Shorter back and sides, please. This has probably been the standard setting for men’s hair since time immemorial. Of course, there have been exceptions: Jesus, Jason Momoa, basically everyone from the 1970s, but generally speaking, as a man, you’re more likely to choose a short haircut.
Whether you’re wondering which hairstyle trends are worth embracing this year, or you just need visual cues to guide your barber in the right direction, Ape’s Complete Guide to Short Haircuts has it all.
Important Terms for Short Haircuts
Before we continue, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the jargon of short haircuts. This will help you decide what you want and help your barber provide it. These are the terms you need to know when it comes to haircuts.
Fade
A hairdressing technique that uses clippers to gradually fade the hair from very short, sometimes skin-length, known as a “skin fade,” to slightly longer. It’s usually done on the back and sides of the head and serves to blend different lengths evenly.
Taper
Similar to a fade, but works with longer hair. A taper typically requires a combination of clippers and scissors to reduce the hair at the back and sides to the longer hair on top.
Taper Fade (Gradual Transition)
The clue is in the title. A taper fade is a combination of the techniques mentioned above to reduce hair length from very short to quite substantial on top. It’s often paired with short haircuts that lean toward the longer end of the spectrum, such as a pompadour or ivy.
Shape Up
Have you ever noticed how Drake’s hair at the growth line looks surprisingly smooth and perfectly crisp? This is called contour design when the hair is cut along the natural hairline to remove all stray hairs and create a straight line.
Undercut
As the name suggests, the undercut is traditionally a haircut where the hair on the back and sides is cut short and often shaved underneath the longer hair growing from the top of the head. However, nowadays, the term is often used to refer to any style where the hair on the back and sides is cut much shorter than on top.
Disconnect
This refers to two different hair lengths that don’t blend or transform into each other in any way. For example, you might hear someone talk about a “disconnected undercut.” It’s a style with a very short nape and sides and longer hair on top, but without using a gradual transition or fade to join the two pieces.
Choose a Short Haircut According to Your Face Shape
Of course, when it comes to a new short haircut, the first thing you should think about is whether you like this style or not. The second question is whether it complements your face shape or not.
The good news is that short haircuts are quite versatile. They fit snugly on the head and don’t add much volume, which is good if you have a long face. However, people with a rectangular face shape should avoid anything involving bangs or a quiff, as the added volume on top can make the face appear even longer.
Top trends in short haircuts for men
Throw it all away
Great news for everyone who loves sleeping in. The more casual haircut has been a hot trend for several years now. From Beck’s high-low buzz cut to the full “below zero” buzz cut like Zayn Malik’s in second grade, haircuts that maximize scalp exposure are all the rage right now. Honestly, they’re unlikely to go out of style.
This trend is ideal for those experiencing thinning hair. A short haircut creates the illusion of thicker hair, and a neat shave is always better than thin strands.
Texture is everything.
In hair, texture is just as important as style, especially with short haircuts. The shorter the length to work with, the greater the difference between a sloppy snipper job and a well-chosen styling tool.
Heavily textured styles have been in vogue for a while now, both on the red carpet and on the main city streets. Besides a good haircut, matte clay and sea salt spray are the two best remedies for achieving this look. Use the latter when blow-drying and the former for styling.
Undercut Everything
The Peaky Blinders series is largely responsible for 2010s menswear going mainstream. While we’re willing to overlook the non-ironic caps and the unfortunate return of suspenders, we can all agree on one thing: the hairstyles. The combination of a French crop and a separate undercut would be considered a decade-defining haircut. Due to its popularity, undercuts are among the most searched hairstyles on Google, as well as one of the most requested haircuts at the barbershop.
Keep it clean
Crew cuts, Ivy Leagues, and high and tights—the kind of haircuts your mom would approve of—are also the coolest haircuts in town. Gyllenhaal, Gosling, Reynolds…some of Hollywood’s most stylish men have all opted for this look and cemented its place as a barbershop phenomenon.
For those of us who can’t show up to the office with a disjointed mop or a bleached hedgehog, choosing a clean, classic haircut is a great way to keep up with the bosses without sacrificing your stylish qualities.
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