Kayla Young
The original punk inspired Mohawk is a severe, stiffly spiked style that screams anti-establishment. The mohawk is the ultimate emblem of DGAF energy, and it can’t be faked or phoned in.
Today’s mohawks, though still edgy, are a lot less extreme. Dare we say… versatile?
We’re going to take a look at 16 fantastic updated mohawk hairstyles that not only let you express your individuality but will not have you resigning yourself to a life of self-employment. And hey, now that so many of us work remotely, who cares anyway?
The sky’s the limit!
Contents
Mohawk Hairstyles
The present-day mohawk is more about self-expression than the defiance of societal norms. And unlike the punk mohawk, the contemporary version isn’t just restricted to those going through adolescent angst, but suitable for a much wider age range. It is an androgynous style, and can work great on anyone.
The style has gone through tons of permutations and is super flexible.
Let’s dig in!
#1. Soft Spiked Mohawk
This mohawk keeps things soft and approachable using little to no product. The lift from this style comes from the cut and backcombing, making it soft and touchable instead of stiff and crunchy.
It features thick, loose tufts of hair that curve backward. The soft spiked hawk features larger spikes at the front and gradually tapers to smaller spikes in the back. Combined with the cleanly shaven sides, it brings new life to the Mohawk while softening the look at the same time.
This style is ideal for those with thick hair.
#2. Short Gelled Mohawk
Gel is your new best friend when it comes to creating this mohawk that strikes a balance between neatness and expressiveness.
Like a typical mohawk, the sides of the head are shaved. The centre strip of hair is styled so the hair stands upright. But it’s the shorter length and understated simplicity of this style that makes it stand out. Evenly trimmed at about only two inches tall, it’s surprisingly low-key.
#3. Pixie Mohawk
This is a bit of a hybrid mohawk, taking a pixie cut with clean shaven sides to create this pixie mohawk.
Use a pomade to get lift and bring the hair up and forward. You can skip the hair products and just wear it au-naturelle for an even softer look.
If you’ve ever been jealous of the time difference it takes girls and guys to get ready in the morning, then this do is for you – five minutes and you’re good to go.
#4. Mohawk with Braids
Bring a feminine touch to your Mohawk with accent braids. Braided mohawks are fun to wear. Whether the whole mohawk is braided down the centre, or you flank your mohawk with mini braids on either side, it’s a great way to change up the look.
It makes for even more dramatic braids with a dark to light ombre.
Credit: Instagram / jaceyjohair
#5. Colored Mohawk
If you’re ready to stand out from the crowd, go with a mohawk style that will turn heads with color.
With undercut shaved sides and a longer mohawk left to naturally fall, the look is balanced out for more everyday wear. But this still leaves you the option of using hair products to get a full-on stiff, spiky mohawk when you need to unleash your inner wild child.
#6. Marilyn Meets Mohawk
Platinum blonde, soft barrel curls that provide glamorous volume on top are coupled with razor cut sides – an unlikely combination that actually works.
This mohawk accentuates feminine glamour while maintaining an edgy vibe.
#7. Mohawks with Curls and Design
Instead of using color to get its wow factor, this mohawk utilizes the sides as a canvas for design. Whereas the sides are not usually a focal point of a mohawk, incorporating a design adds another dimension to your do.
Mohawks look fabulous on naturally curly hair. With lots of volume on top, balanced by the sleek shaved sides with the linear design makes this a super chic style you can wear anywhere!
#8. Fro-hawk
Mohawks don’t just work with big, voluminous, curls, they also look fantastic with tight coils, too! Bring your curls to the front with a bit more length, allowing them to cascade down your forehead.
Add a bit of color if you’re feeling sassy and this fro-hawk is going to take you places.
#9. Braided Mohawk
Okay, so technically this isn’t really a mohawk, but rather what’s referred to as a faux-hawk. If you are not ready to commit to a mohawk just yet, this is a great way to see how you feel about sporting one. Or just a fun, different way to wear your hair!
Create both thin and chunky braids all over the head. Go big and chunky for the top center and thinner braids for the sides to pull them in tight.
Best of all, this hairstyle doesn’t require an actual cut.
#10. Futuristic Mohawk
This silver-white mohawk, with its deep side part and plenty of perfectly tamed volume, gives this sleek style a futuristic look. It’s definitely a sign of a woman ahead of her time.
#11. Pink Petal Mohawk
Almost more of a work of art than a hairstyle, these coiffed, petal-like sculptured curls will require a bit more styling than some of the other mohawk styles, but are so worth it!
The contrasting dark color with the soft pink emphasizes the differences in length and texture, making it pop while exuding femininity. This takes the classic mohawk style and softens its edginess.
#12. Sleek Mohawk
This mohawk features a neatly brushed back strip of hair bordered by buzzed sides, taking on an almost military look.
The contrast between the two different lengths and textures makes this a cool, no-nonsense, fuss-free style.
#13. Spiky Mohawk with Peekaboo Highlights
Perfect for those with thin hair, the sides of this style are kept perfectly smooth and sleek, while the top is styled upward to shape a peak. The addition of peekaboo highlights in the centre gives this mohawk some serious style.
#14. Ombre Mohawk
Ombre looks best on a mohawk that has sides graduating in length from short to long on top. When styling, blow-dry the hair on the sides downwards, and send the top upward using a round brush for maximum volume.
#15. Graduated Buzzcut Mohawk
When it comes to choosing your mohawk style, incorporating different aspects of different styles can produce amazing results.
There’s so much going on here, but it all works. First of all blue – love it! It has layers going from shorter in the back to longer in the front and styled forward. Add that to a graduated buzz cut sides and throw in a dramatic, shaved curved line, and you’ve got a look that is all drama, edgy, fun, but somehow soft and feminine at the same time.
