All radical short and long hair hairstyles make a statement. One of the most unmistakable extreme hairstyles for noticeably longer hair are the mohawk styles. According to Wikipedia, a modern mohawk hairstyle is named after the indigenous Mohawk people, Native Americans who lived in the northeastern United States.
However, the mohawk cut itself was worn by ancient people far before that. Mohawk haircuts have a wide variety of variations today: a long mohawk, a short mohawk, curly hair mohawk haircut styles, mohawk haircuts for wavy hair, straight hair, an Afro mohawk, a spiky style, an undercut mohawk, a mohawk fade, a buzz cut mohawk, faux hawk styles, a pompadour mohawk, and a modern braided mohawk.
Let’s explore some of the different creative iterations of the modern mohawk haircut.
Classic Mohawk Hairstyle
@abuklin
Although the mohawk haircut itself isn’t particularly conventional, this is perhaps the most traditional version of the mohawk cut. Smoothly shaved sides and a narrow hawk define the template for this hairdo. The hair is spiked using plenty of product. This hairstyle doesn’t hold its appeal if it starts to fall.
Taste The Rainbow Mohawk Haircut
@cbrunais
This cool Mohawk haircut has spiky layers that are distinguished by their rainbow colors. Each section is clearly separated by its own place in the color spectrum. The mohawk is suitable both for thin and thick hair type. The hair on top can be styled in another popular style when you’re not wearing it as a mohawk haircut. The shaved sides make it even more dramatic.
Cornrow Mohawk For Men
@kornelyabraids
This braided mohawk-inspired hairstyle can be done with cornrows or braids. A wide section of long hair at the top of the head is braided into four cornrows leading to the back of this mohawk style. At the vertex of the mohawk haircut, the tiny braids are gathered into a ponytail, they create a cool style at the top of the head.
Short And Curly Mohawk Fade
@chosen1_chazz
This subtle mohawk is not greatly pronounced at the back or on top. From the front, the style looks like a short afro with natural curls and a mohawk fade. The profile view shows the defined hair on top that extends in a kind of a curly mohawk with a burst fade. This is a great way to tame the natural texture of curly hair.
Brad Pitt’s Undercut Mohawk
Regardless of whether you thought this was a great style on Brad Pitt, it shows that just about anyone can pull off a mohawk haircut. Moreover, short mohawk haircut styles can look very different from a rebellious straight hair classic mohawk, to a more subtle, tight mohawk with length along the top swept to the back and shaved sides.
Viking Long Hair Mohawk Style
Long hair can be tamed into a mohawk haircut fairly easily. You don’t have to spike the ends to create this look. Slick the hair back and let it fall like a ponytail down the back of the center of the head. A full beard sets off the Viking look of this natural mohawk..
Long Mohawk Braids for Men
@longhairmenlovers
If you have longer hair without the shaved sides, you can braid the sides along the scalp to try on a great mohawk style. Leave the top section of your straight hair loose, add some extra volume with a texturizing product so that your cool look resembles a mohawk. You can turn such mohawk haircuts into their regular long style at a moment’s notice.
Jared Leto Spiky Mohawk Haircut
It doesn’t take much to keep your faux hawk and mohawk styles spiked when you have thick hair and keep your hair short. A high taper fade or a shaved head are much more predictable and popular styles, but this boys’ mohawk represents longer hair on the sides highlighting its uniqueness.
Two-Toned Mohawk Style with Beard
@starbootysalon
The roots of this thick hair and a goatee are dark, while the spiky hair on tips is bleached dishwater blonde. The same tric is done on the beard, which creates an unexpected contrast along with a unique style for edgy appearance.
Perfectly Waved Pompadour Mohawk
A tapered fade, a sharply edged hairline and a structured wave at the front of the head create a cool faux hawk hairstyle. The wave is echoed in the shaved sides design on the side of the head.
Shaggy Natural Mohawk Haircut
@coiffeurstory
If Elijah Wood had a mohawk haircut, he might look like this. A varied length keeps this from looking too perfect. Long sideburns can extend into a chin-strap beard or be shaved at the jawline.
David Beckham Fauxhawk
It’s no coincidence that Beckham’s hairstyle is often a topic of conversation. He is creative when it comes to switching up his ‘do. His messy fauxhawk with bouncy texture is easy to maintain because the sides aren’t cut too short. It just looks shaggy as it grows out.
