8 Best Medium Short Haircuts

Click to See in Details: 8 Best Medium Short Haircuts for Men

Looking for the best medium short haircuts for men over 40? Whether you want a refined or youthful look, these styles balance maturity with a modern edge, helping you stay sharp and stylish without much hassle. Find the perfect haircut that suits your lifestyle and hair type. - ManlyZine.com

Choosing the best medium short haircuts for men over 40 is all about balancing style, maturity, and ease of maintenance. Whether you prefer classic cuts or trendy updates, the right hairstyles for men over 40 can refresh your image and boost confidence. In this guide, we showcase medium short haircuts for older men that not only look sharp but also suit various hair types and lifestyles. Get ready to discover the most stylish haircuts for mature men and find a look that works perfectly for you.

Textured Crop with Fade

The textured crop with fade is one of the most versatile medium short haircuts for men in their 40s. This modern style blends professional sophistication with enough edge to keep you looking fresh and current.

Textured Crop for a Youthful Look

A textured crop serves as a secret weapon against aging signs. Rodney Cutler, founder of New York’s Cutler Salon, says “It makes hair look fuller and can camouflage thinning a little bit”. This style works great, especially when you have natural thinning that comes with aging beyond 40.

This cut’s magic lies in creating volume illusions where needed most. Your hair stands up more easily with minimal product thanks to the added texture, giving you an effortless look. The style works with your changing hair instead of fighting against it.

Men worried about receding hairlines will find a clever solution in the textured crop. Your stylist can tailor the fringe to your hairline, making recession nowhere near as noticeable as styles that need pushed-back hair. The shorter length helps too – it doesn’t draw attention to thinning areas, unlike longer hair that tends to emphasize the problem.

This style suits men over 40 perfectly because it strikes the right balance between sophisticated and contemporary. You won’t look like you’re trying too hard to appear young or giving in to an overly conservative cut. The textured crop hits that sweet spot – professional enough for work yet modern enough for casual outings.

Fade Options for Men Over 40

A clean fade framework lifts the entire style. The right fade choice makes all the difference between trendy and timeless for men entering their fifth decade.

The textured crop works well with several fade options:

Low Fade: A subtle transition starting lower on the head. This conservative look suits professional settings and grows out gracefully with less maintenance needed.

Mid Fade: Starting around the temples creates a balanced look that’s neither too bold nor too subtle. You get clean lines while keeping it timeless.

Skin Fade: A bold choice that blends hair into skin for sharp definition. This works best with thicker hair types.

John Barrett, a stylist with over twenty years’ experience, points out: “If you’re losing your hair on top, having a lot of bulk at the sides just will accentuate what you’re losing. Have your hair cut tighter so everything will just flow nicely”. A well-done fade creates balance and draws eyes to your best features rather than thinning spots.

The grown-out fade works great for men switching between professional and social settings. It keeps the fade’s shape but with slightly longer sides, creating a sophisticated yet relaxed look.

Styling Products for Textured Crops

Your choice of styling products can make or break a textured crop. Product selection becomes crucial as hair texture changes with age.

Your hair type should guide product selection. Fine or thinning hair needs lightweight products that won’t weigh it down. As hair becomes more brittle with age, moisturizing products become essential.

Start your daily styling routine with clean hair using moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Add texture spray or sea salt spray to damp hair to create bulk. This builds the foundation for that distinctive textured look.

Your desired finish determines the next steps:

A natural, tousled look needs just a small amount of matte clay or paste on the textured top. Use your fingers instead of a comb to keep that casual texture.

A more defined style requires rough-drying your hair with a blow dryer, directing it slightly forward with some lift at the top. Work in a bit of styling product when almost dry.

Start with less product – you can always add more. The textured crop should look natural rather than over-styled. As the stylist at Uppercutdeluxe notes, this cut offers “a more relaxed and casual style for everyday wear”.

Men with gray or silver hair can use specialized silver hair products to boost natural tones while getting the needed texture for this style.

Modern Quiff

The quiff hairstyle has stayed popular as one of the most adaptable medium short haircuts for men since it exploded in popularity during the 1950s. This style gives you that perfect mix of sophistication and boldness many men want as they reach their 40s.

Modern Quiff for a Stylish Edge

Today’s quiff is an update to its classic version. It blends elements of the pompadour and military flat top with touches of mohawk styling. Men over 40 can rock this distinguished yet modern look in any setting.

The quiff’s appeal comes from its adaptability. A stylist puts it well: “The beauty of the quiff is that, depending on the shape or how tight the sides are taken, it can look quite different on whoever is wearing it, so you can make the style your own”. You can customize the look based on your face shape and personal style.

