Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette. In today's video, we're sharing our style
guide for gentlemen who may not have the hairline of a typical
Golden Age Hollywood actor, but still want to look just as good.
♪ Gentleman's Gazette Theme Song ♪
This video is one more addition to our ever expanding style guide series. The other entries
can be found here. But, now, we're sharing how those of you who may have thinning hair or no hair can
still have a classic style work for you. For easy examples of how to look great with a shaved head
just scroll through any of our videos hosted by me. I guarantee everything that I'm wearing
looks fantastic. [laugh track] All jokes aside, too often, styling options for balding men or bald men are defined
by their hairline. But, the classic style is all about versatility, creativity, and diversity of
looks. So, while I'm sure you'll find the particular information in this video helpful, we want to be
clear, classic style is for everyone and any of our videos about style will apply to you, too.
And that's regardless of how much hair you have. Unfortunately, if you are a bald or balding man,
many style guides will keep you confined to what men with thinning hair are supposed to wear.
Now, you're probably familiar with this look - spread collar, tight button-up shirts, the chunky glasses,
and a full beard, and also a casual hat. The presumed goal here is to distract
you from the lack of hair. But, oftentimes, blatantly distracting away from a feature
only enhances it and makes it more noticeable and, frankly, it's very unlikely that anybody is going
to not notice that you're balding or are bald. So, it's hard to feel cool, confident, and collected
when your entire ensemble is geared to distract away from one area of your body. That's why the
tips we're giving you today are designed to help you emphasize what you like about your
look. Considering your particular hair situation is only one component of your overall appearance. Well,
let's get started. Number one: pick the correct cut. If you saw some hair on your head, how you decide
to cut and style it will have a major impact on your overall look. As an example, let's consider
famous American radio and television personality Frank Nelson. Even though we don't know Nelson
from his own roles, you might recognize his parody, the Yes Guy from "The Simpsons."
[scene from "The Simpsons"] Homer: "Excuse me, sir?"
Yes Guy: "Yes?" Homer: "I'd like to buy all these toys."
Nelson had an obviously receding hairline, but he adopted an
elegant and slicked back look. This complemented the slope of his facial features, and it also gave
an impression of volume. Now, this was thanks to the healthy luster of the hair and also the linear
integration of the hair on the top and sides of his head. But, sometimes, Nelson attempted to wear
a combover style. The results, to us, appear much less satisfactory. The hair looks thin and pasted
down and the contrasting horizontal motion of the length of hair on the top of the head relative to the
sides appears inorganic. This artificial look immediately puts one in mind of a cheap toupee.
Now, the choice of whether to wear a hairpiece is entirely your own. But, we strongly recommend that
you invest in a quality product if you choose to do so. If you're obviously wearing false hair,
others might get the impression that you're ashamed of your hairline by being stingy and
how you handle it. Rather than opting for a hair piece, we highly suggest keeping peace of mind
and getting a haircut that is best for thinning hair. In this video, I share five haircuts for
men with receding hair and the haircuts are specifically organized by the amount of hair
you have on your head. So, no matter your hair length, we've got you covered. A hairstyle that
looks great with your thinning hair is an excellent step in looking great. Don't you agree, Mr. Nelson?
[clip of Frank Nelson] Nelson: "Yes!"
Number two: care for your hair, scalp, and skin. As your hair starts to thin, you can always look in
the bright side. Think of all you'll save on shampoo and conditioner. But, as long as you
have hair on your head, even if there's less of it, you'll want to keep it looking full and healthy.
So, don't forget the healthy hair tips that Preston shares in this video. Even, if you opt
to shave off all the hair on your head as I have, you'll still need to pay special attention to your
personal grooming. Shaved heads are very prone to dryness and dandruff. So, when you wash, be sure to
lather your scalp with a moisturizing cleanser. Consider investing in a product formulated to
treat dandruff if that's an issue for you. You may also want to consider using a moisturizing cream
or oil. This will help prevent your scalp from drying out during the day. A formulation with sun
protection will help you avoid an embarrassing bright red sunburn on the top of your head.
