The Quiff Hairstyle: 25 Stylish Variations For Modern Men
The quiff is a timeless men's hairstyle characterized by short sides with longer, voluminous hair on top, styled upward and back for dimension and personality, making it a popular choice for stylish gentlemen. This iconic look offers a rebellious mix between a pompadour and brush-up, keeping things balanced, fresh and effortlessly attractive.
The quiff haircut is all about soft structure and movement, and blends classic and modern elements to achieve a classy, versatile style that emanates confidence with a hint of attitude. Contemporary variations are generally short and faded, and feature messy, textured styling for extra fullness and edge. It's adaptable, charming and suitable for various hair types, from straight to wavy, adding to the appeal.
In this article, we'll show you some stylish examples of quiff hairstyles for men that strike the perfect balance between retro charm and edgy sophistication.
Trendy Men's Quiff Haircut Ideas
Classic Quiff
The classic quiff is an iconic hairstyle for men that pairs vintage flair with masculine confidence, involving thick hair swept upward and back for a bold, striking silhouette. It perfectly balances between structured sophistication and effortless cool, maintaining a clean, defined profile. Ask your barber for a low taper, mid fade or high undercut on the sides and back for modern appeal, but the textured style achieved with a matte product is necessary to get the traditional aesthetic.
Messy Quiff
The messy quiff is a casually rebellious style that combines the signature height and shape with a tousled, textured finish, making it the perfect look for men seeking controlled chaos. This disheveled variation is less about perfection and more about attitude, offering lived-in volume with just the right amount of messiness. A high fade provides powerful contrast and maintains focus on the styling, while low and mid fades are more versatile and flattering across the board. Use a strong styling clay or matte pomade to get the look.
Textured Quiff
The textured quiff is an attractive, modern men's hairstyle that blends separation, movement and edgy grit to achieve a more natural, effortless finish with rugged appeal. This look is versatile and chic, and works best with short to medium-length hair on top with a precision fade that keeps the focus on the styling. Blow dry the hair up and back for lift, and then spread a matte product through with your fingers to emphasize definition and texture.
Modern Quiff
The modern quiff is a bold style that takes the traditional version and sharpens it with a clean fade or taper and a more sculpted, textured finish, making it an attractive look for younger guys. This hairstyle, featuring contrast on the sides and back to complement the longer, standout top, offers a softer look than a pompadour but with more control than a messy quiff. A classic, scissor-cut taper provides a subtle dimension, while a skin fade looks striking and clean-cut for a seamless transition. Keep extra length in the front for emphasis and natural flow.
Short Quiff
The short quiff is a trending hairstyle that maintains clean sides and keeps styling easy with minimal length, making it an athletic, edgy look for those who want volume and fullness without the effort. This low-maintenance take on the classic trims the bulk with choppy layers and pairs well with a mid or high skin fade. Short quiff haircuts can be styled messy all over, brushed forward with a spiky fringe or anything in between, giving you carte blanche. A quick blow-dry and a dime-sized amount of matte paste, pomade or clay is all it takes.
Quiff Fade
The quiff fade is a popular haircut that takes the timeless volume of the traditional style and combines it with a precision fade on the sides and back, creating contrast, dimension and a fresh, modern look. Ask your barber for a low, mid or high fade to maintain the sides and complement the longer hair on top, which should get all the attention. The sleek transition into the skin provides the foundation to achieve captivating height and shape. Soft textured styling and sharp lines deliver a dynamic style.
Medium Quiff
The medium quiff is a balanced style with enough versatile length on top to create fashionable volume and movement for a classy appearance. This longer version works well with tapers, fades and undercuts and naturally leans into a natural, relaxed finish with loose structure. It's the perfect compromise for men who want an impactful look without going extreme because it's professional enough for the office while being trendy for date night. Grow and maintain a groomed beard for a masculine touch that will even out your proportions.
Quiff with Beard
The quiff hairstyle with a beard is a powerful combination that looks stylish and sophisticated while being rugged and masculine. The volume and height of the quiff draw attention upward, but the full facial hair anchors the style and complements your features. A low or mid skin fade brings contrasts and defines the space between the hair on top and the beard, giving the style a sharper outline. A messy, textured short quiff is ideal for guys seeking to exude maturity but maintain a youthful, flawless appearance.
