30 Men's Haircut Styles Every Guy Should See

Classic and Timeless Cuts

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These are the workhorses. Any barber in any country will cut them by name, and they read as sharp in 2026 as they did fifty years ago.

Buzz Cut

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The buzz is one length all over — usually a #1, #2, or #3 clipper guard. It's the shortest route to a finished head of hair, and the most honest one. There's nowhere to hide a receding line or a lumpy scalp, so bring a strong jaw and an even hairline to the chair. Best on any hair type; density doesn't matter when the length is uniform. Ask for: "Number 2 all over, blended into the neckline." Add a low fade at the back if you want a slightly modern edge without adding styling time. Rebook every three weeks — a buzz softens fast, and the moment it softens you look overdue.

Crew Cut

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The crew cut keeps roughly an inch to an inch and a half on top with tapered or faded sides. Military barbers cut this and nothing else for a reason — it flatters every face shape, works on every hair type, and looks right in a suit or in Carhartt. Best on straight and wavy hair. Curls need shorter proportions to hold the flat-topped silhouette. Ask for: "Crew cut, inch and a half on top, low taper on the sides, keep the front a touch longer." Style with a nickel-sized dab of matte clay through the top, comb once, done in under 60 seconds. Rebook every four weeks.

Ivy League

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The Ivy League is a crew cut with an extra half inch on top — enough length to build a side part and comb it flat. It reads clean and preppy without reading corporate-clone, which is why it lands equally well in a boardroom and on a Saturday morning coffee run. Best on straight and wavy hair; curls need a light chemical relax on top to lie in a defined part. Round faces get vertical length from the parted front; long faces should keep the top flat. Ask for: "Ivy League, two inches on top, tapered sides, and a natural part on my left." Style with a small amount of pomade or cream, comb from the part outward, and rebook every four to five weeks.

Classic Side Part

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The side part is the barbershop default — hair combed from a straight-line part into a smooth sweep across the head. Top runs two to three inches. Sides can be tapered, faded, or scissor-blended depending on how formal you want to look. Suits every face shape; straight-to-wavy hair holds the part best. Curly hair needs a shorter top and a hard clipper part to keep the line clean. Ask for: "Side part, three inches on top, low taper on the sides, and a hard part cut in on my heavier side." Style with a medium-hold pomade for shine or a matte paste for a modern finish. Rebook every four weeks to keep the shape tidy.

Comb Over

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The comb over is the side part's dressier cousin. Top runs longer — three to four inches — and gets combed hard across the head from a clean part. Reads sharp in a suit and adaptable at a bar. Best on straight-to-wavy hair with enough density to hold the sweep. Fine hair needs a volumizing product to avoid looking flat. Oval, square, and diamond faces suit it directly; long faces should keep the top volume low. Ask for: "Comb over, three to four inches on top, mid fade or scissor-blended sides, and a hard part cut in on my heavier side." Style with a small amount of pomade, comb over from the part, finish with a light-hold spray.

Sleek and Structured Styles

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These cuts want a blow-dryer, one product, and about three minutes at the mirror. In return you get a shape that reads deliberate — not thrown together.

Slick Back

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The slick back trades the comb-over's part for a smooth sweep straight back off the forehead. Top runs three to five inches — enough length to hold the shape once it's combed. Modern versions swap high-shine pomade for a matte cream, which reads current instead of costume. Best on straight and wavy hair with medium density. Curly hair fights the sweep unless it's relaxed. Suits oval, square, and diamond faces; long faces should shorten the top to avoid stretching the face. Ask for: "Slick back, four inches on top, low or mid fade on the sides." Blow-dry the top back with a paddle brush, work through a medium-hold cream, comb once.

Classic Pompadour

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The pompadour piles the front up and back into a defined pouf, then keeps the sides tight. It's the classic 1950s silhouette, updated with a matte finish and a fade instead of a hard undercut. Top runs four to six inches. Best on straight-to-wavy hair with strong density; the front section has to hold weight without collapsing. Round and heart-shaped faces get vertical length from the pouf; long faces should stay away or lower the front. Ask for: "Pompadour, five inches on top, low or mid fade on the sides, and enough length up front to build height." Blow-dry the front up and back with a round brush, work through matte paste or clay, finish with a light setting spray.

