Quick answer: David Beckham haircuts span almost every men's trend since the mid-1990s: curtains, a bleached fringe, a buzz cut around 2000, a mohawk and faux hawk in the early 2000s, cornrows, long hair with a headband, and later pompadours and loose quiffs. Each one can be copied with the guard numbers and top lengths below.
David Beckham Haircut Styles at a Glance
Every style on this page with its clipper guard, top length and trim interval. Tap a name to jump to that card.
David Beckham haircuts are a useful map of men's hair trends, because almost every big look from the mid-1990s onward appeared on his head in front of cameras. This page groups 15 of the most photographed ones into short cuts, fringes and swept tops, and longer or braided styles, with the clipper guards, trim schedule and wording to bring to your barber.
Why Do People Still Copy David Beckham Haircuts?
Beckham changed his hair often and in public, and several of his cuts, such as curtains, the faux hawk and the short pompadour, were widely copied and are now standard barbershop names. That makes his looks easy to ask for: the barber already knows the shape, and a photo removes the rest of the guessing. The images on this page show generic models in similar cuts, not Beckham himself.
The looks below are limited to ones that were widely photographed. Dates are approximate, because sources disagree on exact years, so each card gives a rough era such as around 2002 rather than a match or event. Each card also turns the look into guard numbers and top lengths you can repeat at any shop. For a broader list of famous cuts, see our celebrity haircuts hub.
How Do the Main Beckham Looks Compare?
The looks fall into three families. Short cuts include the buzz cut, the mohawk and two faux hawks, all built on clipped sides. Fringe and swept styles include curtains, the blond fringe, the pompadour and the loose quiff, which need three to five inches on top. Long styles include cornrows, the half ponytail and the headband look, which need several months of growth. The table shows the starting point for each family so you can pick one that fits the hair you have now.
How Do the Main Beckham Looks Compare?
Look
Rough era
Top length
Sides
Upkeep
Curtains
Mid-1990s
4 to 6 in, middle part
Scissor cut, ear length
Every 5 to 6 weeks
Buzz cut
Around 2000
#1 to #2 all over
Same as top
Every 2 to 3 weeks
Mohawk / faux hawk
Around 2001 to 2002
2 to 3 in strip
#1 to #2 or shaved
Every 2 to 3 weeks
Cornrows
Around 2003
Long enough to braid
Braided flat
Rebraid every 2 to 4 weeks
Pompadour
Around 2010
4 to 5 in
Taper, #2 to #3
Every 3 to 4 weeks
Loose quiff
Early 2010s
4 to 6 in at front
Short back and sides
Every 4 to 5 weeks
Who Suits a Beckham-Style Haircut?
Most of these looks were worn with an oval face and a strong jaw, which is part of why so many different shapes worked. If your face is oval or square, most of the cuts here will translate directly. Round faces do best with the height-building options: the faux hawk, the pompadour and the loose quiff, which add length to the face. Long faces should lean toward curtains, the textured fringe or the shaggy cut, since hair over the forehead shortens the face.
Hair type matters as much as face shape. The photos show mostly straight to slightly wavy hair of medium thickness, so thick, coarse or curly hair will sit differently in the swept styles and may need more weight removed. Curly hair suits the shaggy and long looks well, and very fine hair holds up best in the buzz cut, the textured fringe and the short faux hawk, where there is less length to separate.
Filter the styles
Showing all 15 styles
Fade
Hair
Length
Short Beckham Cuts: Buzz, Mohawks and Faux Hawks
These five looks all sit on short, clipped sides and need a visit every two to four weeks. Compare them with the shapes in our faux hawk and mohawk gallery.
Trim:Every 3 weeks. Sides lose contrast with the spiked center quickly.
Best For:Oval, round faces + straight, fine to medium hair.
About This Style
Around 2002, this was the look that sent fans to barbershops asking for a fin. The sides are clipped with a #2, not shaved, and the top is left at two to three inches, longest down the middle. Product pushes the hair from both sides toward the center to form a soft ridge. Because the sides keep some length, it can be combed flat on days when a spiked center is not wanted.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the top upward while pinching the hair toward the center line.
