Hair Cutting Style for Men: 24 Cuts with Clipper Numbers

24 looks Men and boys Updated 8 Oct 2026

A hair cutting style is decided in the barber's chair, so it helps to know the name of the cut and the numbers behind it. This page is about the cut itself, not how you style it each morning.

These haircut styles for men are grouped by type, from simple everyday cuts to mushroom, cup and layer cuts. Every card gives the clipper guard on the sides and the length on top. Show the hair cutting photo, say the numbers, and you get the same cut every time.

For daily styling ideas, see hairstyle for men. Not sure what a cut is called? The hairstyle names guide explains barber terms.

Simple Hair Cutting Style for Everyday

These are the normal men's haircuts most barbers do every day. They need no styling skill and grow out without looking messy.

Simple hair cutting style with a normal short back and sides scissor cut — Hair
Short, straight or wavy
Best for
Oval, square, round
Upkeep
Trim every 4 weeks
The short back and sides is the normal mens haircut for office and home. It stays tidy for a month.
**Stylist note:** Ask for #3 on the back and sides, 4 cm on top with scissors, and a rounded neckline.

Straight haircut for men with an even scissor top and a soft taper — Hair
Short, straight, silky
Best for
Oval, long faces
Upkeep
Trim every 4 to 5 weeks
Straight hair shows every clipper step, so a soft taper beats a hard line.
**Stylist note:** Taper from #2 at the neck to #4 above the ear, keep 5 cm on top, point cut the ends.

Decent haircut for men with number 4 sides and a neat short top — Hair
Short, any texture
Best for
Oval, square faces
Upkeep
Trim every 5 weeks
Fuller sides keep this cutting hairstyle calm and decent. Good for strict offices and interviews.
**Stylist note:** Number 4 on the sides, scissor-blend into 5 cm on top, clean the ear line by hand.

Blunt cut for men with medium hair cut straight across at the nape — Hair
Medium, fine, straight
Best for
Oval, heart faces
Upkeep
Trim every 6 weeks
A blunt cut uses no thinning, so the ends look thick and heavy. It helps fine hair that looks thin when layered.
**Stylist note:** Ask for one straight line at the nape, no thinning scissors, sides cut level with the ear lobe.

New Haircut for Men Right Now

These are the new cutting styles and trendy haircuts for men this season. Most use a two-level shape or a taper with a textured top.

New haircut for men with a two block cut and a heavy hanging top — Hair
Medium top, thick
Best for
Oval, long faces
Upkeep
Trim every 4 weeks
A long top hangs over short sides with no blending. Best on thick, straight hair.
**Stylist note:** Clip the sides to #2 up to the temple, leave 8 cm on top, and do not blend the two.

Edgar cut with a blunt straight fringe line and a mid taper — Hair
Short, thick, straight
Best for
Oval, square faces
Upkeep
Trim every 3 weeks
The edgar has a sharp, straight fringe line. A bold pick for dense hair.
**Stylist note:** Mid taper from #1, 3 cm on top brushed forward, fringe cut in one straight line.

Stylish haircut for men with a low taper and a tousled 6 cm top — Hair
Short to medium, wavy
Best for
Round, oval faces
Upkeep
Trim every 3 to 5 weeks
A low taper with a messy top is the stylish haircut most asked for right now. It hides helmet dents well.
**Stylist note:** Low taper from #1 just above the ear, 6 cm on top, texturise with point cutting.

Trendy haircut for men with a wavy textured fringe and a drop taper — Hair
Short to medium, wavy
Best for
Oval, long faces
Upkeep
Trim every 4 weeks
Wavy hair falls into a soft fringe on its own when the top is layered. The drop taper keeps the back clean.
**Stylist note:** Drop taper from #2 behind the ear, 5 cm layered top, leave the fringe at eyebrow length.

Side Cut and Two Side Haircut

A side cut keeps short sides under a longer top. Two side cutting goes short on both sides with a clear edge. For skin fades, see fade and undercut styles.

Side haircut with number 1 sides and a long top combed across — Hair
Medium top, straight
Best for
Round, square faces
Upkeep
Trim every 3 weeks
High contrast without a fade, so it is quick to cut. Comb the top to one side.
**Stylist note:** Number 1 on the sides up to the temple, 7 cm on top, short scissor blend at the corner.

