Classic
Taper
The oldest instruction in barbering: shorten gradually towards the neckline, leave everything else. Works on every head in this list and never looks like you are trying.
Cut lives at guard 1
- Guard range
- 1
- Chair time
- 25-30m
- 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 taper and say how much you want off the top separately.
- Specify the neckline: blocked, rounded, or tapered natural.
- Say tidy the sideburns and give the length you want them at.
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