This month Wez Jones takes us trendspotting in his home town of Southend-on-Sea…
“Cultures pass through generations and are still alive among common trends and fashions,” says barber expert Wez Jones. “Mods and rockers were notorious in the 50s and 60s around Essex, especially Southend. A local meeting place was Kursaal Bowling Alley where Rockabillys, Teddy Boys and Mods would meet for a right show.”
Barbering has never been bigger, and Wez Jones is the one to watch. His shop, The Heartbreak Club, prides itself on award winning cuts, and is a self-described place for rockers and misfits in Southend. “Trends are so varied nowadays,” says Wez, “skin fades and crops are very common, but the longer smart ‘Prince Charming’ looks are slowly creeping their way back in, very 70s pop.”
“For my mod look, I used a mixture of clipper over comb with scissor work, making sure the top layers had a level of disconnection with the back and side for a stronger shape. Blow-dry it loosely, and use the irons to straighten out. Texturising is important – I chipped in with scissors and a feather razor, and then finished with a styling powder for a bed head kind of look.”
“The classic pomp was created with all clipper over comb. Traditional barbering takes it toll on your kit – I use the Super Motor Clipper and Trimmer which are robust and will never let you down. The key thing is removing bulk, refining shapes and giving strong finishes to both long and short hair. Blowdrying is important for this look, so make sure you’re armed with a powerful dryer.”