Short Quiff with Low Taper Fade
A short quiff with a low taper fade is a modern, clean style with a gradual blend around the back and sides to balance edge and professionalism. The defined structure on top meets gentle fading around the sideburns and nape to remove any harsh contrast. Use matte clay for texture, and blow-dry the hair with a vented brush for light lift around the front that instantly elongates the face.
Tousled Textured Quiff with Low Fade
The tousled, textured quiff looks stylish with a low fade, creating a relaxed, messy look with natural movement and separation. Fading the back and sides pulls focus to wavy locks, and this hairstyle is easy to manage with texture foam or dry shampoo for intentional volume that oozes accidental cool. Styling powder on dry hair is an excellent option for achieving ultra-light lift between washes that won't weigh the hair down.
Wavy Quiff
A wavy quiff is a handsome hairstyle for guys who want to embrace their waves by creating a flattering natural flow. This style works with your hair's texture and only needs a touch of styling cream or holding mousse to tame. Air-dry for a looser feel or gently diffuse for body that looks lived-in. Expert layering around the crown will amplify and shape your waves while removing weight and minimizing frizz.
Short Textured Quiff with Mid Fade
A short textured quiff gets a high-contrast feel from a mid-fade, offering a short, choppy look with tons of masculine energy. The fade gives structure to an otherwise simple look on top, making the style manageable enough for coarse or thick hair. Use a matte product to twist small sections of the hair up and forward to create a piece-y finish, or muss it with pomade if you're in a rush.
Messy Quiff with Taper Fade
A messy quiff works well with a universally classy taper fade, helping guys maintain structure around the ears and nape while highlighting a cool, chaotic top. Styling with a pliable hair fiber or cream keeps the quiff looking polished. Blast-dry damp hair and work product through the hair, lifting at the roots to design a trendy, tousled finish.
Long Quiff
A long quiff is a bolder design that leaves significant length on the top to style back and upward for dramatic volume and shape. This more extreme look needs denser hair to hold firm, and looks striking blow-dried with a round brush and volumizing mousse. Extend your style with dry shampoo or texturizing powder during busy weeks.
Thick Quiff Fade
A thick quiff fade is a high-volume hero that pairs a voluminous top with tight, breathable sides for a comfortable, contemporary feel. The fade can be as subtle or extreme as you like, but it's wise to pre-style with a blow-dry cream to lock in the shape on top. Go clean-shaven or boost balance and add visual interest by working in a rugged goatee or soul patch.
Full Textured Quiff with Low Skin Fade
A full textured quiff is already a standout cut, but a low skin fade sharpens the style and creates a clean, precise aesthetic that commands attention. Styling clay and powder at the roots bring texture and lift, while the extreme fade offers a rebellious, rockstar vibe. Spiking or sweeping the top can be great ways to switch up your style throughout the week.
Tousled Short Quiff with Low Fade
A tousled, short quiff with a low fade combines a simple, swept-forward and textured top with a tailored back and sides for a touchable, easy-to-style look. Maintain this everyday approach with a simple hydrating cream, lightweight pomade and a dab of wax to build height around the front. Finger styling with a blow dryer tames the locks, but feel free to air dry for a more understated finish.
Messy Wavy Quiff with Low Taper
A messy, wavy quiff forgoes over-styling and uses your natural texture to create definition and bounce. Achieve an eye-catching, effortless look by scrunching curl cream or sea salt spray into damp hair before air-drying or diffusing. Lightly finger-shape the quiff and let strands fall over the face for an unruly vibe that showcases your inner wild child.
Natural Quiff with High Fade
A natural quiff transforms into a high-contrast style with the help of a high fade, grabbing attention with its bold edges and surprising versatility. Keep the top flowing with lightweight products like a leave-in conditioner or styling cream that softly shapes and hydrates. Taper the fade aggressively behind the ear to highlight your bone structure, and pair it with clean-shaven skin to keep the style sharp.
