Haircut Styles
Bro Flow: Growing the Hockey Flow and Keeping It in Shape
Short answer: A bro flow is medium-long hair, usually 10 to 18 cm (4 to 7 inches), swept straight back from the forehead so it curls or flicks out at the collar, the look hockey players made famous under their helmets. Growing one from a short cut takes about eight months to a year. It needs a trim every six to ten weeks to shape the ends, otherwise it goes flat and shapeless instead of flowing.
Why hockey players ended up with flow
Flow is practical for a sport played in a helmet: hair long enough to push back stays out of the eyes, and it spills out the back of the helmet instead of being flattened into it. In Canada the look belongs to every rink from house league to the NHL, and plenty of men who never played still ask for it.
It suits men with wavy or thick straight hair best, because the weight at the ends is what makes it kick out. Very fine hair tends to lie flat against the scalp and show the part lines where it was pushed back.
The growth stages, month by month
Growing flow is mostly patience plus a couple of well-timed cleanups. Hair grows about 1 to 1.5 cm a month, and the back grows in the same time frame as the top, so you are growing both at once.
| Stage | Roughly when | What it looks like | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Months 1 to 3 | Top pushing forward, ears covered | Clean the neck and around the ears only |
| Stage 2 | Months 3 to 5 | The awkward phase, falls in the eyes | Push it back with cream, keep the sides tidy |
| Stage 3 | Months 5 to 8 | Can be pushed back, ends start to flick | First real shaping trim at the back |
| Stage 4 | Months 8 to 12 | Full flow over the collar | Regular trims to keep the ends light |
Surviving the awkward stage
Stage two is where most people give up and ask for a buzz. The top is too long to sit up and too short to sweep back, and the sides puff out over the ears.
This is exactly when a barber visit helps, and not to take length. We clean the neckline and trim the hair right around the ears so the silhouette stays narrow, and leave everything else. Our guide on how to grow out a fade covers the same idea for people starting from very short sides.
- Train the direction: after every shower, comb it straight back and let it dry that way.
- Use a light cream or pomade with low shine to hold it back without crunch.
- Wear a toque or cap in the worst weeks; everyone in Ontario has an excuse from November to March.
Shaping the ends so it flows instead of hangs
A proper flow is not just uncut hair. The ends need weight removed so they curl up and out at the collar, and the length has to be balanced so the back does not grow a separate tail.
We cut flow with scissors, mostly point cutting into the ends and some internal thinning at the back where the hair is thickest. The top is kept slightly longer than the back so, when swept, it lays over the rest and everything moves as one.
Some people want a light taper at the neckline for a cleaner look at work; others want the back left completely natural. Both are valid. If you keep a taper, it is a low one at the very bottom, never climbing above the ear.
How to style the flow day to day
Work a small amount of cream or matte pomade through damp hair, comb it back with your fingers, and let it air dry. A few seconds of a blow dryer at the roots, pointed backwards, gives lift at the front without looking done.
After practice or the gym, rinse with water rather than shampoo and reapply a touch of cream; see hair after the gym for more. The slick back is the more polished relative if you want it wetter and tighter to the head.
Bro flow: common questions
How long does hair need to be for flow?
You can push it back and have it stay at about 10 cm on top. Real flow that spills over the collar is usually 13 cm or more at the back.
Can I have flow with a beard?
Yes, and a tidy full beard balances all that length on top. Keep the cheek line and neckline sharp so the whole look reads as intentional.
Should I get a fade while growing flow?
No. A fade on the sides means the sides are starting from zero again each visit, so they will never catch up with the top. Keep the sides long and just tidy the edges.
Will a helmet or toque ruin it?
It flattens the roots but also trains the hair backwards, which is partly why the look started. Shake it out and use a bit of water and cream to reset the lift.
