[Toni]

Hi there Alex!

Welcome to the forum!

I would imagine you have read all I have written to Marco (helpp91)? I can tell you that this hairstyle is not as complicated as you may think. It's actually as much fun for the stylist as it is for you to wear!

Correct me if I am wrong: You are trying to achieve more spiking to include a messy bit of it on the sides and back (eventually)?

Note in the pics you listed here, the first, second and very las (flat), his hair is acutally shorter on the sides and back. There is somewhat of a fine line for length when spiking and it is too short in these 3 pics to pull that look other than on the top where it is longer.

Up to 3 inches or more on top (as long as you can get it to stand up) can work on the top for spiking. It should be a little shorter on the sides and back to be stylish, otherwise, it will appear to be in a "ball" when spiked. I'm not sure how long your hair is on top and on the sides & back so bear with me.

Ask for a regular haircut, EMPHASIZING, that you do not want it any shorter than 3 1/2 inches on top, (pics 3 -5 in your post looks longer than that on top!) 2- 2 1/2 inches on the sides and top back, graduating down to shorter layers on bottom back. The length of the back and around the ears do NOT have to dictate the length of your layers, unless of course you wanted them a lot longer than quoted here. Angles and tapering can help blend to adjust to wanted layers. So if the hair around the top of your ears (whether completely cut out or just over the top part of them) is 1/2", this length can be blended quickly into the 2 1/2" layers on the side.

Now tell them once they have cut this length desired, you need it texturized. This is a step a stylist should be familiar with. It simply means cutting back into the haircut chopping it up a bit so it's not too perfect and wants to lay down smoothly. It makes it work against itself and therefore sticks off which is what you want.

Not everyone does this procedure the same way. Some cut it as they go SO TELL THE STYLIST EVERYTHING BEFORE THEY START.

Unless you have coarse hair that will behave in whatever style you put it in, you are going to need some good products. Always apply styling products that are meant to be applied before hair dries, when your hair is ONLY damp...no excess water. Applying some mousse to the hair nearest the scalp will give strength here for hair to stand up. Some gels, texture puttys, etc are applied to damp ends sparingly. Messing your hair up as you blow dry (recommended) or air drying is best. However, I would NOT blow dry it all the time. You will quickly dry your hair out.

YET, since you're going to have to visit the stylist once a month to keep this cut at the right length, it may not suffer too much on the ends since they will be snipped off.

Now if you apply these products and your hair STILL doesn't want to stand up and stay where you'd like, try some hair wax. This is applied to DRY hair. Apply it to the ends and muss up the spikes all over just where you like them. Then don't touch the style until it drys. This doesn't get too stiff and usually stays right where you like though you may want to combine it with the mousse applied to hair right after towel drying.

You must experiment. I don't know the type of hair you have. Fine hair is harder to spike. TOO much product will make your hair "dirty" and I know that's not a desired look. So you will have to keep trying different methods and products to see what works best for your hair, your time allowed to spend styling it daily, though this style once mastered takes no time and your budget. Ask the professional you go to for that haircut who will have first hand knowledge of the products they sell and of your hair type.

Good luck Alex. And let me know how you and Marco make out with your spikes!