Two side cutting with a single trimmer line above the ear — Hair
Short, thick
Best for
Oval, square faces
Upkeep
Trim every 2 to 3 weeks
One thin trimmer line gives the two side haircut an edge. It grows out in two weeks.
**Stylist note:** Number 2 on both sides, one trimmer line above the ear, 4 cm on top brushed back.

Side cut on wavy hair with number 2 sides and a swept back top — Hair
Medium, wavy
Best for
Round, heart faces
Upkeep
Trim every 4 weeks
Waves add volume to a side cut without much product. Keeping the sides tight makes the waves stand out.
**Stylist note:** Number 2 sides tapered to #1 at the neck, 6 cm wavy top, cut dry to see the wave.

Front hair cut with short sides and a raised fringe at the hairline — Hair
Short to medium, thick
Best for
Round faces
Upkeep
Trim every 4 weeks
Here the barber leaves the front longest, so it lifts up and back. The extra height helps round faces.
**Stylist note:** Number 2 sides, 7 cm at the front graduating to 3 cm at the crown.

Mushroom Cut and Cup Cut

The mushroom cut and the cup cut both give a round, heavy shape on top. The difference is how the sides are cut under it.

Mushroom cut on straight hair with a rounded fringe all around the head — Hair
Medium, thick, straight
Best for
Oval, long faces
Upkeep
Trim every 4 to 5 weeks
The mushroom cut drops in a round cap from the crown. It needs thick, straight hair to sit right.
**Stylist note:** Cut the top to 9 cm in a round line at the eyebrows, sides #3 below the line.

Mushroom haircut on wavy hair with a textured cap and a low taper — Hair
Medium, wavy
Best for
Oval, square faces
Upkeep
Trim every 4 weeks
On wavy hair the cap turns soft and a little messy. A low taper under it stops it from looking like a helmet.
**Stylist note:** Texturise the cap with point cutting, low taper from #1, cap edge just above the ear.

Cup cut with a bowl shaped top sitting over clipped short sides — Hair
Short to medium, thick
Best for
Oval faces
Upkeep
Trim every 3 weeks
The cup cut is a bowl shape on top with tight sides below, so it shows a clear step. It suits oval faces.
**Stylist note:** Number 1 on the sides to the temple, 6 cm top cut in a bowl line, no blending.

Cup cut on curly hair with a short taper and a rounded curly top — Hair
Short, curly
Best for
Oval, long faces
Upkeep
Trim every 3 to 4 weeks
Curls give the cup cut a full, round outline. Cut it dry so each curl sits where it grows.
**Stylist note:** Taper from #1 to #3, 5 cm curls on top, shaped round with scissors when dry.

Fauji Cutting and Short Practical Cuts

Fauji cutting is the everyday name for a short, neat military-style cut. These cuts handle sweat, helmets and rushed mornings. For more, see our army cut page.

Fauji cutting with number 2 sides and a short rounded top — Hair
Short, straight or wavy
Best for
Oval, square faces
Upkeep
Trim every 3 weeks
Short all round with a soft curve at the crown. Neat with no combing.
**Stylist note:** Number 2 sides and back, 1 cm top cut with scissors, round the crown off evenly.

Summer haircut for men with a number 1 taper and a 2 cm top — Hair
Short, thick
Best for
Oval, square faces
Upkeep
Trim every 2 to 3 weeks
This summer haircut keeps the back almost bare, so sweat dries fast. The short top still looks combed.
**Stylist note:** Taper from #1 at the neck to #2 at the crown, 2 cm on top, square neckline.

Short practical cut for bike riders with the top brushed forward — Hair
Short, straight
Best for
Oval, round faces
Upkeep
Trim every 3 weeks
Hair brushed forward falls back into place after you pull a helmet off. Good for daily riders.
**Stylist note:** Number 2 sides, 3 cm on top cut forward, light texture so it does not stick flat.

Short cut for thick coarse hair with a thinned top and number 3 sides — Hair
Short, thick, coarse
Best for
Round, square faces
Upkeep
Trim every 4 weeks
Thick coarse hair puffs up when the top is heavy. Removing bulk keeps it lying flat for weeks.
**Stylist note:** Number 3 on the sides, 2.5 cm on top, take out bulk at the crown with thinning scissors.