Modern Quiff

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The quiff is the pompadour's subtle cousin. The same front lift is there, but swept up and slightly back rather than piled and glossed. Sides stay short and usually faded. Top runs three to five inches with a matte finish. Works on straight, wavy, and curly hair — the curly version reads soft, the straight one reads sharp. Suits nearly every face shape; long faces should keep the front low. Ask for: "Quiff, four inches on top, low or mid fade on the sides." Blow-dry the front up and back on medium heat with a round brush, work matte clay through with your fingers, finish with a light setting spray. Rebook every four weeks.

Textured and Cropped Cuts

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Short on top, sharp on the sides, and full of visible movement. This is the default at most modern barbershops, and it's where trend-driven cuts like the Edgar and the textured fringe live.

Textured Crop

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The textured crop is the current default at most modern shops. Short top with heavy point-cutting throughout for visible separation, plus a short fringe combed forward across the forehead. Sides fade tight. Reads younger and more European than a classic crew cut. Best on straight and wavy hair with medium density; fine hair looks scattered instead of textured. Suits round, oval, and heart-shaped faces. Long faces should skip it — the forward fringe stretches the forehead visually. Ask for: "Textured crop, two inches on top with heavy point-cutting, low or mid fade on the sides, fringe long enough to reach my eyebrows." Style with a small amount of matte clay worked through with your fingers, no comb.

French Crop

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The French crop is a textured crop with a straighter, blunter fringe cut horizontally across the forehead. Top runs one to two inches, tight and clean. Sides fade to skin. Suits round, square, and heart-shaped faces — the short blunt fringe balances a fuller face. Long faces should stay away. Best on straight hair; wavy hair fights the blunt fringe line. Ask for: "French crop, an inch and a half on top, tight low or mid skin fade, and a blunt fringe cut horizontally across my forehead." Style with a fingertip of matte clay pushed forward, no comb needed. Rebook every three weeks — the shape softens the fastest of any cut in this guide.

Edgar Haircut

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The Edgar trades the French crop's rounded fringe for a hard, straight-across line cut blunt at the forehead. That razor-sharp horizontal edge is the whole point of the cut. Born in Mexican-American communities in the U.S. Southwest and mainstream since 2020. Top runs short — an inch to two inches — with fades or skin fades on the sides. Best on straight hair with medium density. Round, square, and diamond faces suit it best. Ask for: "Edgar cut, inch and a half on top, skin fade on the sides, and a hard straight fringe line at my forehead." A fingertip of matte cream through the top and you're done. Rebook every three weeks to keep the fringe line sharp.

Textured Fringe

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The textured fringe pushes hair forward across the forehead in a soft, broken-up sweep. Top runs three to four inches with heavy point-cutting throughout. Sides fade or taper. Reads younger and softer than a French crop or Edgar — better for guys who want a fringe without the hard front edge. Best on straight and wavy hair with medium density. Suits oval, round, and heart-shaped faces. Long faces should avoid the forward fringe. Ask for: "Textured fringe, three inches on top with heavy point-cutting, low or mid fade on the sides, and the front cut long enough to sweep across my forehead in soft pieces." Style with matte clay worked through with your fingers, no comb.

Disconnected Undercut

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The disconnected undercut runs the sides and back one uniform short length — a #1, #0, or skin — and stops at a hard disconnect line with no blend into the top. Long top sits on that short shelf with dramatic contrast. Bold and requires commitment. Best on straight and wavy hair with medium-to-thick density. Suits oval, square, and diamond faces. Round faces should stay away — the hard line accentuates roundness. Ask for: "Disconnected undercut, skin or number one on the sides, hard disconnect line at my temple, and four inches on top." Style the top per its own instructions — slick back, quiff, or a textured mess all work above the undercut.

Modern Trend Cuts

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The cuts driving Pinterest and TikTok right now. Most of them started in Seoul, Los Angeles, or a barber's Instagram grid — and every barber in a major city can now cut them by name.

Comma Haircut

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The comma haircut is the K-pop cut. A single curled front lock forms the shape of a punctuation comma against the forehead. Top runs three to five inches with faded, tapered, or two-block sides. Best on straight-to-wavy hair with medium density; curly hair needs longer front layers or a light relaxer to sit in a directional curve. Suits oval, round, and heart-shaped faces. Ask for: "Comma haircut, four inches on top, low fade or scissor taper on the sides, and enough length up front to hold a curl toward my dominant eye." Style with curl cream and a round brush from underneath the front, rolling inward on medium heat.

