Yes, you can still grow your hair long in 2024 without looking like you missed the boat. The long hair trend for men isn’t dying—it’s actually hitting its sweet spot right now where it’s accepted everywhere from boardrooms to coffee shops.
I’m a barber who’s watched this men’s style transformation unfold firsthand over the past few years, and here’s what nobody’s telling you: the best time to start your hair growth journey was during lockdown, but the second-best time is literally today. You didn’t miss anything crucial except maybe some awkward Zoom calls with weird hair.
More guys walk into my shop asking how to grow men’s hair long than asking for their usual buzz cut. That shift didn’t happen overnight, and it’s not reversing anytime soon despite what you might think when you see someone do a big chop.
Let me break down why this grooming trend evolution matters for your decision and why waiting another year will just waste time you could’ve spent experimenting with your personal style exploration.
But Is Longer Hair For Men Just A Fad Or Is It Here To Stay?
I get this question almost daily, and it makes sense why guys hesitate. Nobody wants to invest a year growing their hair only to look outdated six months later.
Here’s the reality check: some men who grew their hair during the pandemic are now cutting it short again, and that’s making people nervous about the long hair trend sustainability. But that pattern doesn’t signal a dying trend—it shows a healthy haircut cycle that happens with any major cultural shift in men’s fashion.
Think about it this way: when someone wears the same style for three years straight, they eventually crave change regardless of whether that style is still popular. The guys chopping their long hair now aren’t rejecting the look because it’s outdated—they’re just ready for something different after committing to long-term grooming goals during lockdown.
Meanwhile, workplace grooming standards have permanently shifted. Companies that used to side-eye anything past collar length now barely notice when guys show up with men’s wavy long hairstyles or slicked-back medium cuts, as long as the hair looks intentional and well-maintained.
The Trend Lifecycle Nobody Talks About
Most people don’t understand how fashion adoption behavior actually works beyond “something’s in, then it’s out.” There’s this concept called the trend lifecycle curve that breaks down exactly where we are with long hair right now.
The curve has five stages: Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards. Celebrities and style-forward guys were the Innovators who tested long hairstyle evolution before anyone else thought it was cool.
During the pandemic, Early Adopters jumped in because they had no choice—but many actually liked what they discovered. They became walking advertisements for men’s medium hair options, showing the rest of us that longer hair doesn’t mean looking sloppy or unprofessional if you know what you’re doing.
Right now, we’re sitting in the Early to Late Majority phase, which is actually the peak popularity stage where the most people participate. This is when barber expertise with long hair has caught up with demand, so you’re way more likely to get a cut that actually suits your face shape and hair type than you would’ve been in 2020.
The trend saturation some people worry about isn’t happening yet. What we’re seeing is natural cycling as early participants experiment with going back to short styles while new guys are just discovering long hair advantages for the first time.
Also Read: Native Strengthening Shampoo and Conditioner Review – Is It Worth Your Money in 2025?
So What Does This Have To Do With Growing Our Hair?
Everything, because timing your personal appearance change based on where the trend sits determines whether you’ll enjoy the experience or feel like you’re playing catch-up. You’re not late to the party—you’re actually arriving right when the trend momentum is strongest and most supportive.
The adopters vs. laggards framework shows that jumping in during the majority phase gives you the best experience. There are now countless tutorials on how to style mid-length hair, products designed specifically for the growing-out awkward phase, and barbers who actually know how to shape long hair instead of just trimming split ends.
I started my own hair transformation timeline back in October, and I’m already past the worst part where nothing sits right. By waiting until now instead of starting in 2020, I’ve benefited from watching thousands of guys document their mistakes so I could skip the common hair growth mistakes to avoid like letting it grow completely wild without any shape.
Your decision to grow hair today means you’re working with way more knowledge and resources than anyone had three years ago. The grooming confidence you’ll build comes from knowing you’re making a choice that thousands of other guys are also making successfully right now, not trying to revive something that’s already dead.
Why The Awkward Stage Isn’t As Bad As You Think
Everyone obsesses over the growing-out awkward phase, and yeah, it exists. But here’s what changed: barbers now understand hair transition challenges and can give you strategic trims that keep you looking intentional at every stage.
You’re not stuck with a mullet for six months like guys were in the early days of this trend. A skilled barber can shape your hair as it grows so you’re always working with a deliberate style, not just “growing it out and hoping for the best.”
The hair growth timeline for guys typically takes 12-18 months to reach shoulder length, depending on your starting point and hair texture. But you’ll have multiple cool haircut ideas for men 2024 to work with at the 4-month, 7-month, and 10-month marks if your barber knows what they’re doing.
