I have this client who always always wears his long hair pulled back in a tight ponytail (the guy in this photo is not him, by the way). He hates wearing his hair that way, but loves the idea of having long hair. Don't get me wrong, on the right guy, I think long hair can work well.

On him, it's a different story -- while the shape of the style works, the long hair really doesn't fit with his lifestyle, so he wears in in a ponytail. If you look at him from the front, the hair pulled back completely conforms to the shape of his head -- the exact same way a buzzcut would. Try as I may, I can't convince him to cut it off in spite of the fact a buzz would completely fit his active lifestyle.

Here's the deal. The hairstyle you choose shouldn't be based on length -- you should choose the best style for your face shape and the best hairstyle for your lifestyle first. Sure, some guy prefer their hair long or short, but the style and shape (and ease of maintenance) should be the first things to consider when choosing the perfect haircut for men.

Photo © Keetten_Predators | iStockphoto.com

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I had three new clients come into my shop today wanting me to fix haircuts that they had gotten from a cheap chain salon. I won't go so far as to say all chain salon haircuts are bad, but I will say that to choose a barber or stylist exclusively on price is a bad idea. Here's the deal. Your face is the first thing people notice about you. Your hair frames your face and has a huge impact on your look. Why not invest in a really great haircut? No, you don't need to go out and pay $100 for a haircut, but look around and find a quality barber or stylist to cut your hair.

For the record, I charge $28 for a men's haircut and I'm good at what I do -- that's a pretty fair price for a great cut.  When selecting a barber or stylist, seek out quality first and go with the best you can afford.  You should be able to find a good barber or men's stylist in the $20 - $40 range, depending on your style -- barbers will typically be less expensive than hairstylists (for shorter cuts, go with a barber and for trendy or longer cuts, choose a stylist).  Regardless of whether you choose a barber or stylist, find the best on you can afford.

Your haircut is important.  Get the best one you can.

With AMC's Mad Men season 5 kicking off this Sunday, I'm sure I'll start seeing guys coming in to the barbershop asking for the Don Draper -- a slick, versatile haircut that can be worn Mad Men slick or tossed around for a more casual look.

There's lot's of options in this classic style, which is one of the reasons I love it. Most guys get stuck wearing the same haircut every day, but this style allows you to get multiple looks out of the same haircut. But how do you get the Don Draper signature look? Find out in my new piece on how to get a Don Draper inspired haircut.

Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels/AMC

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