Finally, when shaving your head, keep in mind the suggestions we offer in our shaving guide. You
don't want razor burns, nicks, and cuts bringing the wrong kind of attention to your scalp. Now, this
will all help you elevate your entire look. Number three: account for your skin color. As your hair
starts to thin, more of the skin on your head is naturally exposed and, without that hair covering
your scalp, your particular pigmentation becomes much more noticeable and it will behoove you
to pay special attention to it when building your outfits. This is especially true if you're bald.
In this video, Raphael teaches how to find the best colors for your skin tone. Remember that the skin
on your scalp may differ slightly in tone from the skin on the rest of your body. So, keep that in mind,
especially when planning portions of your outfit for your top half. Number four: dress for your face
shape. Just as you'll need to account for your skin tone relative to your ensemble, you'll also want to
consider your face shape. Now, without the benefit of hair, your particular face shape will be more
pronounced and drastic. So, it's even more important that you take it into account when dressing. And
this is especially true if you have a totally shaved head. A major consideration for your clothes
will be your collar style. A perfectly selected collar is one that complements your face shape.
This can do wonders for your profile and your physique. So, whether you're considering a point
collar to flatter a wider face or a spread collar to really highlight those narrow face cheekbones,
Preston can teach you all you need to know in this video. I mentioned earlier that many style
guides might encourage you to wear glasses. Now, this distraction technique might come up even
if you don't need the glasses to distract others from viewing your thinning hair. But, the wrong pair
of glasses can do just as much harm as good. So, if you need eyeglasses, be sure to watch our two-part
in-depth guide on the subject. Now, this will help you make sure that you select glasses that work
well for your face shape and, of course, the same thing applies to sunglasses, which you can learn
more about here. Number five: hat up. Now, if you have thinning hair, you've probably been encouraged,
at some point, to buy a hat. From a practical perspective, hats are extremely useful if you
have thinning or no hair. They provide needed insulation in the cold, they offer protection
from the harmful rays of the sun, and, without hair, you'll never need to worry about hat hair.
There are a few things you need to consider first before planning that trip to Lidsville.
[Lidsville opening theme]
HooDoo: "Oh, how's that for a topper?"
Wow, that was disturbing, terrifying. Anyway, some style guides will attempt to convince you that a
hat will solve all of your receding hair problems. But, don't think of a hat as a way to cover up or
hide your baldness. After all, you've got to take the hat off some time. Instead, think of your hat as
any gentleman dressing in the classic style would - a helpful and elegant accessory that complements
your entire ensemble. Once again, your first step is finding a hat that fits your face shape. And, once
again, we've got you covered with this guide from Raphael. Keep in mind that, as you lose your hair,
the hats that look good on you will change as well. And, without a thick mop of hair,
that wide and stiff room fedora may no longer be the best option for you. So, if your hat styling has
to change a little, don't despair. It just means you'll have the opportunity to try out some new
looks. Once you've selected a hat that works for you, you want to learn how to wear it properly and
with confidence. Naturally, we've got videos to help you with that. This will save you from turning into
the guy who wears a baseball cap everywhere he goes and never takes it off or has a fedora on his
head no matter the weather or occasion. Number six: style your silhouette. In addition to "wear a hat,"
one of the first things a gentleman with thinning hair is told to do is go work out. Many prominent
bald or balding figures, like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Jeff Bezos, or Jason Statham, have all
contributed to the notion that the way to look good bald is to get ripped. Obviously, we fully support
all forms of self-improvement, especially in the areas of good nutrition and healthy
exercise, but we don't want you to think that the only way to look good bald is to have washboard
abs and a perfect V torso. Instead, when it comes to your clothing and styling, focus on what looks good
on you holistically. Then, make minor alterations as needed to account for your relative amount of hair.
In general, balding and bald men are encouraged to wear tight-fitting clothing. Now, this is to reduce
bulk and give the illusion of better proportions. Also, to wear colors that contrast with their skin
tone to balance the tonal composition of their heads and, also, to wear accessories, especially
around the neck and face, to balance or distract from the lack of hair. Bald men are often also told
to wear more layers, and this is if their heads without their hair appear too large.