Work matte clay through the middle strip and twist small sections into points.
Press the hair above the ears flat with damp palms so the ridge reads clearly.
Ask Your Barber
"Faux hawk with a #2 on the sides and back, no fade line. Leave two to three inches down the center and point cut it so it spikes up easily."
Trim:Every 2 weeks. Shaved sides blur the strip within days.
Best For:Oval, square faces + straight or wavy medium hair.
About This Style
Closer to a true mohawk than the later faux hawk, this version from around 2001 shaved the sides almost to the scalp and left a narrow strip, about two fingers wide, running from forehead to crown. The strip was short, roughly an inch, and stood up without much help. It needs confident upkeep: once the sides grow past a #1, the strip stops looking separate and the cut reads as a messy crop.
How to Style at Home
Run a small amount of light gel through the strip while the hair is damp.
Lift the strip straight up with your fingertips and let it set for a minute.
Check the edges of the strip in a hand mirror and tidy stray hairs with a trimmer.
Ask Your Barber
"Mohawk with the sides clipped to a #0.5 or #1, leave a two-finger-wide strip from front to crown at about one inch. Keep the edges of the strip straight."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The outline softens before the length does.
Best For:Oval, square faces + any hair type, including thinning.
About This Style
Shaved close around 2000, this is the Beckham look with the least styling. A #1 or #2 runs over the whole head, with no difference between the top and sides, and the neckline is tapered rather than blocked. It shows off the shape of the skull and jaw, so it suits strong bone structure. Hair grows back into an even crop in about three weeks, which makes it a low-risk cut to try.
How to Style at Home
Wash with a mild shampoo and pat the scalp dry instead of rubbing.
Massage a few drops of scalp oil into the skin to stop flaking.
Wear sunscreen on the scalp outdoors while the hair is this short.
Ask Your Barber
"Buzz cut with a #2 all over, or a #1 if it looks too long. Taper the neckline and clean up around the ears, no line-up at the front."
Trim:Every 4 weeks. The longer top hides some regrowth on the sides.
Best For:Oval, long faces + thick, straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Shaggier than the original, the faux hawk he wore around 2007 kept three to four inches through the middle and a low fade on the sides. The front was cut slightly disconnected, so it fell forward in loose pieces rather than spiking straight up. It reads more relaxed and suits men who want the shape of a faux hawk without daily spiking. Thick hair gives it the most body.
How to Style at Home
Spray sea salt through damp hair and rough-dry it with your fingers.
Rub a little matte paste between your palms and push the middle together loosely.
Leave a few front pieces falling forward instead of lifting them.
Ask Your Barber
"Grown-out faux hawk with a low fade from a #1 to a #3. Leave three to four inches through the middle, slightly disconnected at the front, with choppy texture."
Trim:Every 4 weeks. The blunt fringe edge drops into the eyes.
Best For:Long, oval faces + fine or straight hair.
About This Style
Short back and sides with a forward fringe was his look around 2007, and it remains one of the easiest Beckham cuts to wear to work. The sides are scissor cut or clipped with a #3, the crown is blended, and the front is cut bluntly just above the eyebrows, then chopped into to break up the line. It hides a high forehead and needs little more than a rub of product.
How to Style at Home
Towel-dry and push the hair forward with your fingers, not a comb.
Pinch texture powder into the fringe to separate it into pieces.
Flick the very front up slightly so it does not sit flat on the brow.
Ask Your Barber
"Short back and sides with a #3, blended into the crown. Cut the fringe forward to just above the eyebrows and point cut it so it looks textured, not blunt."
Recommended Products
Texture Powder
Matte Clay
Beckham Curtains, Quiffs and Pompadours
These five need more length on top, from three inches for a quiff to six for curtains. The modern pompadour guide covers the blow-dry behind the swept-back looks.
Trim:Every 5–6 weeks. Only the back and sides need tidying.
