The faux hawk is the mohawk’s diplomatic cousin – all the attitude, half the commitment. It delivers the distinctive hawk silhouette without shaving your head, making it the perfect compromise between rebellion and responsibility. This is the style that took the mohawk from punk clubs to corporate boardrooms.
What Makes It “Faux”
The faux hawk, also known as the fohawk, is a modern men’s hairstyle with longer, spiky hair on top and a short taper, fade or undercut on the sides. The key word is “short” – not shaved. The sides remain, creating the mohawk shape through styling rather than removal.
The modern faux hawk is a men’s hairstyle or haircut with a longer strip at the top and an undercut, fade, taper, or shorter-length cut around the sides. It’s an illusion – you’re creating the mohawk effect without the mohawk commitment.
The Beckham Effect
David Beckham changed everything when he wore a faux hawk in the early 2000s. Suddenly, the mohawk-inspired look was mainstream, professional, and sexy. Just ask David Beckham, who helped popularise the faux hawk haircut by rocking one himself.
The Beckham faux hawk wasn’t punk – it was polished. It showed that you could reference rebellion without committing to it. Soccer moms started giving their kids faux hawks. Investment bankers wore them to client meetings. The mohawk had been domesticated.
Why It Works
The faux hawk succeeds because it’s adaptable:
This men’s hairstyle with short sides and long top offers a clean, edgy look that suits casual and professional settings. You can dial it up or down depending on the situation.
Morning: Style it conservatively for work Evening: Spike it up for drinks Weekend: Let it go messy and textured Meeting: Slick it back completely
One haircut, multiple personalities.
Anatomy of a Faux Hawk
The classic faux hawk structure:
- Sides: 1-3 inches, tapered or faded
- Top: 2-4 inches for styling flexibility
- Width: The entire top of the head (not just a strip)
- Blend: Gradual transition from sides to top
- Shape: Creates height and volume in the center
Instead of shaving the sides of the head completely, the hair on the sides is typically shorter or faded while the hair on top is left longer and styled upwards toward the center.
Popular Faux Hawk Variations
The Classic Faux Hawk
Long and full on top and short around the sides, the classic faux hawk shares a space with the modern quiff and pompadour as a style that’s approachable, singular and sharp all at once. This is the standard – moderate length difference, styled up but not extreme.
The Burst Fade Faux Hawk
With a burst fade taper faux hawk back, this look features a rounded, curved fade around the ears, enhancing the longer hair on top. The circular fade pattern adds modern sophistication.
The Short Faux Hawk
Perfect for conservative environments. The short faux hawk features short hair on top with a slight lift in the center, complemented by short faux hawk fade sides that blend seamlessly. Subtle but still distinctive.
The Long Faux Hawk
This hairstyle for men features longer hair on top, which can be styled into dramatic spikes or a sleek, combed back look. Maximum styling options, from wild to refined.
The Messy Faux Hawk
The Messy Faux Hawk blends bold energy with casual texture, making it a top pick for guys who love carefree volume. Uses natural texture rather than heavy product.
The Faux Hawk Mullet
Yes, it exists. That faux hawk mullet is very popular these days. Shaving from just behind the ears towards the front on the side and letting the top and back free. The ultimate hybrid of hybrids.
Styling Techniques
Getting the perfect faux hawk requires technique:
For Volume: Use some sea salt spray and apply to damp, clean hair. Then use a hair dryer to blast it dry, using your fingers to lift the front to create a messy quiff then finish with a matte paste.
For Definition: Use strong-hold gel or pomade. Work from back to front, pushing hair toward the center. Create height gradually from the nape to the crown.
For Texture: Use a blow dryer and Molding Paste to shape the strands into place without stiffness.
For Natural Look: Apply light product to damp hair. Blow dry while lifting with fingers. Finish with texture powder for grip without shine.
Face Shape Compatibility
The faux hawk is surprisingly universal:
Round Faces: The vertical height adds length and slims the face Square Faces: Softens angular features while maintaining masculinity Oval Faces: Perfect balance – can handle any faux hawk variation Diamond Faces: Best suited for diamond or triangle face shapes. Long Faces: Keep it shorter and wider to avoid adding too much height
The Professional Advantage
When the sides are kept regularly trimmed, it’s professional enough for any office. This is the faux hawk’s superpower – it’s corporate-approved rebellion.
A fohawk haircut also means you get a variety of choices when it comes to styling your hair. Style it down for the boardroom, up for the bar.
