8 Style Hacks for Bald Men (Look Dapper with Hair Loss!)

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Too often, styling options for balding men or bald men are defined by their hairline. But of course, classic style is all about versatility, creativity, and diversity of looks; it’s for everyone, regardless of how much hair you have! So, we’re sharing our favorite tips for those who may have thinning hair or no hair on creative ways to dress better.

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. You’re probably familiar with this look – spread collar, tight button-up shirts, chunky glasses, and a full beard, and also a casual hat. The presumed goal here is to distract you from the lack of hair.

Norwood - Hamilton Scale
The Norwood – Hamilton Scale charts the progression of baldness.

Oftentimes, though, 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.

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. 

8 Style Hacks for Bald Men – 1. 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.” 

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. 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

A photograph of Frank Nelson
American celebrity Frank Nelson with a slicked-back look.

However, 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. 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 hairpiece, we highly suggest keeping peace of mind and getting a haircut that is best for thinning hair.

You may consult our guide on five haircuts for men with receding hair, where 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.

2. Care for your Hair, Scalp, and Skin

Grooming products would make a great gift to someone who truly enjoys skincare.
Skin care is an important part of hair care, especially if you have more skin than hair.

As your hair starts to thin, you can always look on 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 we shared in our previous post.

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. 

All these grooming tips will help you elevate your entire look.

3. 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.

different skintones
Examples of warm, cool, and neutral tones on Caucasian skin.

In a previous post, 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.

4. 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. 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 variety of different face shapes (abstractions, of course!)
A variety of different face shapes (abstractions, of course!)

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 our Shirt Collar guide.

Yours Truly with tortoiseshell acetate sunglasses on the second day
Raphael in a pair of tortoiseshell acetate sunglasses that complement his face shape.
Ancient Madder Silk Bow Tie in Purple Paisley - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Ancient Madder Silk Bow Tie in Purple Paisley

A photo of a Blue Cornflower Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Silk

Fort Belvedere

Blue Cornflower Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Silk

I mentioned earlier that many style guides might encourage you to wear glasses. 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 glasses, you may consult our in-depth eyeglasses guide, which 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.

5. Wear a Hat

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 getting a hat. 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.

Raphael wearing a paletot overcoat with black velvet collar, light gray fedora with black band, and burgundy scarf
Raphael here complements a cold-weather ensemble with a gray fedora hat. (Reversible Scarf in Burgundy Red & Blue Silk-Wool Motifs & Paisley – Fort Belvedere)

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 to find a hat that fits your face shape. 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. 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.

6. 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. 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.

Suit Silhouette in 1934 Gentleman's Gazette
The silhouette of your ensemble should complement your hair style, or lack of hair.

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 is more important than what is on top or not on top of your head. The same thing applies to patterns.

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.

7. 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 batwings 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 can be helpful! Also, tie knots have a major impact on the overall proportions of the tie. 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.

8. Grow Hair Elsewhere

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 of 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.

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 closely-trimmed, expertly-shaped facial hair.

Kyle is the Gentleman's Gazette resident facial hair expert.
Kyle is the Gentleman’s Gazette resident facial hair expert.

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 facial hair should stay around.

Conclusion

We hope that today’s hacks 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.

To paraphrase William Shakespeare’s words in 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.”

Outfit Rundown

Kyle looking dapper in his outfit.
Kyle looked dapper in his outfit regardless of being bald.
Dark Brown Two Tone Solid Oxford Socks Fil d'Ecosse Cotton

Fort Belvedere

Dark Brown Two Tone Solid Oxford Socks Fil d'Ecosse Cotton

I’m wearing a mule skin jacket, kind of a denim jacket style over a long-sleeved button-up camouflage-inspired shirt, dark jeans, and my Fort Belvedere socks in brown to kind of compliment 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 I am wearing here.

Which of these style hacks for bald men would you consider? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!