The Real Story Behind the Iconic 'Peaky Blinders' Haircut, and Why Everyone's Getting It

Every now and then, a character in a TV show has a haircut that’s so iconic, viewers go out and get it themselves. There was “The Rachel” hairstyle based on the Friends character’s look, the “Felicity” cut from the series of the same name, and now we have “The Peaky Blinders Haircut,” aka, an extreme take on an undercut.

Despite being around for a long time, undercuts didn’t really soar in popularity until Netflix’s hit show Peaky Blinders came out in 2013. More dramatic than a standard undercut, the Peaky Blinders version features a starker contrast than most versions of the style. Further setting this TV hair craze apart from the others, most of the male characters in Peaky Blinders sport this hairstyle, as opposed to The Rachel or The Felicity Cut, which were popularized by a single character.

Staying true to its 1920s setting, the Peaky Blinders haircut was a popular style at the time. It was particularly beloved amongst working class and military men, as one would look shaven when wearing a hat or helmet, but could still style their hair when it wasn’t covered with anything. Furthermore, the cut prevented lice, and it kept hair out of one’s face, which made it particularly popular among gang members who routinely got into physical altercations.

The series’s hair artist, Loz Schiavo, spent a lot of time studying 1920s gangs’ hairstyles — including mugshots — as inspiration for the iconic look. She explained that a book called Crooks Like Us was her “bible” when working on the show. That said, she pushed the classic 1920s look a bit further, making the contrast more severe, and slightly changed each character’s hairstyle to match the actor’s face.

Since Peaky Blinders has soared in popularity, fans have been swarming to hairstylists to get the unique cut. Viewers have called the style “The most iconic haircut ever,” and many post photos of themselves getting it, while barbershops promote their ability to achieve the look. Its popularity seems to stem from the look's uniqueness, manliness, and the fact that it's easy to style.

Loz herself has noticed the haircut’s surge in popularity. The hairstylist claimed that she sees the cut everywhere and noted how the actors are treated differently now from before Peaky Blinders aired. She said when she first styled their hair for Season 1, the men would get odd looks when out and about. However, by the time Season 2 came around, they didn't look out of place at all, as so many other people had the same hairstyle.

Despite the popularity of the Peaky Blinders cut, not everyone is a fan of the severe look. Ironically, the person who helped most to make it famous is probably the one who likes it the least. Cillian Murphy — who plays the show's main character, Thomas Shelby — confessed that his hair wouldn’t look like that if it weren’t for his Netflix contract, but he appreciates that Peaky Blinders fans are so dedicated.

Cillian told People, “I’ve gotten more tolerant of the haircut over the years. And bizarrely, it’s become a desirable cut amongst the fashionistas, which is staggering to me. It’s one more sign of how the show has infiltrated the mainstream culture.” You may not love the look, Cillian, but it certainly loves you!