The pompadour haircut has stood the test of time, evolving from its origins in the 18th century to become a staple of men’s fashion in 2023. Named after Madame de Pompadour, the influential mistress of France’s King Louis XV, the pompadour initially began as a women’s hairstyle before Elvis Presley made it an emblem of cool for men in the 1950s. Today, it continues to used in many places around the world with a hint of modernity.
The modern pompadour comes in various shapes and sizes, from the classic, slicked-back approach to edgier, textured variations. It’s an adaptable haircut, suitable for a range of hair types and lengths, and can be modified to fit any personal style, you decide.
1. The Pompadour with an Urban Low Fade
Rocking the city vibe, this pompadour cut stands out with its full, slicked-back top that’s all swag and statement. The sides blend into a smooth low fade, giving it that nice, street-smart finish. It’s a fresh remix of the retro pomp, tailored for the modern man who’s all about that clean yet bold urban look. Paired with a tight beard and some sunglasses, this hairstyle is a go-to for those aiming to keep it real on the city streets.
2. The Short Pompadour with Precision Fade
This hairstyle brings a modern urban edge to the pompadour, with its shorter length and meticulously sculpted sides. The top is kept tight and neat, with just enough length to create that classic pomp silhouette, while the sides are faded down to skin level for a sharp, precise look. It’s a refined take on the pompadour, perfect for the man about town with a contemporary attitude.
3. Rebel Refined Pompadour
This cut throws the classic pomp a curveball, serving up textured layers with a messy, just-rolled-out-of-bed vibe. The fade keeps it low-key but lets that wild texture be the MVP. It’s the kind of style that doesn’t just follow trends, it sets them — perfect for the dude who’s all about that chill confidence and ain’t afraid to show it.
4. Medium Pompadour with High Fade
This pomp hits the block with a crisp high fade that’s all finesse into a plush, sculpted top. It’s blending tight lines with the natural swag of volume. Tailored for the city-slicker, this cut’s for the fella who owns the spotlight with a style that’s snatched and on-point.
5. Mid Pompadour with Clean Fade
The sides are faded down to a whisper, framing a top that’s brushed back with precision. It’s a look that’s got the hustle of the city written all over it — polished, but with just the right amount of edge.
6. Relaxed Textured Pompadour
The sides are kept neat and tidy, paving the way for a casually styled top that’s free-flowing yet has just enough shape to keep things interesting. It’s the kind of pompadour haircut that’s perfect for anyone who’s all about that effortless style — cool, collected, and always ready for whatever.
7. Mid-Sized Pompadour with a Refined Edge
Our model here is rocking a slick mid-sized pompadour with the sides faded down to the skin. That clean side-part is sharp enough to cut glass, and the way the top flows back, it’s like a wave of style about to crash over. Pair that with the well-groomed beard, and it’s a look that’s smooth, classic, with just enough edge.
8. Skin Fade Pompadour
The hair on top is kept long and swept back with volume, creating that signature pompadour puff. It’s an old-school hairstyle, that has been updated to fit perfectly into the 21st-century aesthetic. It does require some maintenance; it’s not a wake-up-and-go kind of hairstyle, but with the right pomade and a bit of time in front of the mirror, it’s a head-turner for sure.
9. Textured Pompadour with High Skin Fade
Here we have a modern twist on the pompadour, quite distinct from the classic style. This version is often referred to as a textured pompadour with a high fade. The hair on top is not as slick or as carefully combed as the traditional pompadour; instead, it has been styled to show off its natural texture, likely with a matte wax product to keep it looking effortlessly cool.
10. Wet & Messy Pompadour Taper
This hairstyle is a more spontaneous version of the classic pompadour, with a distinct wet-look finish that gives the impression of just stepping out of surfing. The hair is styled with a product that provides a glossy sheen, creating that ‘wet’ look which is quite popular in certain fashion circles.
11. Slicked Back Pompadour with Short Sides
The top hair is kept significantly longer than the sides and is styled backward to create the pompadour’s characteristic volume at the front. The sides and back are cut short and taper down, giving a clean and sharp contrast to the voluminous hair on top.
A key aspect of this style is the blending of the hair with the beard. The sideburns transition smoothly into the beard, which is full and well-groomed, adding to the masculine appeal of the look. The beard is shaped to enhance the jawline, complementing the haircut and framing the face neatly. But also works without a beard.
12. Sculpted Edge Pompadour
Starting with the high fade, it’s created neatly to accentuate the upper volume.
Then there’s the hard part, a razor-sharp line that carves through the hair, lending an extra element of structure to the look. It’s a statement in itself, a deliberate contrast to the softer lines that a natural part might offer.
As for the pompadour, it’s styled with purpose—the hair swept back in a wave, showing not only the volume but also its movement. The hair appears almost architectural, each strand contributing to a cohesive whole that’s both dynamic and controlled.
13. Textured Urban Pompadour
The sides and back are buzzed down to a very short length, creating a stark contrast with the top. It looks like there’s a subtle fade involved as well, with the hair gradually shortening as it nears the ear line, giving it a contemporary look.
14. Medium Edgy Pompadour with a Sharp Fade
Here Vika has the sides faded down to the skin, clean around the edges, giving off a sharp vibe. On top, the hair’s left long enough to flow back with a cool, easy wave, adding that touch of downtown swag. The subtle streaks up top give it some extra dimension, making this style pop even more.