Best For:Oval, long, heart faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Parted in the middle and falling to the cheekbones, curtains were his look in the mid-1990s, often with lighter streaks through the front. The top needs four to six inches and the sides are scissor cut to around the ear, so there is no clipper contrast at all. It frames the face and narrows a wide forehead. Wavy hair gives the most natural fall; very straight hair may need a blow-dry to stop it going flat.
How to Style at Home
Part the damp hair down the middle with a wide-tooth comb.
Blow-dry each side up and away from the part, then let it fall outward.
Smooth a pea-size amount of styling cream through the ends to reduce frizz.
Ask Your Barber
"Nineties curtains with a center part, leave four to six inches at the front to the cheekbones. Scissor cut the sides to the ears and keep the back soft, no clippers."
Trim:Every 4 weeks. Color roots show sooner than the cut grows.
Best For:Oval, heart faces + fine to medium straight hair.
About This Style
By around 1999 his hair was dyed blond and cut long at the front, short at the back, a shape halfway between curtains and a crop. The back and sides are clipped with a #3 or #4, the front is left at three to four inches and swept to one side or forward. The blond color does most of the work, so root touch-ups every six weeks matter more than the trim itself.
How to Style at Home
Use a purple shampoo once a week to keep the blond from turning brassy.
Blow-dry the front forward and slightly to one side with low heat.
Finish with a dab of light pomade to add a soft shine to the front.
Ask Your Barber
"Back and sides with a #3, graduating to three or four inches at the front, swept to one side. I am coloring it blond, so keep the ends healthy."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. The taper needs to stay tight for contrast.
Best For:Round, oval, square faces + thick straight hair.
About This Style
Swept back from a side part with about four to five inches on top, this pompadour shows up in photos from around 2010. The sides are tapered with a #2 to #3, short but not faded to skin. The front is blow-dried up and back for height, and pomade gives it a soft shine. It suits a strong jawline and a full hairline, and it takes about five minutes each morning with a dryer.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the front up and back over a round brush for lift.
Comb pomade through from front to back, following the side part.
Press the sides flat with your palms to keep the shape narrow.
Ask Your Barber
"Side-part pompadour, taper the sides from a #2 at the bottom to a #3, no skin. Leave four to five inches on top, longest at the front."
Trim:Every 4–5 weeks. The front length forgives a few extra days.
Best For:Round, square faces + medium to thick wavy hair.
About This Style
In the early 2010s, often alongside a full beard, he wore a quiff that was looser and squarer than the pompadour. The back and sides are short, around a #2 to #3, while the front is left long enough to reach the nose when combed down, roughly five to six inches. It is pushed up and away from the face with fingers, leaving texture rather than a smooth roll.
How to Style at Home
Spray sea salt into damp hair and blow-dry the front straight up.
Work matte clay through with your fingers, lifting the front up and back.
Leave the surface rough so separate pieces show instead of a smooth roll.
Ask Your Barber
"Loose quiff with short back and sides, around a #2 to #3. Keep five to six inches at the front, squared off on top, and texturize it so it sits up with my fingers."
Trim:Every 4 weeks. Longer sides need shaping before they puff out.
Best For:Oval, square faces + medium wavy or straight hair.
About This Style
Slightly longer than his 2010s cuts, the look he wore around 2025 brushes sandy hair up and back with plenty of height. The sides are scissor cut at around an inch rather than clipped, which softens the shape for an older face. The top keeps four inches, layered so it lifts. It pairs well with a short, groomed beard and lets gray through the sides show naturally.
How to Style at Home
Apply a little thickening spray at the roots before drying.
Brush the hair up and back while blow-drying on medium heat.
Set it with a small amount of matte cream so it moves but holds.
Ask Your Barber
"Scissor cut the sides to about an inch, leave four inches on top with layers so it lifts. I brush it up and back, so keep the front slightly longer."
