18 Best Tousled Hairstyles for Men (2026 Guide) | Messy & Textured Haircuts
After all, you’re not just all work and no play
Looking for the perfect balance between effortless and stylish? Tousled hairstyles for men have become one of the most popular men’s hair trends thanks to their natural texture, relaxed appearance, and versatility. Whether you prefer a messy hairstyle, a textured crop, loose waves, or a modern bedhead look, a tousled haircut adds movement and personality without looking overly styled.
Unlike ultra-polished hairstyles that require constant maintenance, tousled hair embraces a slightly disheveled finish while still appearing intentional and fashionable. These cuts work exceptionally well with straight, wavy, and curly hair, making them a great option for men seeking a low-maintenance hairstyle with plenty of volume and texture.
In this guide, you’ll discover the best tousled hairstyles for men, from short textured cuts and messy fringes to medium-length waves and surfer-inspired looks. Whether you’re aiming for a casual everyday style, a rugged modern appearance, or a fashion-forward haircut, these disheveled hairstyles prove that sometimes a little controlled chaos creates the best look.
Tousled Side Part
Half angel or part devil? This haircut creates a clear distinction between two joined hairstyles – a tousled part and a clean side part. The tousled part gets 2/3 of the hair while the other gets 1/3. Because of this fraction, make sure that you choose the side where the tousled part goes, as it can’t be interchanged. The haircut is flexible enough that if you don’t want the tousled part to be messy, you can also put it down. Best worn without a beard and minimal accessories for full effect.
Disheveled Care Free Medium Hairstyle
Nowadays, bedhead hairstyles require a tad bit of maintenance. Be ready to grow your hair to medium length and get it layered (and make sure to have it trimmed every two months or less if your hair grows faster). Your number one companion is a hair product that specifically states that it’s for creating the bedhead look, and all you have to do is slather this product on your hair, and voila! You have achieved a disheveled look without greasy hair. Don’t sport it with a beard to achieve a more clean look.
Carefree Short Tapered Hairstyle
This short tapered hair style is cleaned up around the sides of the hair while being textured at the top. The textured top gives it a more tousled and stylishly disheveled look, but the hairline is kept clean and sharp to add shape to the style.
Undercut with Layered Spikes
An excellent, less radical alternative to a mohawk hairstyle – a short undercut with spiky hair on top. Not only does such a haircut look fabulous with darker hair colours but also with bleached highlights or a fully dyed top in neon green, purple or any other popping shade of pallet.
Care Free Scissor Cut with Shaved Sides
Feathered, roughly cut hair strands, freshly trimmed beard and low temple fade on the sides – that is the secret of a highly attractive-looking face! This isn’t a style that suits everyone, but if you’ve got that intricate taste in fashion you would definitely want to try out this haircut. A tiny crystal in the nose can also split the difference in your overall style.
Wavy Medium Length Mess
Bless this mess, if you’ve got long to medium length hair, this modern look is a great way to show it off. Pairs well with a clean-shaven face, or a neatly trimmed mustache, it’s great for the modern artist who frequents coffee shops and skateparks. Orderly, yet chaotic and visually balanced while the length declares to world the exuberance of your youth.
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Medium Carefree Scissor Crop
With cropped hairstyles being all the rage nowadays, this scissor-cut style is a great way to add flair and uniqueness to an already tried and true hairstyle. The hair on top is left intentionally longer than in your standard crop, while still being cut in the same fashion. The main deviation in this style is that clippers aren’t at all used for the sides or top.
Tousled Hair Style: Wake Up Texture
A slightly more carefree version of the popular Caesar cut. This style adds a bit of a wild side to a standard clean-cut style. Great for those who want to breathe new life into their look, while all the while not veering too far off the beaten path. Much like poetry, the sides are governed by strict form; a clean fade that gradually ascends into a plateau of hair, surging forward towards the front like the mighty Mississippi river.
Messy Curls Lying Around
With the recent popularity of HBO’s Game of Thrones, the character John Snow has made curls this year’s hottest trend. And if you are one of the few lucky chosen ones to have been graced with naturally curly hair, this next medium-short length style is just for you. From top to bottom, this style allows your curls to freely emanate from the top; in much the same way as a Tuscan grapevine.
