The best barbershops in Sydney

Another British expat, Sam Overton is one of Australia’s leading hair stylists and is currently Creative Director of Unilever Hair Care. Signed with Vivien’s Creative, he’s a mainstay in magazine shoots in the Australian fashion industry, so it’s no surprise that his salon is a classy affair. Located in a renovated Victorian house in Paddington, Sam Overton Salon is worth visiting just for the décor — raw brick walls, taxidermy reindeer, hard wooden floors, leather chairs. And with each of the hairdressers picked by Sam himself, a slick cut is assured.  Paddington

The Californian-style Hawleywoods Barber Shop is as much as place to hang out with other men of substance and style as it is to get the best cut, shave or shoe shine in Sydney. They also offer a range of classic Layrite pocket combs and their signature Hawleywoods T-shirts, for those looking to complete their greaser look. To top things off, there’s a neck massage machine that they guarantee will “knock your socks off.” Newtown

Not far from Sydney’s iconic Bourke Street Bakery (the best place for sausage rolls in the country), there’s another of the city’s gems — The Happy Sailor’s Barber Shop. As retro as their name suggests, this barbershop has candy-striped poles at the entrance and the walls are covered in framed vintage-feel artworks and curiosities. It’s a feel-good establishment on a leafy part of Bourke Street, made all the more accessible by their walk-right-in-and-have-a-chat vibe and their $40-a-cut rate. Redfern