The fade is in. Fade hairstyles are arguably the most favourite hairstyle for men at the moment. Usually seen on short-length haircuts, we’re now also noticing longer-on-top fade hairstyles making an appearance. Unlike the undercut, the fade offers a more subtle and seamless tapering of the hair down to the scalp. It comes in a variety of options, and there’s one to suit every style and head shape. Simply put, the type of fade comes down to how strong the taper of the fade is, and where the fade’s line sits on the sides and back of the head. It can be gradual or abrupt, and the length on top can be long or short.
FIRST OFF, WHAT IS A TAPER FADE?
A taper is essential to many classic men’s hairstyles and has never really been out of style. It consists of a gradual decrease of length in hair around the ears and back of the head. It can be worn in a variety of ways: high, medium, low, at the back of the neck and with a beard as it blends well with shaved parts or other designs. Since the taper comes in many different forms, be specific with your barber about what you want or just let him or her get creative with your hair.
Here’s 5 stylish taper fade haircuts we recommend:
LOW FADE
A low fade usually disappears halfway through the sides and back of the head about an inch before the natural hairline. The low fade creates a sharp contrast between hair and skin. But again, you’re in the chair and it’s your dime- so the actual line of fading is up to your personal preference. The difference between a low fade is it has the hair disappearing (obviously) lower than a high fade, but still higher than a regular fade.
REGULAR FADE
The essential look for ‘grunts’ everywhere. The regular fade has been popular in the military ever since soldiers started getting haircuts. Over the years the regular fade has transitioned into popular culture. The back and sides are shaved very close to the head so try wearing your hair long on top for a nice wave or cropped short for the Jake-Gyllenhaal-in-Jarhead look.
HIGH FADE
As the name suggests, a high fade haircut has the hair disappearing anywhere within a two-inch-high area below the crown of the head (or sometimes even lower.) Wear your hair short, slicked back on top, or go for a High Top- a popular look among black men in the 1980s and 1990s (think Will Smith in Fresh Prince of Bel Air). Getting the best look from a high fade requires the scalp to be of a natural tone and colour as the skin on the face.
CLASSIC FADE
The classic fade is a popular look characterized by short, clippered sides faded to a longer top; the crew cut and undercut are the most common variations. With the classic fade the hair is cut short around the crown and then styled forward and pulled back (so as to maintain the length at the front.) It looks especially good styled damp with a wax-based product.
POMPADOUR
Unleash your inner rebel by sweeping your hair upwards from your face and wearing it high over your forehead in true pompadour fashion. To achieve this look, cut the sides and leave the top relatively long. Style the hair up and slick it back. Use a hair dryer and finish with hair spray. It’s all about the pomp, so you’ll need extra length on top to make this style work for you.
You could try doing a fade yourself at home, but we would never recommend that. Go to a professional barbershop. Barbers are trained specifically to handle clippers which is essential to achieving haircuts like the fade. And it just so happens we know of such a barbershop – Drop by Plan B Hair Co. today.