hairstyle is making the rounds on social media, a style that’s not exactly new but has recently had a resurgence under a new name: The Warrior Cut. GQ wrote an exhaustive piece on the Warrior Cut that will serve as the basis of our discussion.
In this article, we’ll give you the skinny on all things Warrior Cut, including:
By the end of this article, you’ll be ready to rock a Warrior Cut of your own.
Have you ever wanted a haircut that looks nice but effortless at the same time? Like you just rolled out of bed with a picturesque head of hair? Well, you’re not alone. The elegant, but seemingly effortless “Bed head” look has been particularly popular with women’s hair styles for some time now. The rise of the Warrior Cut is one of several attempts to bring a “roll out of bed” style to men’s hair care. Such styles have fallen in and out of popularity with each generation as tastes change. The Wolf Cut is another, more gender-neutral take on an effortless style that’s gained popularity in the past year or so.
The Warrior Cut is versatile in that it has a general look that can be styled differently according to your tastes. You can see in our example pictures that while all the haircuts have the same “messy” vibe, they all have slight variations on the length in certain areas and where the hair falls on their face.
That same versatility extends to the face shapes that the Warrior Cut is suited for. A messy style can be a nice contrast to sharp, chiseled features. A round head shape can also work if the cut is shorter, styled for a suit.
According to Google Trends, the Warrior Cut has a popularity spike dating back to 2019. But the Warrior Cut renaissance as we know it started, as with many online trends today, on TikTok, picking up steam in the latter half of the summer. Again, messy styles identical to the Warrior Cut have existed for decades, but the term likely got more traction due to TikToks from the user Europilled. Since first using the term in March, the wellness influencer has made several TikToks about his Warrior Cut hairstyle, most of them comedic in nature. His most popular Tiktok featuring the Warrior Cut garnered over 400,000 likes.
You might notice people in the comments of some of his videos likening the Warrior Cut to the hair style of Tyler Durden from the movie Fight Club. And judging by earlier videos on Europilled’s profile cosplaying as the character, it’s likely he took some inspiration from the movie.
Many will recognize Fight Club as a classic but somewhat controversial film that deeply resonated with certain audiences. No wonder then that the hair style of a fan favorite character like Tyler Durden, played by the much-acclaimed actor Brad Pitt, would catch on years later. If you’ve watched the film, you’ll find that Tyler exudes a sort of effortlessly cool aura that pairs well with his scraggly hair style. You’ll find that several pictures of the Warrior Cut in this article are of Tyler Durden’s hair style.
A number of actors have had Warrior Cuts over the years. Leonardo DiCaprio had one in the 90s. Jensen Ackles had one during a photoshoot for The Boys. Nicholas Galitzine has one in his role in The Idea of You. And Austin Butler has a wild Warrior Cut, mullet combo going on in some pictures.
If you're set on rocking a Warrior Cut of your own, then you're in luck. The process of getting and maintaining the style is rather simple. Not surprising, given it’s supposed to look easy.
First, you’ll need a haircut. George Polydorou, a barber at Delilah Hair Studio in Brunswick East, Australia, told GQ how he handles a Warrior Cut: “Essentially, it’s a short, messy cut. The length on top is textured with ‘point cutting’ to create short and long—think peaks and valleys—variations in the hair to break the ‘solidness’ of top.” It should be finished with “a soft taper, achieved with scissors to square up the sides and back without being too ‘fade like’.” The sides and back should blend evenly with the length of the rest of your hair.
Give these details to your barber to get the right look and remember to keep 3 to 4 inches on top so that you style it later. Of course, if you want to be extra sure that your barber gets it right, you can always show them a picture of the Warrior Cut that they can reference.
Once you’ve got the cut, you can style it to your preferences. Polydorou offered these styling tips: “Towel dry your hair well, then mess it up with your hands to set up the shape,” and “Apply a strong hold, medium matte paste to bring out the textures more.” Make sure any gels you use aren’t too viscous and that you apply them to your roots instead of the scalp.
Salt sprays that add volume can be another fine addition to the style, giving it a worn, “I woke up like this” sheen. You can always add more gel or spray throughout the day If you feel your style falling flat.
Now that you know all there is to know about the Warrior Cut, will it be the next style you ask for at the barber shop? Are messy styles your jam or do you like a more pristine cut? Regardless, you're sure to meet more people with the Warrior Cut as it gains more traction, so you better get used to it.