Disheveled look: Pushed Side Strands
If you liked Charlie Sheen’s hair in the classic teen comedy Ferris Buller’s Day Off, but are worried that it hasn’t aged well, then this next hairstyle is just for you. It’s a similar style but utilizes shorter hair on the top. The fade is tighter and gives the impression of hair fading directly into the skin while blending the tone of the skin with the hair. The hair on top hangs slightly over the sides giving a nice callback to that classic 80’s look.
Tousled Hair Style: Around The World Fringes
To really give off that messy-hair-don’t-care attitude, get a choppy layered cut and wear it in a disheveled style like this. And make sure you get deliberately lopsided and choppy bangs as well to complete the rockstar look.
Another similar look: the Surfer Hairstyles
Reflected Neckline with Casual Strands
Adding an extra cool element to your messy hairstyle results in an even bolder look. Here, the neckline features a line design that provides a sleek contrast to all that mess at the top.
Side-Swept Messy Long Waves
It’s easy to channel your inner rockstar with the right hairstyle. Just wear your hair long and wavy and give it a deliberately unkempt appearance and voila! The signature ‘do of all famous rockstars!
Here are additional 40+ Hairstyles for Men with Wavy Hair.
Tousled Top with Angular Fringe
If your hair is at least two inches long, and you want to experiment with fringes, then this tousled top with angular fringe is for you. All you have to do is choose which side you want your fringe to come from, angle it to the side (not just comb it down) and create more texture on the top part of your hair by tousling it with products. The result is a mix of texture, depth, and just the right amount of edge. If you want to commit to the angle by which your fringe ends, draw a straight line from that to your eyebrow and create shaven lines.
Slightly Parted and Wavy
This style is so versatile it can complement any look. Here we see this gentleman giving off a sleek, clean look that is contrasted by the messy, wavy look of the top. The fringe is kept longer than the top, so you can style it in waves, pulling it to your preferred side. A small part breaks the hairline up, allowing you to pull one side over, giving off contrast at the two opposite sides. The low drop fade adds to the clean look, keeping the contrast throughout.
Disheveled look: Tousled and Messy
Sometimes the style we want to give off isn’t complimented by the sleek look of a fade. When that’s the case, this style is just what you’re looking for. The hair is kept unruly by trimming but long enough to be ruffled into a messy look. The band’s use gives a unique feel to the fringe and breaks the disheveled look away from the face. The beaded necklace and subtle silver earring add to the style.
Messy Top with Shorter Sides
A style closely resembling the wake-up texture, the main difference here is that this style doesn’t use a fade. The hair lightly guided forward while the sides remain short and sweet. We recommend asking your barber to use a 6 or a 7 on the sides.
Tousled Hair Style: Wavy Textured Messy Top
Ever wanted to feel like a gladiator in Roman times? This style is short enough to get the work done while maintaining a degree of freedom that shows to the world that you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty. The sides are razor thin while the rest of the hair is completely scissor trimmed. Great for putting your hands up and asking that iconic question to your friends, “Are you not entertained?”
How to Style Tousled Hairstyles
To achieve the perfect messy look without appearing unkempt:
- Use matte clay, paste, or sea salt spray for texture
- Avoid heavy gels or high-shine products
- Style with fingers instead of combs for a natural finish
- Blow-dry with low heat to enhance volume
- Work in layers of product rather than applying too much at once
We know you loved this disheveled looks for a tousled hair style article
Tousled and disheveled hairstyles are ideal for men who want a stylish look without constant upkeep. With the right cut and minimal styling effort, you can achieve a versatile appearance that works for both casual and formal settings.
Whether you prefer short textured crops or longer flowing styles, messy hairstyles continue to dominate modern men’s grooming trends for a reason—they look natural, confident, and effortlessly cool.
If you like to mix it up with colors, check out this: Dyed Hair For Men: 59 Colorful Men’s Hairstyles.