Korean Two-Block

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The Korean two-block is a shape, not a styled finish. Short back and sides at one clipper length — usually a #2 or #3 — meet a long top with no gradient. Just a hard ledge where the two lengths meet. Top runs three to five inches and can be worn as a comma, curtain, middle part, or slicked back. Best on straight hair with medium density; the ledge collapses on thin or curly hair. Suits oval, round, and square faces. Ask for: "Two block, number 2 on the sides and back, four inches on top, and a hard ledge at my temple." Style depends on the top choice — texture spray for lift, cream for smoothness.

Middle Part

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The middle part splits the top down the center and lets both sides flow outward toward the ears. Top runs four to six inches. Sides can fade for contrast or match the top length for a fuller flow. Best on straight-to-wavy hair with medium density. Fine hair loses shape at this length; thick hair carries it well. Oval and square faces suit it directly; round faces should lengthen the top for vertical balance. Ask for: "Middle part, five inches on top, low fade or scissor-blended sides, and a natural center part." Style with a leave-in cream on damp hair, blow-dry with a paddle brush directing each side outward, finish with a light setting spray.

Curtains

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Curtains are the middle part's flowier cousin. The center part is the same, but the front sections sweep out and slightly forward instead of straight back. Top runs five to six inches to hold the flow. Sides run short — usually a taper or a low fade. Best on straight and wavy hair; curly hair loses the smooth sweep. Suits oval, round, and heart-shaped faces. Long faces should keep the top volume low to avoid stretching. Ask for: "Curtain haircut, five to six inches on top, low fade or scissor taper on the sides, and the front cut to sweep forward from a center part." Style with a leave-in cream, blow-dry each side outward with a round brush, no product beyond that.

Broccoli Cut

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The broccoli cut stacks a mass of tight curls on top of a high skin fade. The top reads like a head of broccoli — that's where the name comes from. Top runs two to four inches, permed or naturally curly. Sides fade to skin. Best on 3A-3C curls; straight hair needs a curl perm to hit the look. Suits oval, round, and heart-shaped faces. Ask for: "Broccoli cut, three inches of curls on top, high skin fade on the sides, and a defined line where the two meet." Style with a lightweight curl cream on damp hair, scrunch with your hands, air-dry. If your hair is straight, book a soft curl perm every four to six months and rebook the cut every three weeks.

The Fade Family

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Every cut above can be paired with a fade haircut, and about seventy percent of the time it will be. Below are the six fade shapes that show up on almost every modern haircut — the height and geometry are what change. Pair any of them with any top length from this guide.

Low Fade

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The low fade starts just above the ear and blends down to skin near the neckline. It's the most job-flexible fade in the barber's book — clean enough for a suit, sharp enough for a night out. Pairs with almost any top, from a buzz to a slick back to a comma. Best on any hair type and every face shape. Ask for: "Low fade to skin, blending up from my ear line, and [top length] on top." Bring a photo if you want a specific top shape. Style depends on what you have on top — matte clay, cream, or pomade based on the finish. Rebook every three to four weeks to keep the fade line clean.

Mid Fade

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The mid fade starts around the temple and blends down to skin near the ear — visibly higher than a low fade but not near the top of the head. Adds more visual contrast to the top, which is useful if the top is textured, curly, or piled up in a quiff or a pompadour. Suits every face shape; round faces get extra vertical length from the higher blend. Ask for: "Mid fade to skin, starting at my temple, with [top length] on top." Style whatever's on top per its own instructions. Rebook every three weeks — the higher the fade, the faster it grows out visibly.

High Fade

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The high fade takes the blend all the way up to the parietal ridge — the widest point on the sides of the head. Maximum contrast between top and sides. Reads bold, athletic, and modern. Pairs best with a substantial top that can hold visual weight against the aggressive blend. Best on oval, round, and square faces; long faces should stay away or drop to a mid. Ask for: "High skin fade to my parietal ridge, [top length] on top." Works with everything from a buzz and fade combo to a full pompadour. Style the top per its own instructions. Rebook every two to three weeks — a high fade grows out fast and looks unfinished the moment it does.

Drop Fade

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The drop fade arcs the fade line downward behind the ear instead of running straight around the head. That subtle curve follows the shape of the skull and reads more sculpted than a standard fade. Works at any height — low drop, mid drop, high drop. Best on any hair type; the drop shape works especially well with curly, wavy, and Afro-textured hair. Ask for: "[Height] drop fade, arcing down behind my ear, with [top length] on top." Style the top per its own instructions. Rebook every three to four weeks. The drop line specifically needs a barber who's comfortable with the technique — bring a reference photo.