I’ve seen guys get discouraged around month five when they hit that weird length where it’s too long to style short but too short to tie back. That’s exactly when a consultation about best hairstyles for growing hair makes the difference between pushing through or giving up.
The Professional World Has Shifted (For Real This Time)
One massive change I’ve noticed is style acceptance in society, especially in corporate environments. Long hair in professional settings used to be an immediate judgment call, but the pandemic influence on style permanently altered what’s considered appropriate.
Remote work normalized seeing colleagues with various hairstyle longevity trends during Zoom calls, and when everyone returned to offices, the old rigid standards felt outdated. Now it’s about grooming quality, not length—a well-maintained long style reads as more professional than a sloppy short cut.
This cultural grooming norms shift means your hair length experimentation won’t cost you opportunities the way it might have five years ago. The modern masculinity aesthetics have expanded to include way more variety in self-expression through hair without the automatic “unprofessional” label.
Building Your Long Hair Confidence
The mental side of growing hair without trimming (well, minimal trimming) is huge. Your style identity development happens gradually as you figure out what works for your face, lifestyle, and hair texture.
I’m documenting my own journey because I want guys to see the realistic men’s grooming shifts that happen—some days your hair looks incredible, other days you’re wrestling with a cowlick at 7am. That’s normal, and it’s part of the hair care commitment you’re making.
The confidence in hair growth comes from pushing through the moments when you’re tempted to just buzz it all off. Every guy I know who successfully transitioned to longer hair had at least three “I’m cutting this tomorrow” moments before something clicked and they figured out their routine.
Your haircut lifestyle choice says something about your willingness to invest in aesthetic self-improvement and try something outside your comfort zone. That’s worth way more than just the physical appearance change—it’s about proving to yourself you can commit to a long-term grooming goal and see it through.
What Actually Matters Right Now
Forget about whether you “missed” the trend or whether it’s about to die. The generational style changes we’re seeing mean longer hair for men has moved from trend to option—it’s just another valid choice in the novelty in men’s hairstyles landscape.
The men’s grooming industry changes have created infrastructure to support this look long-term: better products, more knowledgeable barbers, and social acceptance. That infrastructure doesn’t disappear overnight just because some early adopters move on.
If you’re curious about how long hair changes appearance or want to explore a different side of your grooming empowerment, now is genuinely a great time. You have all the resources, none of the “weird guy with long hair” stigma, and a solid window before this becomes truly oversaturated.
I’m several months into my own growth, learning the long hairstyle maintenance guide as I go. Some of it’s annoying (conditioner budgets are real), but most of it’s been surprisingly manageable once I figured out the basics.
FAQ’s
How Long Does It Actually Take To Grow Men’s Hair To A Good Length?
You’re looking at 6-8 months to hit a solid medium length that you can work with, and 12-18 months to reach shoulder length depending on your hair’s growth rate. The key is getting strategic trims every 8-10 weeks so you maintain shape while adding length.
What’s The Biggest Mistake Guys Make When Growing Their Hair Out?
Going completely hands-off and avoiding the barber entirely—that creates an uneven, shapeless mess that kills your motivation around month four. You need someone shaping it as you grow, removing bulk in the right spots while preserving length where it matters.
Will My Workplace Actually Accept Long Hair Or Is That Overblown?
Most professional environments now care about grooming quality over length—a clean, intentional long style reads better than a sloppy short cut. If your industry still has strict standards (military, some finance roles), you’ll know pretty quickly, but for 90% of jobs it’s completely fine.
How Do I Deal With The Awkward Phase Where Nothing Looks Right?
Invest in a decent hair product (sea salt spray or light pomade), learn one simple styling technique for your length, and wear hats on the truly bad days. This phase typically hits around months 4-6 and lasts about 6-8 weeks before you’re past it.
Is It Worth Starting Now Or Should I Wait For A Better Time?
There’s never a “perfect” time to start—you’ll always have events, photos, or situations where you’d rather have your current style. The year will pass anyway, so you might as well spend it growing toward something new instead of staying in the same haircut you’ve had for five years.
Conclusion
Look, nobody can tell you if long hair is your thing until you actually try it. All the long hair inspiration for guys in the world won’t answer that question for you.
What I can tell you is this: the support system exists right now—knowledgeable barbers, proven grooming routine for long hair strategies, and complete comfort with long hair in places that used to frown on it. That combination won’t last forever in this exact form.
I’m doing it myself, figuring out the hair care commitment one month at a time. Some days feel great, others make me question everything, but that’s literally any personal style exploration worth doing.