Recommended Products
Thickening Spray
Matte Cream
Long Beckham Hair, Cornrows and Ponytails
These five looks come from the years he grew his hair out, mostly in the early and mid-2000s. Our long hairstyles and braids guides explain the growing-out stage.
Trim:Every 3 weeks. Braids loosen and the edges need redoing.
Best For:Oval, long faces + medium to long hair.
About This Style
Cornrows braided straight back from the hairline were photographed around 2003 and drew a lot of attention for a footballer with straight hair. They need at least three to four inches of length to grip, and straight hair slips out of the braids faster than coily hair, so they last two to three weeks rather than six. Ask for a braider used to fine hair, and keep tension light to protect the hairline.
How to Style at Home
Spray a light leave-in on the scalp between the rows every few days.
Sleep in a silk or satin cap to keep the braids from frizzing.
Take the braids out gently with conditioner once the roots look loose.
Ask Your Barber
"Straight-back cornrows, eight to ten rows from the hairline to the nape. My hair is fine and straight, so braid tightly enough to hold but light at the edges."
Trim:Every 8 weeks. Dusting the ends is all it needs.
Best For:Oval, square faces + straight or wavy long hair.
About This Style
Tied back on top with the rest left loose, the half ponytail was one of his looks around 2003. Only the hair from the temples upward goes into the band, which keeps the face clear while the length still shows at the back. It needs hair at about chin to shoulder length. The cut itself is simple, one length with light layers, and the work is mostly in growing it out patiently.
How to Style at Home
Brush the top section back from the temples while the hair is dry.
Tie it at the crown with a soft elastic that will not snag.
Smooth a drop of argan oil over the loose ends below the tie.
Ask Your Barber
"Just a dusting of the ends and light layers. I am growing it to shoulder length to tie half up, so keep as much length as possible."
Trim:Every 8 weeks. Long hair splits at the ends first.
Best For:Oval, heart faces + straight or slightly wavy hair.
About This Style
Long hair held off the face with a thin headband, known in Britain as an Alice band, became a talking point in the early to mid-2000s. On the pitch it kept chin-length hair out of the eyes. Off the pitch it reads as a casual long style. The cut underneath is one length with face-framing layers, and the band sits behind the hairline so the front lifts slightly.
How to Style at Home
Comb the hair straight back while it is still slightly damp.
Slide a thin, flexible headband in from behind the ears toward the hairline.
Loosen a few strands at the temples so the hold does not look tight.
Ask Your Barber
"One length to the chin with light face-framing layers at the front. I wear it back with a headband, so keep the front long enough to reach behind my ears."
Trim:Every 6 weeks. Layers keep their shape for over a month.
Best For:Round, oval faces + wavy or thick straight hair.
About This Style
Tousled and layered, the shaggy cut he wore around 2006 was a relaxed middle ground between the long years and the cropped ones. The hair sits around the ears and collar, with choppy layers through the crown so it moves. It needs almost no styling: a rough dry and a little salt spray. Wavy and thick hair suit it best; flat, fine hair can look limp without layering.
How to Style at Home
Mist sea salt spray through towel-dried hair from roots to ends.
Scrunch the hair in your hands as it air-dries to bring out movement.
Push the front off the face with your fingers, no comb needed.
Ask Your Barber
"Shaggy medium-length cut, ear and collar length, with choppy layers through the crown. Texturize it so it moves when it air-dries."
Trim:Every 6–8 weeks. Regular cropping keeps the length rough, not ragged.
Best For:Square, oval faces + thick wavy or straight hair.
About This Style
Worn with a full beard in the mid-2010s, this longer look lets the hair fall naturally to around the jaw with rough, uneven texture. It is cut with scissors throughout, with longer layers at the front that can be pushed back or tucked behind the ears. The beard balances the length so it looks deliberate. It suits thick hair; fine hair tends to separate and show the scalp at this length.
How to Style at Home
Comb a light leave-in through damp hair to prevent knots.
Let it air-dry, then rake it back with your fingers.
Keep the beard trimmed with beard oil so the two lengths match.