Burst Fade

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The burst fade radiates outward around the ear in a curved shape rather than dropping straight down the neckline. The fade blends longest at the back center of the neck and shortest around the ear. Reads athletic and modern; the shape lends itself to mohawks, mullets, and comma haircuts. Best on straight, wavy, and curly hair with medium-to-thick density. Suits oval, round, and heart-shaped faces. Ask for: "Burst fade to skin around each ear, keeping length at my back neckline, and [top length] on top." Rebook every three to four weeks to keep the burst shape defined against the rest of the head.

Taper Fade

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The taper fade blends only around the ears and the neckline, leaving the sides longer than a full fade would. Sits somewhere between a full fade and a scissor taper. Reads dressier than a fade and grows out with more grace — five to six weeks between cuts is realistic. Best on straight, wavy, and curly hair. Suits every face shape. Ask for: "Taper fade around my ears and neckline only, with [top length] on top." Add a specific height — low taper, mid taper, or high taper — depending on how much of the temple you want blended. Style the top per its own instructions.

Long, Flow, and Statement Cuts

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For guys who want length, movement, or a strong statement. These cuts trade the crisp geometry of a fade for something looser and more expressive.

Modern Mullet

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The modern mullet is a stealthier take on the 1980s original. Short on top and sides — sometimes with a fade — and length preserved at the nape that flows to the collar or slightly below. Reads intentional instead of ironic. Best on straight-to-wavy hair with medium density. Fine hair loses shape at the back. Suits oval, square, and diamond faces. Ask for: "Modern mullet, three inches on top, low fade or scissor-blended sides, and length preserved from the crown back to the nape only." Style with texture spray at the roots, air-dry, no additional product needed. Rebook every five to six weeks to reshape the back without losing length.

Wolf Cut

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The wolf cut is a modern shag — choppy layers all over, longer at the nape than at the crown, texture pushed through the entire top. Reads mullet-adjacent but softer and more layered. Top runs four to six inches with heavy point-cutting. Sides can fade, taper, or blend into the layers. Best on straight-to-wavy hair with strong density. Suits oval, square, and long faces. Round faces should keep the crown lifted. Ask for: "Wolf cut, medium-length layers throughout, shortest at the crown and longest at the nape, low fade or scissor-blended sides." Style with texture spray at the roots, air-dry to damp, finger-mess the front for movement. Rebook every six weeks.

Buzz and Fade Combo

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The buzz and fade combo keeps the top at buzz length — a #2 or #3 — and drops the sides through a fade to skin. Adds visible contrast to a cut that's otherwise flat, which reads sharper than a uniform buzz. Best on any hair type. Suits oval, square, and diamond faces; round faces get better balance from a full buzz. Ask for: "Number 3 on top, low or mid skin fade on the sides and back, sharp neckline." Style time: zero. Rub a fingertip of light cream through if you want sheen. Rebook every two to three weeks — the fade line shows the moment it softens.

Curly Top with Fade

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Curly top with fade keeps a full head of curls on top — usually three to five inches — while dropping the sides to skin through a fade. Best on 2C-3C curls. Straight or wavy hair needs a curl perm to hit the look. Fades of any height work; the higher the fade, the more visual weight the curls hold. Suits oval, round, and heart-shaped faces. Ask for: "Curly top on natural curls, four inches on top, [height] fade on the sides to skin." Style with a lightweight curl cream on damp hair, scrunch with your fingers, air-dry. Diffuse on low heat if you need to speed things up. Rebook every four weeks — curls grow out gracefully but the fade line goes fast.

Medium Flow and Surfer Hair

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Flow — often called surfer hair — is medium-length hair worn loose and easy. Usually five to seven inches on top, grown out to at least the ear on the sides. No fade required. Reads relaxed and slightly rebellious against corporate norms. Best on straight and wavy hair with medium-to-thick density. Fine hair loses shape at this length; curly hair transforms into a full mane. Suits oval, square, and heart-shaped faces. Ask for: "Flow haircut, keep the top and sides long, six inches on top, ear-length sides, scissor-blend everything." Style with a sea salt spray on damp hair, air-dry with your fingers pushing back through the top. See medium-length hairstyles for men for related silhouettes.

Long Layered Cut

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Long layered runs six inches or past — sometimes to the shoulder or below. Layers built throughout keep the shape from turning into a flat curtain of hair, and give the whole cut visible movement. Sides sit longer than the ear. Best on straight-to-wavy hair with medium-to-strong density. Curly hair needs longer front layers for the same reason curly comma cuts do. Suits oval, square, and long faces. Round faces should keep the crown lifted. Ask for: "Long layered cut, keep at least eight inches on top with layers dropping to shoulder length, scissor-blended sides longer than my ear." Style with a leave-in mist for detangling, air-dry, finger-run through the layers. Rebook every eight weeks for shape maintenance only.

