A Guide to Losing Your Hair (But Not Your Style)

by Phillip Paoletta  |  in Grooming

Hey Gents,

Today, we’re addressing a topic some of you may have experience with: going bald. Apparently, 40% of males in their mid-thirties have experienced some degree of noticeable hair loss. If you’re in this group and you think you’re alone, you’re not.

Our guest author today is Phillip Paoletta. He’ll go over dealing with hair loss, ways to own it, and how to design your style with your hair situation in mind.

Going bald was once the first step on the path to Rogaine or a glorified toupee.

Things have changed.

More than ever before, guys are deciding to own male pattern baldness rather than fight it. Rogaine and Hair Club for Men may not go out of business anytime soon, but the hair loss treatment industry has clearly lost some of its momentum in recent years.

Of course, most guys still fear hair loss. Accepting baldness may not be easy at first, but it’s one of those paradoxical situations where embracing the thing that you fear ends up being liberating and empowering.

However, when it comes to style, it may seem as if bald guys are at a disadvantage. After all, you have one less element to work with. But if you play your cards right, your lack of hair can actually be an asset. Heed the following tips to look your best as a bald guy:

1. Buzz down your remaining hair or shave it off entirely

"Safe" UK Premiere - ArrivalsCombovers and toupees were once popular tools to “look good” as a bald guy. This is no longer the case. Instead of trying to cover up your hair loss, embrace it.

Buzz down your hair a la Jason Statham, or go for a clean shave. It’s not just that this look is now culturally acceptable; you can call it cleaner, more manly, whatever… it simply looks better.

Afraid to take the leap? Commit to 30 days and start with a low setting on the clippers, but not necessarily “0.”

Once you walk around for a few days and realize that you are no longer hiding anything, and your world is not going up in flames, you may find that you have more self-confidence than ever.

2. Pick clothes and accessories that complement your skin tone and your eye color

As a bald guy, your skin tone and eye color are more prominent. Use this to your advantage.

Wearing colors that match your eye color will help draw additional attention to your eyes. When it comes to skin tone, pick colors that offer a contrast. For example, if you have a pale skin tone, opt for warmer, darker colors over light ones.

The hair on your head may have provided some contrast with your skin. It’s no longer there, so you need to be more deliberate with your efforts to create contrast on your own. For more on color, see this article.

3. Experiment with facial hair

Hair can still be a component of your personal style. That hair just won’t be rooted in your scalp. Facial hair adds contrast and provides an opportunity to create different looks.

Invest in some beard trimmers and start experimenting. There are plenty of options, from a bit of stubble to a goatee to a full beard.

Not happy with how your facial hair looks? It only takes a few minutes to shave it off and start from scratch.

4. Add accessories

Accessories are often featured here on EG (see here), and they can play a particularly important role for bald guys.

As with some of the aforementioned items, accessories provide bald guys with an additional style element. Sunglasses, bandanas, hats and watches all provide you with another layer to work with.

Don’t let a hat become a crutch, however. The idea is not to wear one every waking moment, but rather to use it occasionally to complement the rest of your wardrobe.

5. Frame your head the right way

rome-style-by-daniela-11If you’re bald or balding, low hanging crew neck t-shirts may not be a good idea – everything will just blend together.

Collars, on the other hand, can help frame your head, and bald guys might actually be at an advantage when it comes to turtle necks.

If you are planning on wearing a collarless shirt, try going with a different neckline, such as a v-neck, which can provide a contrasting linear element to the curvature of your head.

Note how the gent to the right uses a collared shirt, sharp peak lapels, and square glasses to break up the rounder lines of his head.

A final note…

While these tips will help you look good as a bald guy, they won’t get you very far if you ignore more fundamental style points.

EG has repeatedly emphasized the importance of fit, and it’s worth repeating once more. It doesn’t matter how well a collar frames your head or a shirt matches your eye color if the piece of clothing simply doesn’t fit.

Be sure to explore the rest of EG (check out the ‘start here‘ page) and get the basics down first!

Thanks, Phillip! Over to you guys. Any experience with hair loss? How’d you deal / how are you currently dealing with it? Let’s chat about it in the comments below.