IN JANUARY, pop star Shawn Mendes shocked fans when he buzzed off his chocolatey mane. Some members of the Mendes Army even tweeted that they were “grieving” at having to bid farewell to the heartthrob’s dreamy waves. When The Wall Street Journal asked the 24-year-old to share his rationale behind the bare new look, he did not mention any particular image agenda. The stripped-back style suggests an emotional rawness, said Mike Martinez, creative director of Cutler Salon, which has branches in New York and Los Angeles. “When the sun finally comes out and we leave that winter hibernation, the buzzcut is there for those people looking for a new, cleaner look,” he said.

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