How to Ask Your Barber

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The right cut starts with the right ask. Vague words like "medium length" or "modern" mean different things to different barbers, and the version you leave with will drift accordingly. Seven specifics keep everyone on the same page.

1. Bring two or three reference photos. One from the front, one from the side, one from the back. Real photos beat descriptions every time.
2. Give three specifics up front. Top length in inches (or clipper guard number), side treatment (fade height, taper, or scissor blend), and finish (matte, textured, sleek). Example: "Four inches on top, low fade to skin on the sides, matte textured finish."
3. Name the height on any fade. "Low fade" starts above the ear. "Mid fade" starts at the temple. "High fade" runs up to the parietal ridge. Point to where you want the line to sit if you're unsure.
4. Confirm the fringe or front section. If the cut has a fringe (Edgar, French crop, textured crop, comma), specify exactly how far it should reach — eyebrows, mid-forehead, or higher.
5. Ask about the neckline. Blocked (sharp horizontal), tapered (soft gradient), or rounded. Each one grows out differently and reads different in a collared shirt.
6. Say what you don't want. "No razor lines," "no hard part," "no product needed" — barbers appreciate the guardrails as much as the direction.
7. Show the curl or sweep direction with a finger if you're going comma, asymmetric, or side-part. A finger to the temple communicates faster than any word.

Styling and Maintenance

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Every men's haircut style falls into one of four product buckets, and mixing categories usually makes things worse instead of better.

Matte and textured cuts — Edgar, French crop, textured crop, buzz, crew — want matte clay or paste. Warm a fingertip's worth between your palms, work through dry or damp hair, no comb. If your cut has a more defined shape (Ivy League, side part), a light cream gives control without adding shine.

Volume-forward cuts — quiff, pompadour, slick back — need a blow-dryer, a round brush, and a medium-hold styling product. Blow-dry the front in the direction you want the shape to sit, then work matte paste or a light pomade through with your fingers. Finish with a light setting spray, held eight inches away.

Flow, curtains, and long layered cuts want as little product as possible. Use a leave-in cream while damp, air-dry with your fingers, and let the layers do the work. A drop of lightweight oil through the ends every few days keeps them from going straw-like.

Curly variations — broccoli, curly top with fade, curly comma — want curl cream applied to damp hair, scrunched in with your hands, air-dried or diffused on low heat. Skip heavy waxes and daily dry shampoo across every category — both flatten shape and dull shine.

Rebook cadence sits at three to four weeks for anything short and faded, five weeks for tapers and scissor-blended cuts, six to eight weeks for medium flow and long layered. The moment the shape softens is the moment to book — waiting past that just makes the next cut harder to shape and easier to leave misjudged.

FAQ

What's the most popular men's haircut style right now?

The textured crop, the low or mid fade paired with almost any top, the Edgar, and the comma haircut are the most-requested cuts at modern barbershops through 2026. Fades of any height show up on nearly every walk-in men are asking for.

Which men's haircut style works with a receding hairline?

Buzz, crew cut, French crop, and Edgar all read intentional on a receding hairline — the short-and-sharp shapes pull attention away from the front. A textured crop with the fringe combed forward covers a receding temple without looking like it's hiding anything.

What men's haircut suits every face shape?

The crew cut and low fade with a short top are the safest cross-face-shape picks — they suit oval, square, round, heart, and diamond faces without much adjustment. Every other cut has a face shape it favors; the tag on each variation above calls it out.

How long does the average men's haircut take?

A buzz or crew cut runs 15 to 20 minutes. A fade with a textured top runs 30 to 45 minutes. A modern mullet, wolf cut, or comma cut with a defined fade sits at 45 to 60 minutes. Add 5 to 10 minutes for a beard trim or a hot towel service.

How much should a men's haircut cost in 2026?

A quick buzz at a chain runs $20 to $30. A specialty barbershop cut with a fade runs $40 to $80 in most U.S. cities and $60 to $120 in major metros like New York, LA, or San Francisco. Specialty cuts like comma, Edgar, or wolf cut sit at the top of that range because they take longer.

How often should I get a men's haircut?

Every three to four weeks for anything with a fade, every five to six weeks for tapers and scissor-blended cuts, every six to eight weeks for medium and long styles. The moment the shape softens is the moment to book — waiting past that just makes the next cut harder to shape.