Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Have hair, will style

Gels, mousses and hair styling creams have all found a new clientele — Men. Oh, they simply love to flaunt their mane, writes SUBHA J RAO

When Pappu was a bonny boy, his mother lovingly oiled and combed his hair in the style that was the rage then. At 59, Pappu still coaxes the few hairs on his pate into complying with a centre parting. That, for you, is yesterday's male. He took the style designed by his mom to his grave. Today's men, happily enough, are more enterprising when it comes to matters of the hair.

STYLE STATEMENT The mane way

They care little for comments and go all the way when it comes to teasing their hair into styles that gel with any occasion. Sticking to the same style is passé. What's in big time is dressing up, hair included. From teasing it into soft curls that frame the face, to spiking it up with a gel to creating bangs that lend a casual look, men are game for everything.

Change is in the air

Take even tier-two cities, usually home to a lot of "decently-dressed" people.

Hair stylists say that though a majority of people there just want to look "decent and presentable", the winds of change are slowly blowing through at least some manes. "Those in the age group of 15-25 are willing to experiment," says Francis David Raj, beautician at The Residency.

Take the case of a 25-year-old who wanted to rock at a New Year party. Francis thinned his hair, spiked it with wax and bleached the tip white.

College students, who flip for anything colourful, are hair stylists' best clients. They are game to experiment, the hole in the pocket be damned, stylists say. "Streaking and colouring the hair are all right once in a while. Like drinking. Frequent use will show on the hair quality," Francis tells his clients. His logic? "I am in business only as long as people have hair. So, I am frank with them."

Age no bar

Noted hairstylist Jawed Habib says men are now quite interested in trying out different hairstyles, age notwithstanding.

"I once gave a punk look to a 41-year-old and then coloured his hair blue," he recalls.

However, it is prudent to think twice before going in for any drastic change in the way you look.

At Habib's salon, people are counselled beforehand.

Ask him if clients trust him implicitly with their hair, and he says: "My clients always end up trusting me. I am like a doctor to them."

It's so easy

The sheer ease of styling hair seems to be driving this market. "The logic is simple. I need to look good. If I have money, I go to a parlour. Else, I do it at home," says Ganesh, a marketing executive.

That is something Habib agrees with.

"Men are more willing to spend time in front of the mirror, teasing their hair with gels or mousses. These styling aids are used a lot these days." As for trends, he says most love copying film stars, but some design their own look.

Chennai-based Rachael, who does a lot of styling work in the field of advertising, however, discourages her clients from flipping for the filmi look.

"Go for a cut that suits your face. A lot of time goes into styling an actor's hair. It is impossible to achieve that look every day."

Cuts, bangs and highlights might be the buzzwords today, but the underlying point is a well-groomed you.

"A good hairstyle makes you presentable and adds to your confidence," concludes Francis.

Heads turned when