Ace beaten for style (4)
I believe the answer is:
afro
'style' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Style of haircut' mean 'afro' so perhaps 'style' could also mean 'afro')
'ace beaten for' is the wordplay.
'ace' becomes 'a'.
'beaten' is an anagram indicator (letters beaten up or destroyed).
'for' with letters rearranged gives 'fro'.
'a'+'fro'='AFRO'
(Other definitions for afro that I've seen before include "little Malian, for example" , "Hair-style from Dark Continent" , "Roundish hairstyle" , "Big hairstyle" , "Big hair?" .)