They're also told to avoid layers if their hairless heads appear too small. Does that
seem a little simplistic? Well, that's because it is. It really doesn't make sense to base your entire
outfit around one aspect of your look. So, don't let a laser focus on one feature, like your hair,
dictate your whole style. The allure of the classic style is versatility and latitude. So, when building
your personal style, make allotments for your balding or bald head, but don't let it define you.
When it comes to the cut of your suit, for instance, your body type, as Raphael explains here, is more
important than what is on top or not on top of your head. The same thing applies for patterns,
as I discussed here. So, remember that the totality of your look should take into account the totality
of your body. This totality can be called your "silhouette." Most precisely, your silhouette refers
to the lines and proportions of your ensemble, but it can sometimes be used more generally to
refer to the cumulative effect of your look. And an athletic silhouette is not the only one that looks
good on bald or balding men. Consider actor and recording artist Tyrese Gibson, who regularly rocks
a sleek silhouette to harmonize with the effect of his shaved head, or thespian-turned-fashion
designer John Malkovich and his more relaxed silhouette to soften the strong lines of his face
and scalp. Ken Watanabe does something similar for his dark features and receding hairline, thanks
to his soft silhouette. And, finally, the volumizing plush silhouette of Kelsey Grammer illustrates how
to use one's clothes to maximize the appearance of one's hair. These silhouettes, ensembles, and styles
are all varied and diverse. We can all be pulled off by gentlemen with thinning or
no hair. So, don't let your receding hairline dominate how you dress within the classic style.
Just look at me. Do I confine myself to only spread colors or bright colors? Number seven: accessorize
the upper body properly. Of course, you want to take how much hair you have into consideration
when navigating finer points like accessories. For instance, because of the proximity to your head,
neckwear often is affected by or can affect the appearance of your hairline. But, don't
worry. We're not consigning you to an eternity of turtlenecks and open collars, and we just want you
to be mindful about your selections. For instance, a thickly knotted tie or prominent wings on a bow
tie. These can help you create visual interest near your face. But, just make sure that it's
appropriately proportioned. This will help harmonize with, for instance, your head shape.
If you want to learn more about bow ties, our guide is here and tie knots have a major impact in the
overall proportions of the tie as we discuss here. We really like the artful elegance and unique
visual interest of a scarf. Of course, if you need to stock up on anything, the Fort Belvedere shop
is always open. Number eight: grow hair elsewhere. Now, we've saved one of the most popular style
suggestions for bald and balding men for last: Grow a beard. Facial hair will help restore the
definition and structure to your face. Some of that can actually be lost when you lose your
hair. This can be especially beneficial if you're a round faced or heavy set. The type of facial hair
you grow is up to you, but if you're primarily interested in offsetting thinning or lost hair,
a beard is a great way to go. Need some help getting started? I teach you how to grow a
beard here. If you're interested in facial hair that is typical of the classic style,
you'll want to cultivate a sleek, refined look. For a closely-shaved or fully-shaved head, try
to match the streamlined appearance of your scalp with a closely-trimmed, expertly-shaped
facial hair. Now for heads with more hair, try to match the volume of the head and facial hair.
But, keep things neat and tidy. Of course, you can always go for a more high contrast look as well.
So long as it's expertly quaffed, it will work for the classic style. And as we illustrated with our
other examples above, it's entirely possible to look great while balding or bald without
growing a beard. It's just one more potential tool in your arsenal. Although, personally, I think that
even if the hair on top of your head has let you down, the face hair should stay around.
[whispers to beard] Don't leave me. Hope this stays.
We hope that today's video has taught you all that you need to know
about how to devise a unique and creative look for thinning hair or a balding head. After all, knowing
is half the battle. And to paraphrase William Shakespeare's words and his comedy of errors, "hair
is a blessing bestowed on beasts, while balding men are offered wit in proportion to the hair they've
lost, even though there are many men with more hair than wit. And no man's so witty that he can escape
losing his hair," except maybe Preston, of course. Today I'm wearing a mule skin jacket, kind of a
denim jacket style over a long-sleeved button-up camouflage-inspired shirt, dark jeans, my Fort
Belvedere socks in brown to kind of complement that brown and green theme I'm going for, and
then I'm wearing my green boots as well. Check out the Fort Belvedere shop here for socks like these.
♪ Gentleman's Gazette Theme Song ♪