Classic
Pompadour
Serious height at the front, swept back and up, with the volume carried further back than a quiff. The most structured cut here and the one most dependent on how you style it at home.
Cut lives at guard 1-2
- Guard range
- 1-2
- Chair time
- 35-45m
- Back in
- 3-4 wks
- Instrument
- Clipper + scissors
What to say
Ask for it like this.
Barbers work from instructions, not vibes. These are the three things that decide whether you get this cut or something adjacent to it.
- Ask for a pompadour and say you want the length concentrated at the front.
- Ask for at least four inches on top — less will not hold the shape.
- Say how tight you want the sides; a fade makes it modern, a taper makes it traditional.
Often confused with
Make sure you asked for this one.
These cuts get ordered by the wrong name more than any others on the list. Each page states the mechanical difference and the sentence that gets you the one you meant.
Combinations using this cut
What it pairs with.
A cut is two decisions — sides and top. These are the pairings this one turns up in, with the upkeep of the pair rather than of the half.
If this is close but not right