Short haircuts for men are quick to style and easy to keep neat, but the details decide whether they look sharp or dull. This guide covers 15 short cuts, who each one suits and exactly what to say to the barber.
How to pick short haircuts for men
Start with three things: your hair texture, the shape of your head and how much hairline you have. Buzz cuts show the whole skull, so they suit people who like their head shape. A cut with a fringe is kinder to a high forehead. Thick or curly hair needs a shape, like a taper, to avoid a bulky outline.
All-over short
1. Buzz cut
One short length all over, measured by clipper guard.
- Who it suits: Oval and square faces and thinning hair.
- How to ask: Say the guard number; start high.
- Upkeep: Every 1 to 2 weeks.
2. Crew cut
Tapered sides and back, slightly longer on top.
- Who it suits: Thick or coarse hair.
- How to ask: Ask for tapered sides and an inch on top.
- Upkeep: Every 2 to 3 weeks.
3. High and tight
Very short sides with a small patch on top.
- Who it suits: Square faces and strong jaws.
- How to ask: Ask for a skin or number 1 guard sides.
- Upkeep: Every 1 to 2 weeks.
4. Ivy League haircut
A longer crew cut that can be parted.
- Who it suits: Work settings and most face shapes.
- How to ask: Ask for enough top to comb to the side.
- Upkeep: Every 3 to 4 weeks.
5. Flat top
Hair stands up and is cut into a level surface.
- Who it suits: Coarse or Afro-textured hair.
- How to ask: Ask for a level top and a fade at the sides.
- Upkeep: Every 1 to 2 weeks.
6. 360 waves
Brushed ripples that run around the head.
- Who it suits: Coily hair.
- How to ask: Ask for a cut with the grain.
- Upkeep: Every 2 to 3 weeks.
Short with a fringe or texture
7. French crop
A short, blunt fringe over faded sides.
- Who it suits: Receding hairlines and high foreheads.
- How to ask: Ask for a blunt fringe and a skin fade or taper.
- Upkeep: Every 3 to 4 weeks.
8. Textured crop
A choppy top worn forward over short sides.
- Who it suits: Fine or thick hair.
- How to ask: Ask for texture on top and a fade at the sides.
- Upkeep: Every 3 to 4 weeks.
9. Caesar cut
A short even length brushed forward.
- Who it suits: A receding hairline.
- How to ask: Ask for a straight short fringe.
- Upkeep: Every 3 to 4 weeks.
10. Edgar cut
A blunt fringe with a high fade.
- Who it suits: Thick straight hair.
- How to ask: Show a photo; it is easy to get wrong.
- Upkeep: Every 2 to 3 weeks.
11. Spiky hair
Short hair styled upward into points.
- Who it suits: Thick, straight hair.
- How to ask: Ask for texture on top and a taper.
- Upkeep: Every 3 to 4 weeks.
Short haircuts for men that stay neat
12. Taper fade
A gradual shortening at the sideburns and neckline.
- Who it suits: All face shapes.
- How to ask: Ask for a low, mid or high taper.
- Upkeep: Every 2 to 4 weeks.
13. Skin fade
A fade that goes down to bare skin.
- Who it suits: Anyone who wants a sharp look.
- How to ask: Ask for a low, mid or high skin fade.
- Upkeep: Every 1 to 2 weeks.
14. Side part haircut
A neat side part over short tapered sides.
- Who it suits: Nearly every face shape.
- How to ask: Part where the hair naturally falls.
- Upkeep: Every 3 to 5 weeks.
15. Comb over
A modern comb over with a defined side part.
- Who it suits: Straight and wavy hair.
- How to ask: Ask for a hard part and a fade.
- Upkeep: Every 3 to 4 weeks.
Short cuts and hairlines
A receding hairline looks better with a short fringe or a very short all-over cut than with hair combed back. If you are thinning at the crown, keep the top slightly longer than the sides and avoid skin fades near the thin area. See our guide to receding hairline hairstyles for more.
See it before the barber does
Short cuts are hard to undo. Upload a selfie to the AI hairstyle changer and compare up to four cuts on your own face, then show the best one to the barber.
Related reading: men's haircuts, fade haircut and haircut numbers.
FAQ
What is the best short haircut for men?
A textured crop or a taper fade with a short top suits the widest range of faces and hair types.
What short haircut suits a round face?
Height on top with short sides: a faux hawk, a quiff or a mid or high fade with a textured top.
How often should I get a short haircut?
Every 2 to 4 weeks for fades and tapers, and every 4 to 6 weeks for a buzz cut that you are growing slightly longer.
What is the lowest-maintenance short haircut?
A buzz cut. You can do it at home with clippers and a guard.
