Looking to brighter days ahead, adopting a new hairstyle for summer is something every man should be open to, and where better to begin searching for seasonal inspiration than amongst the Murdock barbers themselves? Experts in the field of men's hair trends, we captured five of our style ambassadors fresh out of the chair sporting their own new summer hairstyles. We've had each respective Murdock barber run through the cut, styling technique and essential products for achieving each look. Take the following inspiration and use it to explore your very own personal style - it’s summer after all! And time to let your hair down...

Style: Textured Crop

Model: Ben // Barber: Rory

Ahead of summer there’ll be many men looking for a no-fuss style like this that’s vibrant and youthful. For Ben’s hair, I wanted to go nice and short (quite literally trimming off a few years) and ultimately provide him with an easy to maintain style for the warmer months. I started by sectioning a high box section so not to leave too much weight in the crown area and maintain the desired square shape. I removed the bulk on the back and sides with a grade 3, being careful not to bypass the curvature of the head and then refined the graduation on the back and sides between grades. Once the fade was even and balanced I used a block cutting technique to maintain the square shape. Using scissor over comb I worked the clippered area to my guideline and cut the box section short-to-long in order to remove weight from the fringe area and best enhance Ben's natural texture, allowing movement in the finish. To style, I’ve crunched in Sea Salt Spray with my hands before blow drying and then adding Matt Putty. This gives a really natural finish whilst being firm enough to break through Ben’s naturally thick hair. For bolder definition and shape, I’ve blow dried with flicks of a comb in the direction of Ben’s hair growth. This is a short but unrestrictive crop that’s versatile enough to wear flat or flicked up (as pictured). I’ve left Ben’s fringe section the longest so that he can freely play with the texture as he feels.

Style: Volumised Quiff with Beach Effect

Model: Charlie // Barber: Alex

As Charlie’s hair is on the thicker side, I wanted to keep more choppy length on the top for him to be able to create a messy and beachy texture to work with. This weight can blend nicely with a short fade, so for the back and sides I started with a clipper 0.25 tapering to 1.5 out from the nape to achieve a clear but natural fade that will grow out nicely and visually counterbalance the top of the cut. I connected the side layering to the longer top layers and kept the middle-top layers and corner on the fringe slightly longer to leave Charlie with a more textured shape to play with. After cutting, I blow dried the hair up into a quiff with a Sea Salt Spray application to create hold and structure and treated the surface of the texture with Matt Putty to create matte, volumised texture. He can keep this shape quiffed up or instead messed down on the front as he chooses. Charlie's alternative style with a forward directed fringe is a versatile, flexible, messy-down look that should appear aerated and relaxed – not slicked down to the scalp. Try using just Sea Salt spray and lose your usual styling product to keep your scalp its most fresh and allow the sun to provide a boost to your natural colour. For a wet look that resembles coming out of the sea in aspiration of James Bond, use Sea Salt Spray for volume and finish with a shine product such as Vintage Pomade for a glossier outcome. For a drier alternative, try Sea Salt Spray with a clay (like Matt Mud) worked through the ends.

Style: Volumised Swept Waves

Model: Sam // Barber: Adam

Sam usually wears a more distinctly parted and slick style which can feel a little too static and restrictive in warmer weather, so for his summer look I went with a more textured and impactful hairstyle, with length and weight left on top which can be worn in different ways. Sam’s hair lends naturally to waves so I’ve tailored this cut to adhere more to his hair’s natural movement, while keeping the overall shape nice and tidy. I clippered the back and sides down to a grade 1. You can go all the way to 0 if you like, but Sam’s hair colour and thickness best suits a slightly longer grade. Hairstyles like Sam’s previous (with lengths longer on one side) tend to dictate a fixed and limited style as mentioned, so I scissor cut a slight amount of bulk out from the top to help make it easier for him to style daily as he pleases and keep things feeling a little freer. I refined the edges of the back and sides with a 0 for a distinct outline and used clipper over comb for sharper length on the sides. After a spritz of Sea Salt Spray for grip, I used a Vent brush in sections while blow drying to exaggerate volume and with the nozzle almost touching the hair for more drastic impact from the heat. I finished the style off using Texture Paste which isn’t quite a wax, but sits nice and heavy on hair and encourages movement.

