The Scouse Trim: A Haircut That Couldn’t Be More Liverpool

Liverpool is known for many things. There are two football teams, who have won six European Cups between them. There are two cathedrals, representing both the Anglican and Catholic religions. There were four blokes who just so happened to be some of the best musicians that have ever existed and changed the face of music forever.

There is the Mersey ferry, which sails from the Wirral over to Liverpool and back again several times a day. It is a city full of vibrancy, love and happiness in spite of the difficult times it has been through. Yet if you ask some, the only thing they will mention are the Scouse Trim.

The question is, what is a Scouse Trim, and why is it so well known?

A Very Scouse Haircut

While Scouse women have busied themselves with thick-looking eyebrows known as the Scouse Brow, their male counterparts have been getting a ‘Scouse Trim’, which is a style of haircut that you will no doubt recognise if you’ve ever seen a group of young Scouse lads together.

Rather than the ‘Ketwig‘ style, which was basically an unruly mop of hair on the head that was apparently due to the fact that the wearer had ‘spent all their money on ketamine’, the Scouse Trim is a much neater, more fashionable look. It is a look that is more akin to a boyband member than anything else, thanks in no small part to the fact that Scouse men tend to have longer hair than in other cities.

Doesn’t stop people having a laugh about it though:

The haircut is short on the sides, well away from the ear, but much longer on top and essentially combed to one side. The fringe looks like it’s dead-straight, with any rogue hairs removed in order to present a look that could almost be a wig. The hair keeps waves in it, seemingly following the curve of the skull at the back, but shaved down to ensure there is a neat look to it.

Imagine the look of hair on a LEGO figure and you’ll at least be heading in the right direction, but it needs a bit more personality and style to it in order for it to be a ‘Scouse Trim’ rather than just a generic haircut. The hair needs to be grown long in order to comb it into place.

Although it is called a Scouse Trim, you don’t have to be a Scouser to get one. There is no local law that I know of dishing out fines to non-natives who dare to show up sporting a Scouse Trim. It is a very Scouse haircut though. As in, people recognise it as being a bit of a Liverpool thing, despite the fashion catching on elsewhere.

Male Haircuts Aren’t a New Thing in Liverpool

Although the Scouse Trim is all the rage now, Scouse men leading the way with haircuts isn’t a new thing. In the 1970s, for example, some of the best football players on the planet played for Liverpool and boasted what can only really be described as ‘perms’.

Made popular by Kevin Keegan initially, others soon followed suit. In the 1980s, Scousers began to boast curly hair with thick moustaches, made famous by Harry Enfield and his ‘Scousers’ sketch. By the time the 1990s came around, the likes of curtains were much more popular, whilst ‘Scallies’ would have shaved heads and wear shell suits as they wandered the streets.

@barberb33 Very popular trim 🔥 #scousetrim #fluffyfringe #dropfade #skinfade #midfade #barber #patterndesign #FYP ♬ l.a.love – ♡

Liverpool has long been one of the most fashion-conscious cities in the United Kingdom, with football supporters often travelling Europe and bringing not just songs from the terraces back with them but also clothes and haircuts.

The ‘ketwig’ look is one that came about when younger lads decided to try to grow their hair out and leave it in a largely uncontrolled manner, meaning that the ‘Scouse Trim’ is decidedly neat in comparison. Whilst it is all the rage now, many young men around the city will be eagerly awaiting the next haircut trend to take over and seemingly be on the heads of every young bloke you see.

Tips for Getting One Done

Theoretically, any barber should be able to do this, but if I were you I would pick somewhere that seems a bit trendier. Old school shops with ancient barbers might not be used to it.

If you are at a barber that has no idea what you are talking about, you should consider going to a different barber. If that’s not possible, ask the barber for a mid-skin fade and a comb-over fringe. That should get you the look you are after.

@jayden.peel Forced to post it#foryoupagе #fyp ♬ original sound – llnaps

You can ask for a low/mid fade if you want it less extreme, but a tight clean fade is key to the style. Around 3-5 inches length on top is best, it depends on your hair type and how you like to wear it, so if in doubt, start longer – you can always cut more off but you can’t put it back on. The fringe itself should be defined. You can go very sharp or a little softer, but that definition at the front is important.

When you’re styling it, remember that this is supposed to be a style that moves. So don’t slick it back or try to fix it in place. You need just enough product to put everything in the right place, but not so much that it becomes rigid. That goes for whether you wear if sleek, fluffy, or with a natural wavy texture.

If you want specific recommendations, Swanky Malone in the city centre is well known for Scouse Trims, and frequently mentioned in write ups.