quiff

A quiff is a hairstyle in which the hair at the front is brushed up and back from the forehead, so it stands higher than the rest. It is often linked with Elvis Presley and other retro styles, but people still wear it today in both neat and messy versions. In everyday use, the word usually refers to this raised front section rather than the whole haircut.

The word "quiff" describes a hairstyle in which the front part of the hair is styled upward and back from the forehead, creating height and shape at the front. It is especially common in British English and is often used for men's hairstyles, though the style itself is not limited to men. The look can be smooth and careful or loose and textured, but the main idea stays the same: the front is lifted and swept back.

People often connect the style with the 1950s and with singers such as Elvis Presley, but it has appeared again and again in later fashion. A quiff is similar to styles such as the pompadour, though a pompadour often suggests more overall volume through the top of the hair. In many cases, "quiff" refers mainly to the lifted front section, even when the rest of the haircut is short on the sides or styled in a modern way.

In context, you might say that someone "has a quiff" or that they "styled their hair into a quiff." The word is common in fashion writing, barbering, and casual conversation about hair. To create one, a person usually needs some length at the front and uses a dryer or product such as wax, gel, or pomade to help the hair hold its shape. If the hair rises at the front and then flows back, that is the look this word usually describes.