If Harry Styles is the face of One Direction—and boy band pop culture, by extension—then it’s thanks to his memorable mop of brown curls. And from slicked-back pompadours to loose man buns, Styles has turned that weapon to his advantage by becoming a master of subversive hair statements. Take, for example, his latest look: a set of soft collarbone-grazing waves, longer than ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift’s textured bob and rivaling rumored love interest Kendall Jenner’s shining lengths. You could argue that Styles is single-handedly bringing back the extended male mane—which raises a pressing question: Would you date a guy whose hair was noticeably longer than yours?
Count on a resounding yes from Vogue.com’s staff. According to Beauty Editor Mackenzie Wagoner, it’s a style that recalls the surfers and skaters she grew up with in California who marched to their own beat. “It speaks to a wildness about a person,” she says. “Part of the allure is owning your masculinity without abiding by social codes.” Senior Fashion Writer Marjon Carlos, too, loves a head full of locks, citing Bob Marley, Cary Fukunaga, and Wiz Khalifa among her favorites. “In Bob, Cary, and Wiz’s case, they foretell of a creative soul, which only makes them sexier,” she says. For Fashion News Writer Liana Satenstein, it’s about the laid-back appeal of a low bun peeking out from a beanie or sports cap—the polar opposite of the more calculated man bun. “It has to be casual, where he just needs to tie it up for a second,” she says.
However, once hair veers too long—like into actual chest-skimming territory, for instance—the appeal seems to fade for some. Wagoner advises sticking to collarbone length (“that’s where it starts to lose its allure for me”), while Beauty Assistant Jenna Rennert makes the call for regular maintenance. “When you start to see dead ends, it looks unhealthy,” —though Fashion News Editor Alessandra Codinha disagrees, citing Fabio’s bodice-ripping covers as evidence that “there’s no such thing as too long.” In the end, it’s about being fearless and opting out of the conventional hair rules. After all, the heart wants what it wants.
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