Right now there isn't another show on TV that captures the spirit of contemporary fashion and beauty quite like the hedonistic Gen Z HBO drama Euphoria. The show's creators have been forthright about how the extremely dramatic looks reinforce the soapy drama of it all. That's translated into real life with some massive red carpet looks. And on the women's side, the makeup has become a major reference for today’s biggest beauty trends—lots of rhinestones, above all.
But the men on the show are turning it out in their own right, especially when it comes to hair. And just as the soundtrack uses bangers from across the decades to hit some very contemporary emotional beats, the men are working both clean, classic hairstyles and some more fashion-forward looks to create an ultra-heightened depiction of 2022 teenagers. But any guy could learn a thing or two from these haircuts, so we rounded up some of our favorite looks—plus some historical context to show how they might fare even outside of Euphoria High School.
A simple buzz is about as classic as it gets, and Fezco, the school dealer, played by Angus Cloud, has what's surely the best one TV right now. He was already an integral part of season one, but Cloud has become a heartthrob pillar of season two after episode one explored his backstory, featuring his drug-slinging grandmother. Looking great doesn't hurt either.
The best buzz on TV.
Courtesy of Eddy Chen for HBOOf course, there are rough buzz cuts like you might give yourself in the kitchen, and there's a real-deal professional taper like we see here—check out how clean the sides are. The beard is crucial, too: it takes away all of the straight-laced military feel that a buzz can sometimes take on. (No one is shipping out to basic training with this look.) And as buzzes and shaves become the default way for guys with thinning hair to look a little younger, the opposite gravity works on Cloud—it's a fast way to look a little older.
You can see a similar approach on Justin Timberlake. He will probably forever be known for that ultra-gelled boy band hair, but at one point he was also nailing the combination of a tapered buzz and beard.
Justin Timberlake
Kevork Djansezian/NBCIn contrast to Cloud's tough guy with a heart of gold, Jacob Elordi's Nate is the all-American heartthrob with some real darkness, the seemingly good boy gone bad. From his height and bone structure to his muscular stature, he is every high school girl’s (and boy’s) teenage dream. But this guy is a bit of a nightmare, and that mid-length brown hair can be as put together or messy as his character.
It's a little reminiscent of a young Leonardo DiCaprio, another head-turning-handsome guy who used that '90s floppy mid-length leading-man hair to go seamlessly from put-together black-tie to appealing grunge.
Barry King
Jim Smeal
With cornrows paired with a fade, Algee Smith's Chris McKay has one of the slickest, most contemporary styles on the show. It relies on straight-from-the-barber crispness—the kind of cut that will make you move your appointment up a week.
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A red carpet shot of Algee Smith.
Matt WinkelmeyerIf you’re looking for another example of a king pairing cornrows with a fade in the real world, look no further than Big Sean. We’ve seen him with just about every hairstyle imaginable, but there’s something about the way he pulls this one off that makes me hope he keeps this one for a while.
Big Sean.
Frazer HarrisonDominic Fike's Elliot is new to season two, and a welcome addition to the student body—and his face tattoos and mint green hair make it look like he's been enrolled for years. Bleached and colored hair with a visible root has a pretty distinct unkempt go-to-hell vibe, and the cool minty tones keep it from looking costume-y or clownish.
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Dominic Fike.
Courtesy of Eddy Chen for HBOThe cool-tone dye job is not for the faint of heart. But in 2018, Pete Davidson ditched his dark hair for this pastel muted seafoam fantasy that honestly looks really incredible. Bring it back, Peter.
Dimitrios Kambouris
And while Joe Jonas rarely strays from his dark brown hair, 2015 saw him running this gorgeous, jewel-toned turquoise. You'd want to update the very-2015 undercut proportions, but the color would still look fly today.
Jason Merritt/TERMRead MoreAngus Cloud on Fezco’s Spotlight Euphoria Episode and That Shocking Ending
Believe it or not, we're apparently going to see a softer side of Fez this season.
By Frazier Tharpe