In Hollywood, it’s not uncommon for leading men to change their hair like they can’t decide what to have for dinner. Jake Gyllenhaal, however, is the exception.

Unlike his silver screen rivals, the California native has kept his locks fairly constant throughout his career. Sure, it’s been short and severe for his role as a bruiser boxer in Southpaw, and long-locked for a turn as the adopted son of a king in Prince of Persia. But for the most part, the classic Gyllenhaal cut revolves around a soft, mid-length cut swept back, perfectly designed for his oval face shape.

It’s a classic hairstyle, one that will work well in the office, but isn’t too boardroom stiff to stop it looking cool when cutting shapes on the dance-floor at the weekend.

To help you make like Jake on the hair front, we spoke to Stevie Warwicker, a top stylist and manager of Ruffians barbers in London to find out how.

Boy Next Door

Let’s face it, Gyllenhaal is a good looking guy, but this is truly a case of a haircut working overtime for its wearer. Framing his face to perfection, the softer finish balances out his chiselled and well-defined features, including that cut-from-granite jawline.

So how do you copy the look? “Ask your barber for a medium-length scissor cut and keep the softness around the ears,” says Warwicker. “Make sure you maintain length on top so that you’re able to push it back when styling. Then, when getting ready in the mornings, just blow dry the hair backwards using a vent brush and a nozzle to maintain the smoothness and allow the hair cuticles to lay flat.”

Ready In Five

Men’s hair has been getting progressively longer in recent years, buoyed no doubt by the cherub good looks of Timothée Chalamet and a general loosening of workplace regulations. However, getting in on the act does mean committing to taking longer to get ready and less time in bed. So if you’re not a get-up-and-go kinda guy, consider a classic short but smart cut instead.