Why the Round Buzz Cut Is So Sexy
by Christopher Thaxter
November 3, 2006
The buzz cut is swinging back into style, now in a very specific and possibly new form: not too short to see any skin behind that sexy layer of fur, and not so long that the hairs don’t stand up.
This is not an ordinary buzz cut. This is a round buzz cut that hugs the head and hides it just barely. It’s not nearly bald—it’s nearly a regular, short haircut. And it’s definitely not square or flat: it’s as round as the head it covers.
Those who wear it aren’t trying to be bald. Bald isn’t the point. Bald doesn’t always look good. Colin Farrell was positively scary in Daredevil, and not just because he was the villain. When it comes to those who choose a bald look when they don’t have to, the look becomes a very strong focal point. It can be intimidating.
Military haircuts aren’t quite appealing, either. They’re usually square; they don’t follow the contours of the head. They’re flat on top—stylish in 1986 together with bright, nerdy, colorful clothes, but not in 2006.
The reason to wear the round buzz cut is to liberate your head and uncover your potential. It gives you the feeling of being naked without taking off your clothes. If you have the guts to wear the round buzz cut, maybe you can do anything. In this world of constant insecurities and personal setbacks, we use anything we can to conquer our fears. It’s like wearing something wild like a costume, drag, or—in this case—nothing at all.
After all, hair is something you wear. It makes a statement when it’s bold, and it provides cover when you’re trying to be an invisible member of the crowd, just like clothes can. But what happens when you take it off?
Perhaps that’s why the round buzz cut looks so sexy on Chris Evans as Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four. He looks completely naked when he’s in his anatomically contouring blue costume and his skintight buzz cut. When he takes his shirt off, he doesn’t have to go supernova to make you melt.
The round buzz cut first made its appearances in 2004. It started to gain popularity among male celebrities in 2005, and has been seen on the streets of metropolitan cities more and more in 2006. It has even entered the office, where cubicle dwellers are adding spunk to their lives and going to work naked. Not literally—but that’s the perception they exude with that super-sexy hairstyle.
Brad Pitt may have begun the trend with his appearance in 2005’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Even before, those who watched Bravo’s Manhunt, the “search for America’s most gorgeous male model,” may remember Rob Williams, the second-place winner. A truly gorgeous Texas boy then studying law at Pepperdine, he was not only courageous enough to be out of the closet on the show, but to be a trendsetter wearing the round buzz cut in the spotlight. Brad and Rob both deserve equal credit for wearing this haircut first, as they both did it during production of their respective projects in 2004, presumably as an independent creation of their own, or at least of their hairstylists.
In 2004, it was almost avant-garde. No one was wearing it except for the boldest elite. In the early part of the millennium and the later years of the previous one, the Leonardo DiCaprios and Johnny Depps of the world reigned with their luscious locks and fabulous hairdos. Any buzz cuts were relegated to military connotation, and were generally square or basically bald. Now, the round buzz cut has prevailed as the best-looking, and it’s very short but not military, not bald, and definitely not long.
Countless magazine covers and public appearances in 2005 and 2006 featured Brad Pitt wearing it. He has perhaps been the most loyal A-list devotee of the round buzz cut since he started with it. Others like Heath Ledger have gone in and out of favor with it, but invariably they looked better bold than all covered up in a mop.
Justin Timberlake even created a successful variant on the look by completing a smooth full-head wraparound from the chin to the top of the head. His beard was as short as his hair, eyebrows, and mustache. At MTV’s 2006 Video Music Awards, though clean-shaven, he sizzled on the stage in his big grey suit. You would think it would be hard to sizzle in a a big grey suit, but Justin pulled it off. His secret? A round buzz cut.
The list of notable appearances of the round buzz cut goes on. Newcomer Channing Tatum probably would have gone unnoticed had he not worn the round buzz cut in the recent dance movie Step Up. With it, he’s hot as hell. Josh Hartnett even has been seen posing without his beautiful signature black locks but with the round buzz cut instead. Matthew Fox from ABC’s “Lost” looked even better all cleaned up for the Golden Globes and an appearance on MTV’s TRL, than he did on the series; but in all occasions, he of course sported the round buzz cut.
Still not convinced that shorter is better? After seeing the round buzz cut on all these guys, go back and look at them in previous appearances wearing short but not buzz cuts: Chris Evans in Cellular, Brad Pitt in Ocean’s Eleven, Heath Ledger in any of his films. They looked pretty good; but as you would expect, they looked even better when they took it off.