The thick of it: how to grow old gracefully up top

Muffled sniggers over the sarong are a distant memories; these days, David Beckham - paterfamilias of Brand Beckham - can put not a foot wrong in the style stakes. And his grooming, widely mocked like his fashion, has like his wardrobe choices become mainstay; experimental haircuts - corn rows, buzz cuts - might have drawn the attention of tabloids in the 90s, but it’s telling that today’s millennial men feel more at ease in how they dress and in their groom, thanks in part to Mr B. So it was strange this week to see Beckham with a head of unusually dark, unusually thick hair.

There have been murmurs of a hair transplant or pigmentation treatment, but whatever the cause of Beckham’s darker, more fulsome tresses (this column refuses to believe he can put a foot wrong style wise, and so is putting it down to bad lighting), it’s a topic that affects most men as they age; how to make sure your hair matures alongside you. Men are tuned into grooming in terms of their face - the recession saw a boom in grooming products, with men eager to look more youthful and full of vigour in a competitive jobs market - but hair can be more ageing than a few crow’s feet.

Abyssinian clay, ￡28, Oliver J Woods

If George Clooney is the zenith of this arena with his slick grey locks, then perhaps Johnny Depp is the nadir; where Clooney’s hair is appropriate and polished, Depp looks like he’s slept in a hedge and the straggly hair, which looks like it’s dyed black, ages him beyond his years. And I speak from experience; years ago a hairdresser - casting a rueful eye over my head of hair - gave me some words of wisdom.

That is, if hair is going grey (mine is best described as “snowy” these days) then it’s best to keep it short, neat and cropped; anything vaguely long looks unkempt because grey hair is more coarse and wiry. What might have once been boyish wisps are now a series of grey cable wires, and it can look shoddy.

 Patricks SH1 Daily Thickening shampoo, ￡29, Mr Porter

“As men age, hair naturally begins to thin”, says Lloyd Hughes, barber and creative director of grooming brand Men-u. “I recommend using pre styling techniques that help to give the hair a thicker look, for example once you’ve left the shower, towel dry your hair and use a small amount of wet styling product, leaving it to dry normally”.

Oddly, a survey this year by Mintel stated that men fear going grey over baldness; I’d wager that a man looks more considered with silver hair than a steady tide mark of hair dye down his sideburns. But if greying is a concern, it’s worth exploring shampoos and conditioners that use ultraviolet to add oomph to your grey matter.

Similarly, while hair follicle transplants have been a God sent to some, a haircut that keeps thinning hair short and cropped - instead of longer hair in an attempt to detract from it - will disguise it better. When in doubt (and this applies to most things in life), wonder what Clooney would do.

Sign up for the Telegraph Luxury newsletter  for your weekly dose of exquisite taste and expert opinion.