Here's what's going to happen when you watch Blade Runner 2049: You'll enjoy the visuals; the acting will be good enough not to spoil it; and it will be fun to inhabit a dystopian future that's dangerous and cool instead of the future we're currently living in which is dangerous and inane. But you will leave with a small pit in your stomach. That pit will be caused by Ryan Gosling's hair.

You will want to have it. If you are a white guy with flaxen hair, you can probably get close. But like 2049, it will never be as good as the original. Resign yourself to this, because this haircut can still serve you well. We talked to an expert stylist, Claude Baruk of Claude Baruk Salon at Wynn Las Vegas, to figure out how to make this remake hew as closely to the original as possible. Here's the advice he gave us.

Tell This to Your Barber

While it’s a relatively close crop, this style is long enough that it should only require scissors on the sides and top. You could buzz the sides at the bottom if you want a slightly more tapered or faded look, but Gosling’s is just long enough that it doesn’t need any clippers. Your barber will need to use texturizing scissors up top, too, since this style is relatively flat. Volume isn’t the goal. You can see that Gosling’s look is a little “piecey”, meaning it doesn’t flow effortlessly together. (We’ll get more into that when we discuss styling.) You’ll need roughly 2-3 inches of hair up top to pull this off, though you can also try shorter versions of it, or keep trimming the sides while you grow out the top to these specifics. The sides should be a very close cut, though, flush against the comb that your barber employs to protect your skin from the scissors.

Style It Like This

Baruk suggests using just a small amount of wax or paste to style this look. A dime-size should suffice. “These both have good hold but also look natural,” he says. On the other hand, if you’d prefer a slicker look, you can also use gel. (If Baruk says gel is cool again, then gel is cool again.) “Whatever the product, work it around a bit in your hand first to warm it up,” he says. “Style your hair with your hands, only. No comb. Using a comb will not produce the right look.” By using your hands, you can achieve the same piecey texture that Gosling has in the film. Target the roots of the hair first, which is how product helps control the direction of your hair (by planting itself at the root). You can brush a little hair to the sides, while tamping down the sides.GQ recommends:Wax: V76 by Vaughn V-Rated Natural WaxPaste: Martial Vivot PasteGel: Bumble and bumble. sumogel

Keep It Looking Sharp

Visit your stylist or barber every three weeks to keep the cut looking fresh. Baruk says that you don’t want this look to grow out too much, otherwise it warps into a totally different, shaggy style. It relies heavily on having neatly trimmed sides and a consistently textured top.

Disclaimer: Sorry, Bald Dudes

You don’t need to be blessed with Gosling’s exact hair type to achieve this look for yourself. (Although it helps). But you probably can't pull it off if you're thinning or bald up top. So just give up now, because it’s a relatively short crop and any thinning will show through. As for texture, the straighter your hair, the better. You can still pull it off with a subtle wave, but anything curly or aggressively wavy will start to resemble Justin Timberlake’s ramen-noodles-era hair.

Watch NowThe Style Evolution of Ryan Gosling

Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQRyan GoslingHair