The Wet Mop Haircut Is the Latest Hair Trend Associated With Boys on TikTok
Jan. 6 2022, Published 10:24 a.m. ET
In addition to driving trends around things like dancing and challenges, TikTok users, and prominent users in particular, have an enormous influence on style trends in the wider world. Recent months have seen a number of style trends start on TikTok, including the noodle hair trend, and now a new trend has emerged on the platform thanks to a few prominent users who are rocking a certain hairstyle.
What is the wet mop haircut?
A new hairstyle trending across TikTok is referred to as the "wet mop" style, and it's typically a style rocked by boys. The style is called "wet mop" because that's basically what it looks like. The style features longer hair on the top of the head and shorter hair in the sides and back. Previous incarnations of the style have been referred to as the "mop top," which was popular in the 1960s in the wake of The Beatles.
The difference between that 1960s version of the look and it's more modern equivalent is in part the wavy look of the "wet mop" style. Whereas the hair rocked by The Beatles was much straighter, "wet mop" hair is supposed to look messy and wavy, and it can also be styled with product to help it retain that shiny, wet look that has become popular on TikTok.
How to try 'wet mop' hair at home.
If your hair is long enough, you may be able to try a "wet mop" look at home. If you want your hair cut, though, it may be better to go to a professional with some images that you'd like imitated. In styling the "wet mop" look, the main thing is to ensure that the longer hair is on the top of the head, and to style it so that it looks artfully messy instead of neat or combed.
If your hair is the appropriate length, you may be able to style your hair correctly just using your hands. Although the "wet mop" style features longer hair, that doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be regularly washed and maintained in order to keep it looking good. Like all good hairstyles, regular visits to a barber shop or whoever cuts your hair are also crucial.
Moppy hairstyles have gone in and out of popularity for decades.
Although this kind of mop-adjacent hair may seem like a new trend to those discovering it for the first time, it's part of a long cycle of hair trends among men. Many men may prefer to a choose a close-cropped hair style and keep it for life, but others allow their hair to fluctuate more with trends, and longer hair is certainly something that has gone in and out of style over the years.
As is always the case, some older people aren't happy with the way young people influenced by TikTok are choosing to wear their hair. Ultimately, though, it's a trend that will have a natural end, as all trends do, whether they're about hairstyles or anything else.