15. High Fade Pompadour and Hard Part
This haircut is the epitome of urban sophistication with a high fade that merges smoothly with a pompadour. The hard part etched into the side adds a level of detail that takes the style up a notch. It’s a look that pairs well with the neat, full beard. A haircut to add to your list!
16. Modern Pompadour with a Hard Part Detail
The sides are closely shaved for a clean skin fade, emphasizing the fullness of the hair on top. The hard part is more to middle of the head.
17. Classic Pompadour with a Contemporary Fade
The hair on top is sculpted with plenty of volume and a smooth back-sweep that gives it a refined look. The sides feature a nice fade which transitions from a fuller length at the top down to a very close trim at the temples, giving it a more masculine style.
18. Refined Pompadour with a Subtle Fade
This hairstyle shows a well-combed top with a nice gentle sweep back. The sides are tapered with a subtle fade, giving it a clean, contemporary edge while maintaining a full, classic silhouette on top. It’s a great hairstyle for both the office and going out on a Friday night.
19. High-Volume Pompadour
For a voluminous pompadour that blends into a flawless fade, this style is your go-to. You would need a thick, full set of hair to achieve the perfect balance between the pomp’s height and the fade at the sides.
20. Sculpted Pompadour with Crisp Fade
This pompadour cut flexes plenty of variations, making it top-tier if you’re aiming to keep some length up top for styling. Takes longer to grow if you are just starting out.
21. Hard-Parted Pompadour
Dive into the depths of dapper with this nautical-themed pompadour, featuring a hard part that’s as crisp as a sailor’s salute.
22. Tousled Pompadour with a Sharp Undercut
This look takes the pompadour to edgy new territories, featuring a prominent tousle that’s full of texture and a nice sharp undercut.
23. Polished Pompadour with Urban Edge
This pompadour is brushed back with a crisp precision, giving off that clean, urban vibe. A hairstyle you can quickly comb after getting out of the shower.
24. Dynamic Pompadour with Ultra-Fade
To style a high-top pompadour like this one, you’ll need to start with damp hair. Apply a heat protectant first, then a volumizing mousse or pomade to give your hair the necessary lift and hold. Blow dry your hair while combing it upwards and back to achieve that elevated front.
25. Lush Pompadour with Precision Fade
To achieve this gravity-defying pompadour, you’ll want to start with towel-dried hair, leaving it slightly damp. Use a blow dryer on a medium setting, directing the airflow upwards with a vented brush to build volume.
26. Textured Pompadour with Tapered Sophistication
To style this textured pompadour with tapered sides, you’ll need to start with the right cut, so always get a skilled barber to shape it for you initially.
27. Slicked-Back Pompadour with a Modern Fade
This pompadour is combed back into a clean, slicked-back style. It has a very 80s feel to it when people used to get ready for a night long dancing the disco.
28. High-Definition Pompadour
This hairstyle takes the classic pompadour to a new level with its sculpted look. This look is not just a haircut; it’s a piece of artistry.
29. Pomp Fade and Hard Part Comb Over
This style is a fresh twist on the iconic pompadour, featuring a glossy, combed-back look. The hard part is razor-sharp, creating a distinct line that separates the hair. Add some gel to it and you have the same hairstyle.
30. Highlighted Pompadour with Fade
The top is worked into a sweeping back style, with blonde highlights adding dimension. Looks like a 2000s haircut you would see in high school.
31. Dark Allure Pompadour
Here we can see Reuzel with an all dark hair pompadour. Looks pretty sick how the hair is styled. It’s giving mafia vibes or something.
32. High-Contrast Pompadour
It’s got volume, height, and a wave of style that stands out with a high-contrast twist. The sides are faded down to skin for a sharp, clean look that accentuates the fullness of the top.
33. Streamlined Pompadour with Subtle Edge
This haircut is styled with a natural flow. Sometimes you just got to go with with flow of things.
34. Full-Volume Pompadour
The hair is swept back with a glossy finish, creating a look that is both dynamic and impeccably polished. The sides are neatly combed as well, enhancing the dramatic effect of the pompadour and providing a modern style, like something you would style for a wedding.
35. Precision Parted Pompadour
This hairstyle is a great example of precise styling, a pompadour that’s been parted to perfection.
36. Johnny Bravo Pomp
If you grew up in the 90s just by looking at this hairstyle you would know it resembles the famous johnny bravo cartoon.
37. Another Johnny Bravo Pomp (But Grey)
Another johnny bravo pomp, but this time with grey highlights (maybe for the older fellas who look this cut).
38. Sharp Pompadour with Clean Fade Lines
The pompadour stands tall, styled with precision to give that sharp, metropolitan look.
39. Refined Pompadour with a Street-Smart Fade
This cut is where classic meets street, blending a refined pompadour on top with a street-smart fade on the sides.
40. Old School Pompadour
Finally this hairstyle is a blend of old-school charm and modernity. Once you’ve got the shape, a high-hold pomade or wax will help you define the style and keep it in place all day.
The pompadour transcends mere fashion trends, embodying a canvas for personal expression. As showcased in the diverse array of 40 pompadour hairstyles, this iconic cut offers a unique avenue to show personality.
With the right care, this classic style will continue to be celebrated, a hallmark in the ever-changing landscape of men’s grooming.