Layer Cut for Men and Long Length Haircuts

A layer cut for men takes weight off longer hair so it moves and does not puff. You need at least 10 cm on top to start. See long hair styles for men for more.

Layer cut for men with ear length hair and soft blended layers — Hair
Medium, straight or wavy
Best for
Oval, square faces
Upkeep
Trim every 6 weeks
Blended layers make medium hair look lighter and fuller at the same time. It suits straight to wavy hair.
**Stylist note:** Ask for scissor layers from the crown, sides covering half the ear, no clippers.

Long length haircut for men with straight hair cut to the shoulders in layers — Hair
Long, straight
Best for
Oval, long faces
Upkeep
Trim every 8 weeks
Long layers give heavy, straight hair shape and stop the ends looking stringy.
**Stylist note:** Keep the length at the shoulder, add long layers from the chin down, dust the ends.

Deep U haircut for men with long hair shaped in a U at the back — Hair
Long, straight or wavy
Best for
Oval, heart faces
Upkeep
Trim every 8 weeks
The deep U shape makes the back look longest in the middle. It suits men who tie their hair back often.
**Stylist note:** Ask for a deep U line at the back, layers through the length, and soft ends.

Collar length layered haircut on wavy hair tucked behind the ears — Hair
Medium, wavy
Best for
Square, round faces
Upkeep
Trim every 6 to 8 weeks
Collar length is the easy middle ground before long hair. Layers keep waves light in humid weather.
**Stylist note:** Ask for layers to the collar, sides long enough to tuck, and the fringe left at the cheek.

What to Tell Your Barber: Sides, Top and Neckline

A good hair cut style comes down to three things: the guard on the sides, the length on top and the shape of the neckline. Say all three, in numbers.

Cut	Sides	Top	Trim
Short back and sides	#3 (10 mm)	4 cm	4 weeks
Fauji cutting	#2 (6 mm)	1 cm	3 weeks
Side cut	#1 (3 mm)	7 cm	3 weeks
Two block	#2 (6 mm)	8 cm	4 weeks
Cup cut	#1 (3 mm)	6 cm	3 weeks
Mushroom cut	#3 (10 mm)	9 cm	4 to 5 weeks
Layer cut	Scissors	10 cm or more	6 to 8 weeks

Necklines: tapered grows out softly, squared looks sharp but needs clean-ups, rounded sits between. If you are not sure of a cut's name, check the hairstyle names guide.

Choosing a Haircut by Hair Type and Face Shape

Straight, silky hair: it shows every line, so pick a soft taper or a blunt cut. A little texture on top stops it lying flat.
Thick, coarse hair: keep the sides short and ask for bulk removed on top.
Wavy hair: side cuts, layers and the mushroom cut all show the wave well.
Curly hair: cut it dry, with scissors only on top.
Round face: short sides and more height at the front.
Long face: a fringe, a cup cut or a mushroom cut shortens it.

Once the cut is right, styling is easy. For daily looks, see hairstyle for men.

Upkeep and What Makes a Cut Cost More

Short cuts with tight sides lose shape first, so book a trim every 2 to 4 weeks. Crops need one every 3 to 5 weeks, and layered or long cuts every 6 to 8 weeks.

Price goes up with a skin fade, a razor line-up, scissor-only layers or a senior barber. Thinning or flaking is a dermatologist's job, so get it checked before you change your cut.

Common hairstyle questions

Which hair cutting style is best for straight hair?

Straight hair looks best with a soft taper, a blunt cut or a two block cut. Fine hair shows every line, so skip a hard, high fade.

What is the difference between a mushroom cut and a cup cut?

Both have a round, heavy top. A mushroom cut falls softly over the sides and blends into them. A cup cut sits on tight #1 sides with a clear step and no blending.

What is fauji cutting?

Fauji cutting is the everyday name for a short, neat military-style cut. The sides are usually #1 or #2 and the top is about 1 cm. See the army cut page for more versions.

Should I show a hair cutting style photo to my barber?

Yes, a clear photo of the back and sides helps a lot. Still say the guard number for the sides and the top length in centimetres, because the same photo can mean different lengths to different barbers.

What is the best haircut for men in summer?

A short cut with a #1 or #2 taper and 2 to 3 cm on top is the easiest in heat. It dries fast and handles helmets. Fauji cutting and a short side cut also work well.