Barber, Give Me The Hitler!

Trends are interesting; there is usually very little explanation for why certain things become popular or why some last, while others fizzle away within a few days. One thing is certain though- trends, like history, always repeat themselves.

Have you seen the latest popular haircut amongst fashionable young men? Buzzed on the sides, longer on top, slicked back, and finished off with a touch of pomade? You might find it reminiscent of 30’s Paris or perhaps Jimmy Darmody of ‘Boardwalk Empire’. Well, according to Sam Buffa of F.S.C Barber in New York City’s West Village, many people are just casually asking for the ‘Hitler Youth’.

“I was trying to not use that”, Buffa says in a discussion with the New York Times.

The 30’s inspired haircut is being worn around the world- musicians, DJ’s, fashion designers, and other trendsetters are flocking to their nearest salon to acquire the “new” look.

“I think it goes along with a newly restored romance for tailoring, the cut and craftsmanship you see with this current heritage trend,” said Scott Schuman, a fashion photographer who has shot the hairstyle in London, Paris, and New York.

Schuman hadn’t made the association with Hitler though- which I’m sure is true for most.

“You pick up a Doisneau book, or any photography book of Paris in the ’30s, and almost all the guys had that cut,” he said.

Around the globe, every culture has a different name for the cut. In Sweden, it’s being referred to as the “synth”, referencing the cuts worn by 80’s bands. In Berlin, it is usually called the “undercut”.

Annika von Taube, Editor In Chief of Sleek (a German art and fashion magazine) explains that the popular cut does not have any association with Hitler or Fascism.

“We usually refer to this cut as the ‘undercut,’ and there are gazillions of variations, for boys and girls,” von Taube said. “We are aware that non-Germans refer to it as the ‘jugend’ ” — German for “youth” — “or the ‘Hitler’ even. Maybe it’s a case of selective perception.”

I think it’s safe to assume that no one sporting this cut is doing so to appear Anti-Semitic. The style was fashionable in the 30’s, which happened to be the same time that Hitler’s Youth were getting haircuts. Either way, it is completely unacceptable for anyone to be making light of anything pertaining to Hitler or the Nazi Party... even if it's only been heard at one barber, that's too many.

Adam Levine was recently spotted in the cut though… and looked fabulous!