The quiff belongs to one of the most long-playing men’s hairstyles. It has undergone a lot of changes to adjust to the modern day. Its versatility allows everyone, from baby to adult, to sport this haircut successfully. Not only is it appropriate for different age brackets but also for various occasions. In case you have been considering trying out the quiff haircut, we are here to guide you on the right path.
What Is A Quiff Hairstyle?
The quiff hairstyle is created with the short sides and long top hair. Usually, the quiff is styled voluminous and a little messy. You can brush it back or comb over to one side. Being side by side with the most popular mens medium hairstyles like disconnected undercut and pompadour, the quiff brands into your mind with its striking contrast. However, its messy and curved look sets the quiff apart from other cuts.
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The History Of Haircut
Even though the hairstyle had already existed before the wartime, it became commonly worn only after the end of the war. It popped up as the reaction to the flat and dull medium hairstyles for men engaged in the hostilities. However, the real breakthrough occurred with the rock ‘n’ roll emergence. The quif was harnessed by the teens as an overnight symbol of the revolt.
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Choose Your Quiff Correctly
As the quiff has many variations, it’s crucial to choose the style that will be becoming on you. First and foremost factor to consider is the shape of your face. Basically, any face shape is suitable for a quiff haircut, but the up-do is the most beneficial for Asian hair. And it’s not about the hair, it’s about the round face shape, which appears elongated with the voluminous hair on top of the head. Note though if your face is extremely thin, the high hairstyle will make it oblong and sharp. So, probably, it’s worth considering other medium length hairstyles for men. For the men with larger ears, the quiff is also not the best choice because it’ll make them stick out even more. And lastly, if you have kinky or fine hair, this hairdo won’t probably work for you too.
Quiff VS Pompadour
Although these two haircuts are very tightly related, they still have a slight difference. The traditional quiff hair look seems rather modest in comparison with the dashing pompadour hairstyle. A quiff suggests the sides and back cut short, while the longer top hair is swept up and down. You can dishevel, comb or straighten it, which gives you more styling options. The pompadour, in turn, also follows the “short on the sides and long on top” kind of haircut. However, the pomp is usually swept back, which gives the hair more polished and accurate look.
Key Quiff Hairstyles For Men
The best way to find your perfect quiff hairstyle is to experiment with every possible option. However, it’s not the best idea to start with a complex and sophisticated style. Try out the basic quiff first. Once you’ve mastered it, move on to our ultimate list of the most flattering quiff cuts.
Classic Quiffed Hairstyle
Even though this is the basic version of the style, it still remains extremely popular and saucy. To create the classic men’s quiff, you need to cut the hair on the sides and back a bit shorter than the top hair. Ask the barber to leave about four-five inches length on the top and cut the sides short. However, be careful not to get a fade or a disconnected cut because this isn’t our case. To style the classic quiff haircut, start with washing your hair and drying it with a towel. Then apply a bead of a matte paste and create the desired volume with a blow dryer and a comb. To add some sheen and structure to the quiff, work in a pomade, moving from front to back.
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Modern Quiff
Current fashion trends allow the modern quiff to have a more striking contrast between the top and the sides than it used to be in the past. Keep in mind that the hair at the forehead should be the longest. As for the styling options, use matte hair products because a glossy mens hairstyle highlights how old the cut is.
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Short Quiff
There is arguably nothing as good as a simple short mens quiff hairstyle. While not requiring much maintenance or styling, this delicate flick in the front adds a playful and brisk twist to your appearance. For extra emphasis, you can go for a quiff undercut or taper on the back and sides.
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Quiff Fade
A quiff and a fade go together like peanut butter and jelly. Not only do they create a neat and dapper appearance, but they also allow you to make the hair on top a focal point of your whole look. If you want your haircut to give a more impactful impression, consider a high quiff fade. For a rather moderate flair, opt for a low fade haircut.
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Neat And Clean Quiffed Side Part
Do you have a nine-to-five job and need a way to style your quiff so that it doesn’t break the dress code rules? To achieve this look, stock up on a generous amount of hair wax and a fine-tooth comb. Work in the product into the quiff with your hands and comb it thoroughly to the side.
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Messy Quiff
Sometimes, it seems that a quiff was meant to be styled messy. It looks so natural and careless that we just can’t get enough of it. Besides, the styling doesn’t require any specific effort. Simply dishevel the locks atop with your hands and a tad of a hairstyling product and you’re pretty much good to go.