Low Mohawk With Artistic Fade
Different lengths contoured in this black mohawk fade create beautiful imagery. The shorter length of the mohawk is easy to keep up comparing with the longer styles.
Feathered Mohawk
Blend real with illusion with this feathered wide mohawk.
Hipster Mohawk Fade
@elrafa26
A medium-length haircut can be combined with a taper fade and a heavy beard for this fashionable gentleman's mohawk.
Mohawk Sleek Fade Haircut
It’s easy to put some product in your hawk and brush it back. This is how adults wear their hair to keep it in place, showing off perfectly tapered sides and an impeccably groomed short beard. All you need is to blow dry hair, sweeping it back with a round brush, and applying some hair mousse before.
Upscale Upsweep Mohawk
To get this mohawk, leave a few inches of length at the top. The sides can be buzzed or faded. Use hairspray to get the height that you need. Brush your hair up gently as you blow dry it into position.
Faux Pompadour Hawk
Justin Bieber has had several variations of a faux hawk. This pompadour has tapered sides, so it looks like a fauxhawk.
Top Knot Long Mohawk
If you have a medium-length mohawk, you can gather the ends into a bun at the crown on those days that you just don’t want to deal with it.
Reverse French Braid V Shape Mohawk Hairstyle
We can’t decide if this style is complex or simple. In truth, it’s an elegant way to pull hair into a braided mohawk. We love how the back is shaped into a V.
Sculpted Tight Mohawk Haircut
It’s impressive that no hair had to be cut for this style. It’s softly sculpted into a mountainous creation that’s pretty awesome.
Short Mohawk With Close Shave
This may be the easiest mohawk of all to maintain. You don’t need any product on the short hair if it’s thick enough, and you can shave around the hawk yourself.
Blue Flat Top Boys Mohawk
The bright blue at the top of this flat top captures your attention just in case the hairstyle didn’t.
White And Fluffy Wavy Hair Mohawk
This hawk looks so soft that you want to run your fingers through it. However, that would probably make it fall, so keep your hands off.
Eggplant Spikes
This dark purple tone looks great on black hair, and the textured spikes look soft, not harsh.
Taper Fade With Sharp Upsweep
This ‘90s version of the mohawk leaves a few inches of hair at the top. The hair is longer in the front than in the back, and the sides taper gradually.
Bleached Afro Mohawk For Men
A natural afro has lots of curly volume. It easily retains the height of a mohawk. Bleach the ends to bring more dimension to this look, which blends structure with natural ease.
Curly Geometric Mohawk
Take the afro mohawk one step further by carving a geometric design in the undercut. If the hair is long enough, it can be gathered at the top for a slightly different look.
Short Mohawk with X-Pattern
A very short style gets some of its interest from the slightly longer length at the top. The rear view may be the most stunning, however. An “X” is shaved into the fade, with each segment of negative space perfectly tapered.
Landing Strip
If your hair is very short, you can create a mohawk shape by keeping the center buzzed a little longer than the sides. Use product to bring the hair together, or leave it as is.
Cool Mohawk With Highlights
Add a bold streak of color into the front of your mohawk for a fun look that grows out well.
Undercut Comb Back
Keep the hair at the top fairly long, and buzz the underside. You can flop the hair at the top of the head over to the side, or direct it toward the back for a fauxhawk.
Caesar Hawk
The Caesar haircut is a classic. It involves pulling short hair down the forehead to create a line that mimics fringe. Traditionally, a Caesar haircut has longer sides. However, create a Caesar mohawk by keeping the sides short.
Crisp Pointed
For a polished look, keep the hawk relatively short and straight. Spike it up, bringing the ends together at the center.
Liberty Spikes
This punk look takes time, patience and lots of product to achieve.
Widow’s Peak Mohawk
If you have a receding hairline or a widow’s peak, turn it into a mohawk instead of hiding it. Cleaning up the edge makes this style incredibly sharp.
Thin Hair Mohawk
If your hair is thin, it may not stand up well if it’s more than an inch or so long. Keep it cut short, but razor the ends, and leave the center longer for texture that stands on end.
Extremely long, spiked mohawks can be complicated to maintain. If you don’t want to spend lots of time on your hair, go for a subtle hawk that can be styled in a variety of ways. The shorter you shave the sides, the easier they are to maintain. Just buzz or shave them yourself periodically. However, a sharp contrast between the sides and the length of the hawk can make it look less professional. If you can’t show up at the office with a hawk, consider a less dramatic style.