David Fincher’s Fight Club is pretty influential. Take it from the number of guys still buying Tyler Durden’s red leather jacket and Hawaiian shirts. But tinted shades and fur coats aren’t the only thing men are biting from the 1999 movie. It also inspired a new type of cut: “the warrior.” And, like all ’90s relics, it’s been dug up and put on social media for a second wind. (There are currently thousands of posts on TikTok with the hashtag #warriorcut.)
“It’s a good time to get a warrior cut,” says barber TJ Hunt of Time Shoreditch. He mentions that Austin Butler’s hair is the modern day equivalent—another pretty good reason why you should get one.
“It feels like it’s a natural progression from the mullet, and to some degree, mod cuts as well. There’s still an element of a mod cut to a warrior cut, in the soft edges, the heavier back, and the sideburns that aren’t too crispy and neat. But at the moment, the warrior cut would be a bit more of a niche, cool option to go for.”
We asked Hunt, as well as co-founder of Supply91, Luke Davies, and Matt Hughes of Idris Barbering Co., to break down exactly what a warrior cut is, and what to ask for to ensure you leave with exactly what you envisioned.
Karwai Tang
So, what is a warrior cut?
“The warrior cut is a lived-in, messy, and heavily textured style that originated in the ‘90,” says Davies. “It has soft, natural edges with a heavily textured top, creating plenty of movement. Choppy layering and weight removal are used to create a deliberately undone finish. This hairstyle is controlled chaos: bold, masculine, and effortless looking.”
The key word is messy. Warrior cuts aren’t meant to look particularly put together, but more like you’ve just run your fingers through your hair and left the house like that. “It’s the opposite to what’s happened over the last few years with soccer player haircuts, which are very crisp and tight and neat,” adds Hunt. “It’s sort of a bedhead-type look.”
Why is it making a comeback now?
As Hunt said, guys are becoming more drawn to it as an alternative to the abundance of mullets, or on the other end of the spectrum, more polished styles of our favorites on the pitch.