Even before it got big in England, and later in the States, the undercut was making waves in the 19th century Europe. It was called the "island cut" by Germans because of the way the hair on top of the head looks like a patch of land in water.

The medium fade has always been a barber shop classic. The slight graduation in to a messier mane up top is more of a modern invention, favored by guys who like to keep things neat but still rock a slightly dishevelled look.

Working class men in 1900s Britain couldn’t afford a barber to properly blend their sides in. But the angular look caught on with young people and the short sides, long top was born. The rest, as they say, is history.

Before the man bun there was the chonmage, a traditional haircut from Edo-era Japan. Designed to hold samurai helmets steady during battle, it eventually became a symbol of status in Japanese society.