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Slicked Back Quiff
Quiff haircuts are no stranger to elegance. When styled properly, they can excel even the most refined and sophisticated hairstyle you can possibly imagine. To pull off the look, you should not necessarily sleek your hair completely. A couple of loose strands will give your hairstyle strong appeal.
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Quiffed Curls
Here’s another modern take on a classic quiff hairstyle. When you get the sides and back undercut, it instantly creates much contrast and edge, making the hair at the front of your head the focal point of the whole look. Hence, ensure that you’ve really taken care to make it textured and intricate.
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Undercut Side Part
The undercut haircut complements a quiff perfectly. This is just the timeless classics. The undercut hairstyle looks better with the thick long thatch on the top. Thus, the contrast between the top and the sides is all this haircut is about. The undercut can have a gradual transition or be of even length. To give your haircut an edgy and structured look, apply a salt spray to it before blow-drying and separate the strands with the matte clay.
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Neat Quiff
Seeking a hairstyle that would be office-appropriate? Your search stops here. A neatly quaffed hair style will give you everything you are looking for and even more. It allows you to show off your masculine facial features while keeping your kinks in good trim. A low fade is what will definitely not hurt this polished hair look.
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Psychobilly Quif
The psychobilly quiff or as it’s sometimes called the wedge quiff is hyperbolical, in places cartoonish variation of the cut that includes the features of a Mohawk. Ideally, you should have the sides and back of your head shaved completely. If this is too much for you, go with the undercut fade. The fun part of this look is that the hair on top should be cut and styled as a reverse shark fin. As for the styling products, opt for a strong-hold pomade. And as a final touch, add some hairspray to secure the quiff in its place.
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Textured Quiff
Most likely, you won’t be able to sport the textured quiff at the office, only on Casual Friday perhaps. The messy quiff looks tranquil, carefree, even a bit frivolous. There is no room for smoothness and gloss. You’re expected to use matte styling products that will give your hair the texture. This hairstyle is also very practical as it can disguise the hair disheveled by the wind or naturally unruly locks.
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Spiky Quiff Fade
Are you running late and have no time to style your hair? A messy mens quiff will help you out. All you have to do is to tousle your quaf hair with a tad of a hairstyling product and you are good to go. However, for the best result, it pays to have a more defined cut, such as an undercut quiff.
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Simple Quiff With Beard
This quaff hair style can be defined as simplicity at its finest. Nothing distracts attention from your face or general appearance, which makes a full rugged beard an awesome accompaniment for such a look. However, should you decide to go for a lighter version, such as a subtle scruff, it will work perfectly too.
Rockabilly Look
The classic rockabilly hair quiff includes a shaved or combed parting on the side and a fade all the way down the top hair. Such rockabilly hair men often call the “ducktail” because of the central parting and curled in side sections. As for the hair styling product, go with a pomade.
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Side-Parted Hairstyle
The side part haircut can be converted from most of the quiff styles. To get the look, you just need to create a side part using a comb. Work in the styling product into the sides of your hair with the hands. Then comb the hair on top up in opposite to the parting direction and give it the desired shape. To give the cut the final touch, use the styling product with a sheen.
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Faux Hawk Inspired
Styling your hair without any additional tools is becoming more and more popular. And that’s when your hands come into play. Just scoop a nickel-sized amount of hair wax onto your finger, rub it between the hands and rake the quiff with the fingers to comb it to the side. In this way, you’ll create an elegant yet trendy hairstyle that suits any occasion.
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Modern Tousled Quiff
To pull off a modern tousled quiff hairstyle, you’ll need to employ hair mousse, a brush and a blow dryer. Apply the mousse to the hair while it’s still damp and using the blower, style the quiff with the brush. Even though it’s not a completely effortless hairstyle, you can rest assured that the final result will fully pay off with compliments you’re going to collect left and right.
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Messy Blow Out
Although this quiff looks like the wind has styled your hair, in reality, you need to spend quite some time to make it look like that. A messy blow out quiff can be achieved with the help of hair gel and a hair drier. Then, you may want to additionally style your locks with fingers for a more textured natural look.
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Asian Quiff
It seems that Asian hair is made for a quiff hairstyle. Thanks to its thickness and stiffness, an Asian quiff can effortlessly keep the desired shape. All you have to do is to cut your hair on the sides and back short while leaving a bit longer hair in the front and you are all set.
