At 62, Tom Cruise still has long hair – but should he?

Telegraph

22-05-2025

One of the key talking points from the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival over the weekend was not about a brilliant film, an elaborate frock or a glitzy accessory. It was, in fact, about 62-year-old Tom Cruise and his luxurious 'man mane' swishing in the gentle breeze in the French Riviera. Is big hair at 60 ill-advised, or should we be encouraging follically blessed gents to revel in their giant man-dos? Two of our Telegraph writers put forward their case.
'If you've got it, flaunt it'
Stephen Doig, The Telegraph's men's style editor
While I'm not blessed with the particular follicle make-up to make long hair appealing as I get older – a wiry brush of silver that's best kept cropped lest it form a queenly crown – I say if you've got it, go for it. The standard-issue approach is to keep it cut short and nondescript, which is all well and good, but if you've got the goods – fly-away, thick-but-not-thickety hair – then you may as well make the most of it. Consider it a service to your thinning-up-top brothers.
There are some ground rules, however. For every Tom Cruise, there's a James May. Longer hair on men should look well taken care of and deliberate, rather than an unkempt, raggedy afterthought. Tom Cruise's locks have obviously been dyed, but there's no reason that grey hair – as long as it isn't wiry, like yours truly's – can't look sleek and glossy; it just needs the right treatment.
Just because it's long, that doesn't mean it doesn't have to be 'cut' or styled in a particular way – see a hairdresser to finesse how to do it smartly, with properly tapered sides and probably an undercut to temper any bushy bulk at the back. And consider the product you use; a recent 'hairvolution' of my own revealed that it's not shampoo that men need regularly, it's a conditioner to soften dry hair and make it smooth and glossy rather than straw-like. Consider hair oil too.
Long hair on older men can look suave, but it's essential that it seems meant and polished rather than a side product of sartorial apathy.
'Long hair after 60 is a definite ick'
George Chesterton, The Telegraph's senior features writer
Tom Cruise is an exception to most rules and he has an almost unique freedom to express follicular yearnings not afforded us mortals. First, as the pre-eminent film star of the past 30 years, he's earned the right to have his do any way he pleases – he is 'Maverick', after all. Second, nobody would dare tell him otherwise. But beyond Hollywood, men would be wise not to follow Tom's lead. Informed by teenage daughters, I feel confident that any other sixty-something man with long hair so flicked would generate a unanimous ' ick '.
The point at which a man would be wise to stop wearing his hair long is the same as when he must stop wearing leather jackets – about 35, depending on the ravages of age and male pattern baldness. I had glorious long hair for several years. Nature, damn her, put paid to that when I started to lose it in my late 20s. But even if I still had a full head of the stuff, I hope I would have had the sense to avoid long hair that made me look like a pub-band guitarist.
Of course, there's long and there's longish. Another star of Cruise's magnitude whose barnet I would never argue against would be that of Robert Redford, whose mid-length, layered cut was a thing of beauty. But he was Robert Redford, a man so insanely handsome he could make a blond handlebar moustache look tempting. The trouble is, most men copying the Redford look would end up looking like Hulk Hogan rather than the Sundance Kid.
The only option other than to be incredibly good-looking is to pay for a successful weave, the best of which belongs to the former Chelsea and current Napoli manager, Antonio Conte. His long hair is up there with Christ the Redeemer and the Hoover Dam as one of the architectural wonders of the modern world, but as with Redford and Cruise, his styling is an outlier. Go short or go home, fellow ageing men.
How to style longer hair on a man
Sonia Haria, The Telegraph's beauty director
'Mid-length hair on a man should look deliberate, not overgrown,' says Milad Behboudi, the head barber at The Six, Mayfair. 'If your hair starts to lose shape, feel heavy, or develop frizz and split ends, it's time for a clean-up. Aim for a trim every four to six weeks, even if it's just 3-5mm, to maintain structure and keep the ends healthy and neat.'
As much as short hair needs styling, so too does longer hair. 'Mid-length hair is all about versatility,' says Behboudi. 'Use a shine pomade or gel for a clean, wet-look finish, a sea salt spray to create shape, or a side parting for defining your face shape and giving a polished appearance.' Behboudi adds that a low bun or half-up knot is ideal once hair reaches chin length.
To keep your midlife man-mane in tip-top condition, opt for a sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner and avoid overwashing. 'Washing two to three times a week is usually enough,' says Behboudi. 'Daily washing can dry out your scalp and hair. Also, use a scalp scrub or a lightweight serum once a week to keep your roots and skin balanced.'
Three products to try...