It might look like a bad case of bed head, a mishap with the scissors or just a really bad hair day, but it's the hottest thing to happen to men's hair since George Clooney's closed-cropped Caesar on ER.

This haircut - rather messy, with strands sticking up every which way - is some men's best accessory these days. "It's undoubtedly one of the hottest looks for men," says John Sahag, one of New York' s top stylists. "It's deconstructed and accidental. It's the 'I-don't-care-because-I-look-great' hairstyle. It's one of those cuts that looks like your neighbor or friend did it, but it's very cool, feisty and incredibly modern."

Not only is the cut stylish and sexy, it's easy for hair that's straight or has some wave. All it takes is a dab of hair gel or texturizing product such as Toni & Guy's Bed Head stick ($19 at Toni & Guy salons) or Aveda Self Control ($16.70 at Aveda Environmental Lifestyle stores) that you spray or rub on dry hair. Then, using fingers and hands, shape hair up in different directions. Mr. Sahag warns that too much gel will give hair a too-slick, too-spiky look, a trend he says is over.

This look has proved its versatility, transcending the runways to the street. The same coif that Mark Vanderloo uses to complement his DKNY wardrobe has been seen on Keith Van Horn, the New Jersey Nets basketball player with the Boy Scout image. It's also been seen on Hollywood's biggest box-office star, Harrison Ford, and the newest indie heartthrob, Joseph Fiennes.

The choppy look is ideal for the slacker who insists he has better things to think about than his looks, but it also works for the hip older guy. And consider this: Mr. Sahag says the style works even better after going a day without washing. "If you don't wash it, it looks even more untidy, " he says.