Undercut Quiff
An undercut quiff is a contemporary look that breathes life into a timeless style with its dramatic, disconnected sides, making it a confident approach for fashion-forward men. Blow-drying the top with a strong-hold volumizing product is key for high-impact lift, but a simple pomade or wax is ideal for sleekness on office days.
Youthful Short Quiff with Drop Fade and Beard
A youthful short quiff is enhanced with a drop fade and a beard to create a modern style that blends defined edges with playful texture. The drop fade creates a sharp contour around the ears and neckline, drawing attention to the quiff's volume and movement. A smartly-trimmed beard adds an element of ruggedness while defining your jawline. Blow-dry and work a matte paste through the top hair with your fingers to extract maximum volume from this shorter quiff, scrunching and lifting the hair as you go to lock in that cool, effortless look.
Textured Quiff with Sharp Fade
The textured quiff with a sharp fade is a masculine, contemporary hairstyle that mixes effortless swagger with refined structure. The precise, angled lines of a sharp fade help define the cheekbones and jawline, slimming down your face and giving the style a fresh, edgy vibe. Ask your barber to add textured layers and use point cutting on top to achieve that natural, tousled finish, then lock in your look with a low-shine styling clay.
Edgy Blonde Quiff
A blonde quiff combines daring color with aggressive styling for a fearless look that screams individuality. Choppy, disconnected layers add lift and separation, while a close, high skin fade delivers attitude and keeps the top dominant. Bleach your hair platinum or icy blonde to lean into this style's tough, proud individuality.
Long Quiff Fade
The long quiff fade is a dramatic blend of powerful height and tight, clean styling. The combination of extra sculpted volume on top and tidy, closely-shaven sides narrows and elongates the head, flattering round or square faces. Visit your barber to maintain your fade every few weeks and keep the long quiff in check with hairspray for a well-kept yet expressive look.
Straight Smooth Quiff with Mid Skin Fade
Contrast a straight, smooth quiff with a mid skin fade for a refined appearance that’s both ordered and dynamic. The quiff is neatly combed back into place and lifted with a light, glossy pomade, creating a polished, intentional aesthetic. The fade begins at the temple and quickly blends into the skin, giving this look a cool, stylized edge.
Curly Quiff
The curly quiff is a casual, expressive hairstyle that champions your hair's natural texture and movement. The curls are left longer on top and styled upward into a loose quiff, while a gentle taper is used on the sides to add structure and accentuate the angles of the face. Use curl cream or a leave-in conditioner to dial up that tousled, expressive texture, and secure with some gel for an effortless, gentle look that works well with some trimmed facial hair.
What Is A Quiff Haircut?
The quiff is a classic men's haircut characterized by short hair on the sides and back with longer hair on top, especially in the front, and generally features brushed-up-and-back styling to achieve a cool, dynamic aesthetic. The modern hairstyle is defined by its height at the fringe, gradual taper toward the crown and shorter back/sides, which are often softly tapered or sharply faded for contrast.
The classic is rooted in the rebellious rock 'n' roll era of the 1950s and was popularized by style icons like Elvis Presley and James Dean, providing a fresh alternative to the pompadour.
The most popular styling is short, textured and messy for an attractive, masculine vibe. But you can tailor the look to suit different personal preferences and occasions, from formal and professional to casual.
How To Style A Quiff
To style the look, you'll need the proper haircut, volumizing shampoo and conditioner, and a high-hold matte styling product like clay, paste or pomade. Follow these steps to get a stylish quiff with texture, height and the perfect shape.
Step 1: Start with clean, damp hair. A good shampoo and conditioner will provide the perfect base.
Step 2: Apply a pre-styler. If you have thick hair and want more volume and definition, add a pre-styler like sea salt spray, then blow dry on low heat.
Step 3: Get A High-Hold Styling Product: Using a small amount, work a texturizing clay or paste through your hair, focusing on the front and coating everything from the roots to the tips. A traditional pomade with some shine can offer a sleek, formal finish for elegant occasions.
Step 4: Sculpt The Look: Create the quiff by pulling sections up and back with your fingers. Tousle the top for a casual, messy vibe or use a fine-tooth comb to take a more polished approach that will define the lines. The style should demonstrate controlled volume with a soft finish.