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Curly Quiff
When it comes to a quiff, there are no restrictions in terms of hair texture. Thus, if you have wavy or curly tresses, you will still be able to nail this hairstyle. Moreso, with such a defined hair type, you will not have to get a special cut to rock a textured quiff.
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Long Blowdried Quiff
It is safe to say that quiffs come in all sizes and shapes. Thus, if you feel like committing to long hair, a quiff may easily become your style of choice. While there are tons of ways to wear it, a long blowdried quiff is what makes our jaw drop.
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Side Quiff
Being one of the most popular brush up hairstyles, a modern quiff offers you a myriad of styling options. To restore balance in your facial features, a side quiff hair style can be your real savior. Besides, as it looks clean and elegant, you can flaunt it to almost any event.
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The Breezy Quiff With Side Part
Are you in the mood for something relaxed and carefree? This breezy quiff doesn’t require much styling if any, yet looks trendy and flattering. Simply push the hair at the front to the side with your fingers allowing it to fall freely. In such a way, it will create a natural side part, which adds definition to the look.
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Brushed Back With High Volume
One of the best things about a quiff is that its shape allows you to create an illusion of abundant hair even if it isn’t. To channel it, brush all the hair up and then back engaging hair mousse and a blow dryer to create the desired volume. Push the top of the hair together to give it a bit of a point and finish off with a spritz of hair spray.
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How To Style A Quiff At Home (Tutorials & Tips)
If you know how to style mens hair, then styling a quif won’t be a problem for you. Here are a few steps that will provide you with the concise information on how to style hair with a quiff.
- Wash your hair and towel-dry it.
- Rub in the styling product into the quiff (it can be a mousse, pomade, wax or putty).
- Blow-dry the hair, creating volume by pulling it in different directions.
- Finish with adjusting and styling the quif the way you like.
After learning how to style hair men are welcome to start practicing. However, if you have shorter hair, just keep on reading.
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How To Style Short Hair
There is nothing seemingly difficult in the way how to style short hair. However, to succeed in styling your short quiff, remember these easy tips:
- When pulling off the short quiff, place the texture over volume.
- Maintain the balance between the hair on the sides and back and the hair on top.
- Don’t overdo it with the styling products because instead of textured, you can get the greasy look.
So now, you’ve learned how to style short hair men usually leave unattended.
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How To Style Long Hair
In case you are wondering how to style long hair men rarely opt for, here are some ideas:
- Shift the focus from the texture to the volume.
- Use sufficient amount of the styling product as the longer hair tends to weigh itself down.
- Upkeep the hairdo regularly during the day.
After learning how to style long hair, it’s time for the kinky locks.
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How To Style Curly Hair
In case you are confused with the question of how to style curly hair men usually prefer not to pair with a quif, we’re here to help you out. Even though it’s uncommon, the curly quiff can look outstandingly good.
You just need to know how to style curly hair:
- Cut the side and back hair exceptionally short, which will make the curls stand out even more.
- Go with a tapered undercut to enhance the contrast even more.
- If you find the curls really annoying, use a hair straightener to get rid of them.
Source: @roque_80via Instagram
No matter what hair type and length you have, the quiff is the haircut that is definitely worth trying. You can transform it from messy to sleek in one step. You can wear it side-parted or curly. This modernized tribute to the old days gives you an unlimited range of styling options. So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself a quiff!
FAQs
How long should your hair be for a quiff?
So, how long should your hair be for a quiff to finally arrange a meeting with a barber? While the back will be buzzed with a guard number 1/2 or 1, the top should be about 3” in length.
What do I tell my barber for a quiff?
If you hesitate, what do I tell my barber for a quiff, ask them to buzz the neckline area closely and get the sides faded from the middle to the top, which, in turn, should be point cut for a textured finish.
What is a modern quiff haircut?
If you are unsure about what is a modern quiff haircut, we are here to dispel all your doubts. This is the hairstyle that adheres to the principle “long on top, short on the sides.” The frontal section of the hair is usually ample and high and styled either combed over or brushed back with a bit of a messy flair. This is an edgy and contrasty look that has a disheveled and angled silhouette.
REFERENCES:
- The quiff is a hairstyle that combines the 1950s pompadour hairstyle, the 1950s flattop, and sometimes a mohawk. Source
- Badass haircut from the 50’s, worn by guys that would kick your ass anyday. Source
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