Every Men’s Haircut You Need to Know—and How to Get It Done Exactly Right

Look, there’s (at least) a million different types of haircuts for men, because we all wear styles so differently. Even the classic styles—crew cut, buzz cut, taper, high and tight, gentleman’s, Ivy League, burst fade, textured crop, Caesar—will naturally look different on you than they will on me.

Still, this grooming guide to men’s haircuts represents all the potential you can unlock as your hairstyle changes with the seasons, years, trends, or moods. Unlocking these styles—even just your awareness of them—will give you that much more ammo to switch up your hairstyle in the future. And ensure you have the insight to make them look their best on you and care for them.

I’ve outlined the types of cuts and embellishments that I think every guy should have in his vernacular. Your barber has all of these terms down pat, while most of us can say as much as, “Eh, take a little off the sides, with a clipper, maybe fade the back, and texturize the top.” That’s well and good, but you might end up with a great haircut every single time if you know the exact words that go with your intentions.

So, while some of the below cuts and styles seem simple on paper (fade, buzz cut, etc.), I think everything on this list deserves more elaboration. I’m also keeping things relatively dialed in, in terms of hair length. This list represents the core menu of cuts you’d get from the barber, not the salon (where you should probably go if you’re whipping around a Jason Momoa-like mane). And I have left off ubiquitous styles like mullets, flat tops, etc.—you know what those are! However, the below will help you achieve those with more precision, too, if that’s what you’re after.

All right, let’s dive into some barbering terminology. Expert commentary peppered throughout comes from barber Rebecah Giusti of Baxter Finley Barber & Shop in L.A. (the barbershop operated by the one and only Baxter of California, that is).

Related: We Tested Dozens of Hair Clippers. These Are the Best for a Home Buzz

Different Types of Haircuts for Men: Commonly Confused Styles and Terms

Clipper Cut vs. Scissors Cut

Here is one of the most important distinctions you should know, says Giusti. Basically, do you want that pro to give you a more smooth result with a clipper, or to add some blending and texture with the scissors? The length will often determine the answer—you can only clip so long, or snip so short, but the blending is where this matters most, if your hair is longer up top and shorter on the sides.

“Clippers cut fast and have the ability to remove more hair at once than scissors do,” she explains. “If the haircut you're looking for is longer than finger-length on the sides, a scissor cut will give you a lovely outcome with a very soft blend that will grow out nicely. Clippers are still very important when removing bulk from the back of the hair down by the neck on a short to medium length haircut. Incorporating both clippers and scissors will always give a great outcome, but [with the] understanding that clippers are quick and may remove more hair at once than the client is comfortable with.”

A Note on Clipper Lengths

Speaking of clipper lengths, Giusti suggests you commit clipper lengths to memory: “Clipper guards are all measured typically in a millimeter length or by numbers such as, #1, #2, all the way up to #8. You should know that a 3mm is not a #3 guard. You will get a drastically different haircut.” So, think either in terms of millimeters, or, if you’re talking numbered guards, just put that guard’s number over an 8 in a fraction: A #1 is 1/8 inch. A #6 is 6/8 inches, which is equal to 2/3 inches. A #4 is 4/8, so it’s half an inch. While an #8 is of course 8/8, so it’s one solid inch.

Taper vs. Fade

Another common confusion for most barbershop customers: “A fade gives a gradual blend on the entire sides of the head,” explains Giusti. “You can still choose to go all the way to the skin with a fade, but understand that it will all connect. Meanwhile, a taper will only be cleaned up at the edges.”

And speaking of fades, here are the key types you need to know:

Types of Fades

• High Fade: It’s all in the name (for this and the other types of fades). Here, the fade starts higher on the sides, typically around the temple or above. It gives you a more drastic contrast between the top and sides.
• Mid Fade: The fade starts around the ear, so you get more balance—definitely less showy but still looking fresh.
• Low Fade: The low fade haircut starts closer to the bottom of the ear or the neckline. If you don’t like “showing skin” with your fade but want a hint of “I just went to the barber”... then here you go.
• Skin Fade: A variation of any of the above, except the fade goes all the way down to the skin. The barber could either use an actual razor blade to achieve this at the ends of the fade, or use a zero-gap on their clipper.
• Burst Fade: This one is best with curls and coils with a bit of length, as well as undercuts. It fades relatively high but then "bursts" around the ear, following the natural shape of the ear with the fade curving around it.

Disconnected vs. Connected

This refers to the way the hair on the top and sides are blended (or not) in a haircut. "Disconnected" means there is a clear, sharp contrast—often drawn with a barber’s clipper or a razor—while "connected" means the transition is smooth and blended with graduating clipper attachments or scissors.

Side Part vs. Combover

A side part typically refers to the actual location where the hair is divided, whereas a combover refers to the fact that a guy has styled his hair across the head after the part itself is made (as you correctly assumed, this is often associated with a particular style used by men with hair loss).

Pompadour vs. Quiff

Both the pompadour and the quiff involve the hair being styled upward and back, but where they differ is in their volume, structure, and overall appearance. The pompadour has more height, volume, and structure—think rockabilly style, Elvis, Chuck Berry, etc. Meanwhile, the quiff is shorter, and generally less extreme—more relaxed and tousled, even.

Commonly Confused Types of Short Haircuts for Men

Crew Cut

One of the classics. With a crew cut, the hair is kept short all around but with slightly more length on top (tapered to that point).

Ivy League

The clean-cut Ivy style combines a short back and sides, with slightly longer hair on top compared to a crew cut—long enough to scissor cut—and is often styled with a side part.

Gentleman’s Cut

A gentleman’s cut has more length than the Ivy, as well as a defined part and slightly shorter sides that remain clean around the ears—clean and gentlemanly, per the name.

High and Tight

The high and tight is actually quite short. It’s probably what you think of when you imagine a military-style cut where the sides and back are clipped extremely short, almost shaved, but the top is kept slightly longer—but still short.

Buzz Cut

Lots of things can be buzz cuts—it really just means you trim with the clipper on a short length. If you’re clipping yourself, chances are it’s just a buzz cut. The barber can add the nuance of fading, tapering, etc.

Caesar Cut

This one has lots of texture from its short and choppy top, but its signature is its uniform-length fringe (bordering on bangs) combed forward. It is, as you guessed, named after Julius Caesar. Go crazy and give it some textured fringe, whydontcha. (Hey, that’s what Francis Ford Coppola decided on for Adam Driver is Megalopolis, and it certainly got noticed.)

More Distinctive Styles and Techniques

Shag Cut

A shag cut, as it implies, incorporates longer hair on top and messy, choppy layers that create a disheveled result. It works best with medium to long hair, and is common in lots of alternative styles. (Rock ‘n’ roll hairstyles, including the of-the-moment mod cut, tend to fall under the shag cut, with a variety of lengths, textures, and finishings.)

Undercut

Oh, 2014, you were simpler times. The undercut is a high-contrast style that can be connected or disconnected on the sides, with a much longer top that is swept back. You can add volume, shine, texture, anything you like up top—an undercut is defined by that contrast between top and sides, though. While it works on different hair textures and lengths, it really does reign supreme among the types of haircuts for men with relatively straight hair.

Hard Part

I love when a haircut says exactly what it is: A hard part actually shaves a defined part onto your head. It can help influence the way your hairstyle falls, or if you wear your hair short, it just looks like a crispy addition to a fade. 

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