For Brad Pitt, a glorious evening awaits. At the SAG Awards, the Once Upon A Time In Hollywood star picked up 'Best Supporting Actor', delivered a speech that sent everyone into some sort of Twitter-induced fervour, and even had a nice chat with his ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston. A lovely time, then. And he looks set to ride the wave to victory at the Oscars 2020, with Pitt a real favourite to take home Best Supporting Actor.
But even such highlights were overshadowed by one thing: Pitt's glorious hair. Let's break it down: there's a lot of Cliff Booth in there, but also a hint of Nineties nostalgia, a strand of archeology university lecturer, and a small helping of The Lion King's Mufasa (the college years). Which sounds like a complex formula. But in reality, Pitt's lid is more achievable than one would initially presume. It just requires the right kind of hair.
"Brad’s cut works best on hair that’s fine to medium density thickness and texture," says Luke Davies, stylist at London-based barbershop outfit Ruffians. "The styling will work better on straight or slightly wavy hair – naturally curly can be done, but it will require the hair to be straightened, so is a lot more work in the styling and maintenance." Relatively normal hair needed, then. Rejoice.
"What you need to ask for is a mid-length, round layer cut," says Davies. "We'll be cutting the layers in the hair to the same length, but in a curved manner, so as to remove any angles and distribute the heavy weight." This, in particular, is important. "It's that little trick that gives Brad's lovely even distribution from the roots, all the way to the tips."
You'd be correct in assuming that such a crown demands a regular polish. It's not all that difficult though, says Davies. "Styling at home couldn't be easier. After shampooing and conditioning, towel dry and treat the roots with some salt spray." That means there's added texture and grit. "Blow dry using a wide toothed brush until the hair is nearly dry, and leave the mid-lengths and ends slightly damp to avoid too much volume.
"Then warm some matt clay in the palms of your hands and work the product through, sweeping your hands from front to back, distributing product equally, and running your fingers from root to tip."
Now you should feel like a king. Now, you are the bridge-building, award-winning Brad Pitt. And now, you've a routine to stick to if you want to remain on the throne. "Have your hair trimmed every four to five weeks to maintain the shape, and the ends in good condition."
Granted, all of that might not quite secure Best Supporting Actor (the Academy does like to ignore greatness, after all). But if he doesn't quite clinch it: who cares? He's still got great hair.
