4 Great Hairstyles with Parker York Smith
Now the LA-based marketer and model tailors his hair to the occasion just as he does with everything, from biker-inspired streetwear to sleeker, more formal looks. Overall, he does have a thing for volume. “I’m a big fan of going with big hair for casual looks,” Smith says. With product, the trick is getting the balance of effectiveness and subtlety just right. “For me, that means keeping my hair in shape, but not too greasy. I like my hair to feel like it’s got product in, but in a healthy way, not too sticky or matted down.”
photographer: Adam Secorephotographer: Adam Secore
Smith, a GQ Insider, put Cremo’s new hair styling products to the test: With all looks, Parker towel-dried his hair right out of the shower, until it was just a little damp, then used his fingertips to spread the product through his hair, starting at the back and working from root to tips. Depending on the style he wanted to achieve, Parker would use a hair-dryer, brush or just his fingers. “There’s more finger-shaping involved for the casual hairstyles, and more brushwork for the polished one” he says.
Cremo was effective for all of the styles. “The major takeaway was the lightweight consistency, easy to understand shine rating and effectiveness of the hold,” Smith reports. “It felt as though all my styles looked natural, as opposed to feeling like I was relying heavily on the product.”
It’s a discovery he can make use of for his upcoming wedding. Smith is marrying his fiancée in July, then heading to Paris in August for the honeymoon. The stakes for good hair will be high then. But getting it right on just an average day is worth the effort, too. “Having a great hair day is equally important to putting together a great look,” Smith says. “I’d almost argue that if your hair is on point, you can make any outfit look great—even just jeans and a tee.”
photographer: Adam Secore
The Look: Casual
A casual look like this looks chill and unfussy, even if it did take some work with products and fingers to put into place.
Trust us: discerning eye can tell the difference between this and rolling right out of bed.
Get the look with Cremo Matte Cream.
photographer: Adam Secorephotographer: Adam Secore
The Look: Textured
It can take a little time to achieve a textured hairstyle that’s got some of the windblown character of this one.
“I try to leave enough time to let my hair air dry because it improves the volume so much more than using a blow dryer,” Smith says.
Get the look with Cremo Thickening Paste.
photographer: Adam Secorephotographer: Adam Secore
The Look: Slick
Here Smith parts his hair with precision for a cleaner, more professional look.
“When I’m dressed more formally, I’ll use a heavier product and use a comb or brush to flatten my hair, so it’s a bit more slicked back,” he explains.
Get the look with Cremo Shine Pomade.
photographer: Adam Secore
The Look: Volume
Using product and a hairdryer to achieve volume creates maximal, gravity-defying impact—and is a great way to make a statement especially when the rest of your styling is fairly straightforward.
“Big hair is almost like an added accessory to my look” Smith says.
Get the look with Cremo Styling Cream.
Cremo Hair Product
Related Stories for GQSponsor Content