North Korean Haircuts

Since 2013, North Korea has taken a keen interest in the hairstyles of its citizens as a way to implement uniformity and maintain a tight hold on even the most personal aspects of people's lives. There are 18 state-approved hairstyles from which women can choose, and 10 options for men. Men must keep their hair less than five centimeters (around two inches) long; older men are given a wider berth at seven centimeters (around three inches). The government has ordered married women to keep their hair short, but unmarried women are allowed to wear their hair a bit longer. And while Kim Jong-un's hair, of course, is world famous, it is not an allowable hairstyle in North Korea for anyone but him.