Style: Long & Relaxed

Model: Aaron // Barber: Gwen

As Aaron already has his hair grown out, I took a few inches off his previous length for a more tidy and blunt finish that will be much easier to manage during summer. Starting with a shampoo and condition, I sectioned in with a parting and took a few inches off the bottom ends, trimming off in cross sections and directing everything back to the first section. Ideally with long hair you should have regular trims like this to keep the overall shape at one length. This style is easier to manage and appears much healthier than if layered - and summer should be all about radiance! Layered long hair tends to bounce up unwantedly in sections, whereas all cut to one length helps the hair appear weightier, blunt and thicker. Product-wise I’ve added a bit of Hair Play which can function as a leave-in product due to its light texture. This keeps things looking refined while helping to control the body without appearing or feeling overly flat and greasy. Apply to wet hair after you’ve shampooed and this will also help to tame any frizz (a susceptible symptom of hot weather) without overwhelming the relaxed style. When it comes to drying, I would generally recommend letting longer styles dry out naturally if you can for the best results. Otherwise blow dry with a gentle heat to best retain the shape and avoid frizz. For extra texture, I’ve twisted sections of the hair in-between my fingers with the heat to give Aaron a natural wave. Finish with an application of Sea Salt Spray from a distance while twisting and bouncing sections with your hands for a final boost of body and volume. Shorter Beard combination: Long hair generally looks better with shorter beards, so I went with a grade 3 clipper trim all over while finely trimming Aaron’s edges and body - leaving an all-important natural curve rather than a blunt line. A summer essential for any man with a beard should be a daily application of Beard Moisturiser to keep facial hair smooth and cool in the heat.

Style: Low Fade

Model: Miles // Barber: Carl

I’ve given Miles a low fade for summer, offering him a little more length to play with while tidying up those edges. You could call this more of a taper, but I’ve kept things short enough for him to feel the summer breeze. For the cut I’ve blended into the ridge of weight on the right side of Miles’ head to define the shape. Cutting shorter on top would be an option, however this length keep things subtle and achieves a tight, sharp trim. I’ve kept my clipper work low but really short, in fact right down to Miles' skin for a bolder impact and more effective colour change when absorbing those sunshine rays and salt from the sea. I finished the fade with clipper over comb cutting to keep the weight nice and evenly distributed. Refreshing and free, keeping length on top is definitely an advantage. This gives Miles a better overall shape that’s incredibly versatile. He can go backwards if he likes or shift his style to the side. He can even go forwards for a crop effect if he’s in the mood. As Miles has straight hair, leaving the finish quite natural means that so many different styles are possible. He can also go from messy to wavy very easily. Leaving the shape its most natural is ultimately the most versatile option rather than cutting in a parting or shaping a quiff. I combed Miles’ hair forward after washing and blow dried tight through the contour while brushing against the direction of hair growth for an effective sweep. Brushing forward over the side sweep lost any signs of a parting and left the best natural finish. I crunched over his crown with a brush for a boost in texture at the back. Blow drying is really important in a style like this to work the hair hard into a set position and shape. This minimises the need for styling product overload – which no man should fall susceptible to in summer! Always start your product application at the back so you don’t immediately gloop up the front and lose that handsome, natural appearance. I applied Sea Salt Spray to aid with the natural finish and added a tiny bit of Matt Mud to sculpt and retain texture on the top. Running with a parting would make a pomade at this stage a good styling option to achieve more of a wet finish. This is a subtle hairstyle that’s ultimately good for work and play. You’ve got your extremely short, sharp haircut (and beard) but are keeping things smart at the same time. A work happy, play happy style that definitely shouldn’t offend your boss and at the same time provide you the free spirit of summer. Shorter Beard combination: For Miles’ beard I kept the shape natural and faded in slightly for a tidy blend. You can go two ways with a beard and this hairstyle – either square it off for a harsher finish that makes the blend appear thicker, or blend in a natural line with less of a striking definition. Be sure to drop in to any Murdock store to ask our barbers for any further tips on achieving a specific hair style. For further grooming assistance do also feel free to get in touch with us on Facebook and Twitter