Ask Your Barber
"Scissor cut to jaw length with long layers, keep it rough and textured rather than blunt. I wear it pushed back with a full beard, so leave the front longest."
Recommended Products
Leave-In
Beard Oil
How Do You Ask Your Barber for a Beckham Haircut?
Name the look, then translate it into numbers. Say which guard you want on the sides, whether it is a fade, taper or plain clipper cut, and how many inches to leave on top. Show your barber a front and a side photo, and point out the part you care about most, such as the strip on a mohawk or the height of a quiff. Our guide on how to talk to your barber covers the rest of the conversation.
Be honest about your hair. If you have a cowlick at the front, a pompadour may need to sweep in a different direction, and if your hairline has receded, a fringe will cover less than it did on a twenty-year-old footballer. A good barber will adjust the look to your head rather than copy it line for line, and may suggest a nearby shape that grows out better on your hair type.
Clipper Guards Used in David Beckham Haircut Styles
A clipper guard is the plastic comb that clips onto the blade and sets how much hair is left: a #1 leaves 3 mm (1/8 inch), each step up adds about 3 mm. The right column lists the cards on this page that call for each guard. See the full clipper guard numbers guide for the complete chart.
Clipper guard sizes for david beckham haircut styles
Most of the swept and spiky looks start with a blow-dry. Dry the top in the direction it will sit, then add product: matte clay for texture and spikes, pomade for shine on a pompadour, and sea salt spray for the loose, lived-in looks. The buzz cut needs only a scalp oil or moisturizer. Longer looks need conditioner, a wide-tooth comb and a headband or elastic that does not snag. Our pomade vs clay vs wax guide explains which product holds which shape.
Upkeep runs from two weeks for the buzz cut and mohawk to five or six weeks for curtains and long hair. Cornrows need rebraiding every few weeks to protect the scalp, and the edges should be kept clean between visits. If you are growing out a short cut into one of the longer looks, book trims that only shape the back and sides so the top keeps gaining length.
Which David Beckham Haircut Is Right for You?
Pick your hair type and how much upkeep you will put in. The matches below come from the Best For and Maintenance notes on each card. Upkeep follows the Maintenance badge: low means a cut every 3 to 6 weeks and almost no daily styling, high means weekly line-ups or daily product.
Q1: What is the most famous David Beckham haircut?+
The mohawk and the faux hawk from the early 2000s are the looks most often linked to him, followed by the curtains of the mid-1990s and the buzz cut from around 2000. Each sparked a wave of copies in barbershops at the time, and all three are still requested today under the same names.
Q2: What clipper guard do you need for a Beckham buzz cut?+
A #1 or #2 all over gets close to the look he wore around 2000. A #1 leaves about 1/8 inch and a #2 about 1/4 inch. Ask for the neckline tapered rather than squared so it grows out more softly, and keep the edges neat with a quick trim every two to three weeks.
Q3: Is a faux hawk the same as a mohawk?+
No. A mohawk shaves or clips the sides very close and leaves a narrow strip of longer hair down the middle. A faux hawk keeps more hair on the sides and simply pushes the top toward the center with product, so it can be combed down for work. Beckham wore a version of both in the early 2000s.
Q4: How long does hair need to be for Beckham's curtains?+
About four to six inches at the front, long enough to reach the cheekbones when parted in the middle. The back and sides are usually scissor cut to around ear length. Hair grows roughly half an inch a month, so from a short cut expect eight months to a year, with trims that only tidy the back and neckline.
Q5: Can you get a David Beckham haircut with thin hair?+
Yes, the shorter looks work best. A buzz cut, a short faux hawk or a textured fringe all hide thinning better than long or slicked styles, because there is less length to separate and show scalp. Use texture powder or a light matte clay rather than heavy pomade, which flattens fine hair.
Q6: Are the photos on this page of David Beckham?+
No. The images show generic models wearing cuts similar to the looks described, so you can see the shape and length. They are illustrations, not photos of the footballer. For a match with his real look, find a press photo from the era named on the card and bring it to your barber.
