At the start of the year, we predicted a shift to more natural hairstyles and textures. We were bang on the money, but the crystal ball didn’t quite reveal the whole picture. A survey of lockdown hairstyles would probably include the Buzz It All Off, the Brave It Out and the less than successful Home Chopper. However you coped without your barber – scalp shorn like a convict or wild and tangled like a desert island castaway – we can now put our bad hair days behind us.

Salons and barbershops have been sharpening their tools and putting up Perspex screens to welcome back customers safely. Expect services to be appointment only (no walk-ins) and for staff to be wearing PPE, but it’s a small price to pay to finally get professionally groomed.

If you resisted the urge to cut your own hair during lockdown, you might find you’ve sailed past that awkward stage in the hair-growing process. The post-quarantine barnet, therefore, presents the ideal opportunity to give a new hairstyle a go.

There are ways to style out a low-grade buzz cut, maximise longer lengths and cover the accidental snips and slips from a home haircut. Mr Larry King, founder and creative director of two salons in the London neighbourhoods of Notting Hill and South Kensington, reopened his doors to clients (Messrs Jack Whitehall, Miles Kane, Dominic Cooper and Niall Horan are among them) this week. Below, he shares his expert advice on how to turn lockdown locks into six fresh looks, whatever your hair type.

If your first instinct was to reach for the clippers and shave it all off, chances are you’re dealing with a little fluff and fuzz right now. Resist the urge to repeat the process and go with the flow instead. Mr David Beckham recently posted a snap showing a softer, smoother style, which would suit men with straight, fine hair. This is a logical and stylish progression for anyone who got handy with the clippers and mastered the do-it-at-home all-over buzz. Further style inspiration can be taken from Mr Brad Pitt’s highlighted choppy spikes in Ocean’s Eleven and model turned actor Mr Jamie Dornan.

Get the look: “With this grown-out crop, the sides are as long as the chop and the hairline is broken up with little bits,” says Mr King. “It’s unkempt and undone. Ask your stylist to keep it all one length, but soften the shape around the hairline and add lots of texture. This can be achieved using thinning scissors. I would recommend using a soft-hold mousse on wet hair and then dry using a hairdryer with a nozzle. Finish with a little Velvet Texture Clay, rubbing it through the hair in all directions, for a textured finish.”

Guys who hunkered down with a classic chop may find they’ve finally achieved the long hair that they’ve always wanted. Previously unachievable without a tricky growing-out phase, you may have arrived here by patiently waiting to be reunited with your hairstylist. It’s the “dream length”, says Mr King. This longer style takes inspiration from a young Mr Robert Redford and his immortal golden waves. Model Mr Oliver Cheshire can thank lockdown for his recent hair nirvana. He has been sharing snaps on Instagram of his full waves and floppy fringe in a side or middle parting (both look good). Big-screen inspiration comes from Mr Pitt again, this time from his butterscotch mop in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. The bigger the hair, the better, for strong leading-man vibes.

Get the look: “For this look, you need to keep a strong base with shorter layers. Ask your stylist to keep it heavy around the ears,” says Mr King. “To style, apply some mousse or spritz some Volumizing Hair Mist onto wet hair. Dry using a hairdryer with a nozzle – I prefer the Dyson Supersonic – and use your fingers to pull out any fluff and to smooth the hair out. Finish with A Social Life For Your Hair Cream – it’s a multi-purpose grooming aid.”

Footballers enjoy keeping fans entertained with a parade of new hairstyles. Pre-lockdown, every Premier League match was a chance for them to show off a razor-sharp do. Generously paid international soccer stars regularly fly in their personal barbers for a spot of pre-match grooming, but the pause in matches also paused the pampering. And when the players re-emerged to play in front of empty stands, it was with refreshingly fade-free looks. Liverpool FC star Mr Trent Alexander-Arnold was an early adopter of this grown-out, natural style. His teammate, Mr Roberto Firmino, returned with a dense cluster of curls. And at Inter Milan, Mr Ashley Young surprised supporters with his thick head of hair. See also British rappers Mr Dizzee Rascal and Labrinth.

Get the look: Let the fade fade. There are no precise lines or hard, shaped edges. And ditch any chemical relaxants. “It’s all about embracing natural texture and a longer length,” says Mr King. He recommends using a hairdryer with a comb attachment for pulling out curls, easing out the length and perfecting the shape. Finish by rubbing a few drops of hair oil into the ends to condition and shine.

With roots in mod culture, Northern soul and the Manchester indie scene, this 1960s/1990s mash-up style is a very British thing. Many music icons, from The Beatles to The Stone Roses, have worn this highly shaped, front-heavy cut over the years. It’s a look that Messrs Alex Turner and Miles Kane favoured early in their careers, while Messrs Paul Weller and Liam Gallagher are long-time devotees. It’s also a style that inspires generations. Model Mr Lennon Gallagher has inherited his father’s style and singer-songwriter Mr Louis Tomlinson has been been nurturing a similar look. So, why is it right for now? It’s great on slightly grown-out styles and works by hiding a multitude of DIY haircut sins by blending uneven layers, spiky bits and undercuts and making use of new length at the sides and back.

Get the look: “This style is the best option for hairdressers to blend in any at-home mistakes because it’s a bit more forgiving,” says Mr King. “Thinning scissors will add a choppy texture, but can also be used to blend unintentional weight lines. To style, add some mousse to damp hair, blow-dry and use a matt texturising paste followed by a dry finishing spray for that worn-in, grungy finish.”

It’s controversial, but the simmering trend for mullets might be about to boil over. It’s easy to achieve with extra length at the back and grown-out layers on top. We appreciate there might be some resistance to this look, but there are plenty of cool examples that shouldn’t be overlooked. Actor Mr Rob Lowe likes to post pictures on Instagram from his early films and we are here for it. Consider his shaggy hair from 1980s Brat Pack classic St Elmo’s Fire your inspiration. The business-at the-front, party-at-the-back look was recently adopted by Stranger Things breakout star Mr Finn Wolfhard. It’s more balanced than previous iterations. The key is keeping the sides longer and the length at the back skimming the top of the collar.

Get the look: “This cut is about embracing the longer length, allowing a little more length and softness around the nape and edging towards just a hint of a mullet,” says Mr King. “Keep the styling products soft for this. A Social Life For Your Hair Cream is perfect.”

Has the quarantine revealed hidden silver? Banana bread aside, the past few months haven’t been a picnic. The sudden collision between home and work life, pivoting a business overnight or ploughing on as a frontline worker will undoubtedly have caused a certain amount of stress. That, and being unable to book in with a competent colourist, may have added more salt to your pepper. Fashion advisor and presenter Mr Tan France and Academy Award winner Mr Taika Waititi both had their silver look down before lockdown and embrace their natural asset with aplomb. 

Get the look: Mr Waititi’s signature style is something we can get behind – high, tight sides and wavy lengths on the crown. “Grey hair is super versatile,” says Mr King. “Personally, I like to leave a longer length on top for a more distinguished look. To really bring out the grey, use a mousse and blow-dry to smooth the cuticle, then use a finishing cream to add shine. Or, to bring out the curl, use a good curl cream and blow-dry using a diffuser attachment.” To keep the white bright, “use a silver shampoo once a week,” says Mr King. “This keeps the grey looking icy rather than yellow. Follow with a conditioner to prevent the hair feeling dry or wiry.”

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