When Marlon Brando shot to fame in 1951 for his role in A Streetcar Named Desire, he set a super stylish – and obscenely cool – bar for men's appearances to try and meet. That was, in part, down to his fashion sense (his crewneck T-shirts, rockabilly jackets and loose cotton trousers looked simple yet seriously effective), but he also groomed impeccably too. He rocked a side-parted, combed-over mop of hair that has since served as a solid point of call for those who want to freshen up their mane.
So today, on what would have been the actor's birthday, we've taken it upon ourselves to re-create that iconic cut at home. We called up GQ barber Joe Mills (of Joe And Co) and asked for his top tips on how to get the Brando look today. Good news: all you really need is the help of some stellar styling products…
GQ: Marlon Brando had one of the most classic cuts in hair history. Could you share some tips on how to achieve this, as well as some styling tips to get it looking as slick as his?
Joe Mills: If you have been stuck at home and missed the chance to see your barber before social distancing became our world, Brando's cut is actually perfect. It's a deep-parted haircut and it works best on thicker, wavy hair.
The back and sides are slightly grown out just over the ears and the neck line is a little softer too. The top needs to be longer, so you're looking at a minimum of four inches there. It should also be texturised as, with these softer cuts, it helps hold the shape. This is particularly useful when it comes to styling.
You need to find your natural part and, on clean, damp hair, comb all your hair back from your face. It should part on one side – this is your natural fall and you can then move it a little higher or lower from this point as you see fit.
Using Triumph & Disaster's Karekare Tonic, spray four to five pumps through your hair. Then, using a Denman vent brush, blow dry the sides back towards the nape of your neck.
The top and front needs to be pushed up and back from the face with your brush – make sure to direct the airflow from your hairdryer towards the roots of your hair. You want a little volume for this look and doing this will help.
Once dry you need some pomade as this will help hold the shape of your style and give it that charming gloss look. Baxter's Hard Water Pomade is perfect for achieving this; apply a 10p sized amount evenly throughout the hair and style with your brush to finish.
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