Maintenance Requirements
The faux hawk is surprisingly low-maintenance:
Haircuts: Every 3-4 weeks to maintain shape Daily Styling: 5-10 minutes Products: $20-40 monthly Professional Cost: $25-50 per cut
Compare this to a traditional mohawk’s daily 20-30 minute styling routine and weekly touch-ups.
Product Arsenal
Different products create different effects:
Faux hawk men styling products are usually pomades, waxes, and clays that can offer a strong and lasting hold.
For Matte Finish: Clay or paste For Shine: Pomade or gel For Volume: Mousse or sea salt spray For Texture: Texture powder or cream For Hold: Strong-hold gel or hairspray
The Fade Factor
Most modern faux hawks incorporate fades:
To achieve a faded faux hawk, ask your barber to set the clippers on 0, then the hair should be faded into a grade 2, using 0.5 to 2 grades.
Fade options:
- High Fade: Maximum contrast, most dramatic
- Mid Fade: Balanced and versatile
- Low Fade: Subtle and professional
- Taper Fade: Gentlest transition
Hair Type Considerations
Straight Hair: Needs product for texture and hold. Benefits from pre-styling with sea salt spray.
Wavy Hair: Natural texture works perfectly. Light product enhances natural movement.
Curly Hair: Works with your natural texture, turning curly hair into a distinctive curly faux hawk haircut that celebrates volume.
Thick Hair: Handles the style easily. May need thinning for manageability.
Fine Hair: Benefits from volumizing products and blow-drying techniques.
Evolution and Acceptance
The faux hawk represents the mohawk’s complete journey to mainstream:
Less a cousin to the mohawk and more like its stylish offspring, the faux hawk is a contemporary men’s haircut ably distanced from its own lineage.
From punk statement to:
- Celebrity red carpets
- Professional athletes
- Corporate executives
- Fashion runways
- Suburban dads
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Over-spiking: The faux hawk isn’t about extreme height Wrong proportions: Top too long or sides too short breaks the balance Too much product: Creates helmet hair instead of natural movement Ignoring face shape: Not adapting the style to your features Poor maintenance: Overgrown faux hawks lose their shape
DIY Styling Guide
Styling a faux hawk gives you limitless possibilities, but you’ll need some styling products and a good blow dryer to succeed.
- Start with towel-dried hair
- Apply pre-styling product evenly
- Blow dry while lifting hair up and toward center
- Work styling product from back to front
- Shape with fingers or comb
- Set with light hairspray if needed
The Age Factor
The faux hawk works across generations:
Teens: Bold and expressive, perfect for self-discovery 20s: Professional enough for first jobs 30s: Sophisticated with the right styling 40s+: Modern and youthful without trying too hard
Cultural Impact
The faux hawk bridged the gap between counterculture and mainstream. It made edgy accessible. Celebrity leading men Taylor Lautner, Elijah Wood, Josh Duhamel, and Jeremy Renner are showing off this excellent cut.
It proved that rebellion could be part-time, that you could reference punk without living it, that edge could be professional.
The Investment
A faux hawk is financially reasonable:
Initial Cut: $30-60 Monthly Maintenance: $30-50 Products: $20-40 Time: 5-10 minutes daily Professional Styling: Optional
Compare this to the hundreds spent monthly maintaining extreme styles.
When to Choose a Faux Hawk
Go faux hawk when you want:
- Professional versatility
- Low maintenance edge
- Styling flexibility
- Modern classic appeal
- To test the mohawk waters
Skip it if you want:
- Maximum impact
- Authentic punk credibility
- Zero daily styling
- Ultra-conservative appearance
The Bottom Line
The faux hawk is the mohawk’s greatest evolutionary success. It took an impossible hairstyle and made it possible for everyone. It balances volume and contrast while remaining versatile, stylish, and easy to personalize.
This isn’t selling out – it’s buying in. The faux hawk proves that you can have edge without extremes, style without sacrifice, rebellion without consequences. It’s the mohawk that grew up, got a job, and still remembers how to party.
The faux hawk is a bold yet versatile hairstyle that blends edgy flair with everyday wearability. It’s not trying to be a mohawk – it’s something else entirely. A style that says you appreciate the aesthetic of rebellion but prefer the comfort of acceptance.
In a world that increasingly values both individuality and professionalism, the faux hawk found the perfect balance. It’s not a compromise – it’s an evolution. The mohawk didn’t die; it adapted. And in adapting, it conquered the world, one investment banker at a time.
The faux hawk asks: why choose between fitting in and standing out when you can do both before lunch?