A modern quiff typically has shorter sides and back with longer locks on top. This style stands out from other professional medium short haircuts because of its styling – volume sits at the front of the head and creates a distinctive silhouette that makes your face look longer.

Your face shape plays a big role in choosing the right quiff style. Higher hair makes your face look more angular and elongated. A taller quiff works great for round faces by making them look longer, while guys with thinner faces should go for a more moderate height.

How to Style a Quiff with Medium Short Hair

Getting that perfect quiff needs the right technique and products. Here’s a simple way to style your modern quiff:

Start with clean hair using a volumizing shampoo

Towel-dry your hair until slightly damp

Apply a volumizing spray or mousse to the roots for added lift

Blow-dry the hair upward and backward, using a brush to create height at the front

Once dry, apply a styling product—the choice depends on your desired finish

Pick products that match your hair type and desired look. Guys with thick hair should use lighter pomades to keep the quiff from looking too heavy. If you have fine hair, volume-building products like sprays or mousses will give you the lift and body you need.

The quiff offers different texture options for simple men’s hairstyles. A textured quiff shows off your hair’s natural character instead of smoothing it into one shape. This creates a relaxed, modern look that’s perfect for casual settings.

Quiff for Mature Men with Volume

Hair thinning and graying become more common as men hit their 40s. The quiff handles both these issues well, making it one of the best medium short haircuts for men in this age group.

This style creates an illusion of fuller hair. “As our hair starts to go gray, it becomes a bit more wiry,” notes one expert, recommending the quiff as an ideal style that allows you to “show off your hair with a moisturizing hair product to keep it swept back”.

The quiff works great for guys with receding hairlines. By brushing the front hair upward, you can magnify the volume of your locks to make them look thicker and fuller. This technique makes the most of what you have rather than trying to hide thin spots.

Silver or gray hair looks sophisticated in a quiff. Clay products work really well with silver hair. They keep it relaxed while spreading the strands evenly. Your quiff looks thicker and shows more texture this way.

Guys with very curly, super frizzy, or very fine hair might find the quiff hard to manage. Wavy hair can actually help create a more textured, messier look—though you can always use straighteners for a classic style if you prefer.

Short Mullet (Subtle Version)

The short mullet has made a comeback over the last several years. Men over 40 can now rock this sophisticated twist on what was once a controversial style. People call it the “grown-up mullet” or “guppy mullet” – a refined version that keeps the classic look fresh and modern.

Short Mullet for a Trendy Yet Mature Look

The short mullet stands out among medium short haircuts for men in their forties. Today’s version looks nothing like its wild 80s cousin, with much less contrast between front and back lengths.

Mature men love this style because it’s subtle. The short mullet (or Guppy mullet) keeps hair relatively short with a slight extension at the back. Your hair naturally flicks up at the sides, adding dimension without extra length.

Men over 40 often worry about age-appropriate styles. This cut hits the sweet spot between modern and classic. The mullet section barely shows, with a discreet flick behind the ears. You’ll look professional while showing off your personality.

The short mullet works best with oval and oblong faces. These face shapes balance nicely with the extended back – something to think over as facial features become more defined with age.

How to Keep the Mullet Subtle and Stylish

A refined mullet needs the right cutting techniques to stay professional. Here are some effective approaches:

The tapered mullet might be your best bet for the office. This style flows smoothly from shorter sides to slightly longer back hair. The taper looks clean and intentional, never messy.

Want something more current? The classic mullet with tapered sides mixes traditional styling with modern trends. It works great for both casual and formal settings – perfect for balancing work and social life.

The soft mullet keeps things natural with minimal contrast. The style transitions smoothly between top, sides, and back. Subtle fades replace dramatic undercuts, making it ideal for understated looks.

Barbers now suggest keeping overall length shorter for men in their forties. This creates a “first-haircut mullet” that hints at the shape without going all-in on the dramatic look.

Styling Tips for the Short Mullet

The short mullet needs less work than other professional medium short haircuts for men. Here’s how to get the best results:

Daily styling is simple:

Use volumizing shampoo on clean hair

Dry with towel until damp

Add a small amount of product

Style to your liking

Pick products based on your hair and desired look:

For textured finish: Sea salt spray adds texture without weight – great for the longer back

For volume: Volumizing spray or mousse at the roots before blow-drying adds body

For definition: Hair clay or wax gives strong hold with a matte finish

The messy mullet works great for natural waves or texture. This relaxed weekend style needs just texturizing spray and finger-tousling.

Curly hair brings extra benefits to this style. Natural texture adds volume to the longer back, creating what barbers call a “textured mullet”. You’ll need minimal product – just enough to enhance curls without stiffness.

The short mullet gives mature men a versatile simple hair style men can wear anywhere. Good cutting and basic styling show how classic looks can evolve with their wearers.