Fade haircuts and hairstyles have been very popular among men for many years, and this trend will likely carry over into 2020 and beyond. The fade haircut has generally been catered to men with short hair, but lately, guys have been combining a low or high fade with medium or long hair on top. Whether you’re a White, Black, Latino, or Asian man, the taper fade haircut is a hot and sexy hairstyle for men.
Ultimately, with so many different types of fades to get, there will always be a fade that works well with all the cool cuts and styles you want!
Contents [show]
Different Types of Fade Haircuts
With so many different types of fade haircuts to get, it can be tricky to know which fade to ask your barber for. For example, guys have to choose between a high, mid or low fade to determine where the tapering process starts. Then, men have to pick the clipper size (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) to dictate how short or long they want to leave the hair. Finally, you have the choice between a taper fade and skin fade, which decides how short the fading will go at the bottom. Plus, you can combine many variations of the men’s fade to create a tailored look.
Ultimately, the best fades are meant to complement the longer hair on top. By cutting your hair short on the back and sides with one of these cool fades, men can focus the attention on their stylish hairstyle.
Best Fade Haircuts For Men
These are examples of the best fade haircuts for men to get in 2020!
Low Fade Haircut
The low fade haircut is the most popular cut because it is trendy yet timeless. Low fades start just above the ears and curve around the hairline down to the neck. Due to its versatility, the low fade can be added to any short or long men’s hairstyle for a clean-cut, fresh finish on the sides and back.
Unlike the high fade, the low fade is a more conservative trim, similar to the classic taper fade. For this reason, the low cut fade is often a favorite for business professional styles yet also looks good with a beard. Ideally, you’ll want to get a low fade with long or medium-length hair on top such as the modern comb over, quiff, pompadour, slick back, or faux hawk.
High Fade Haircut
The high fade haircut is among the shortest ways to cut your hair on the sides and back, offering a ton of contrast for an edgy style. The high fade works well with a variety of cool hairstyles for men because the blending starts very high on the head and shortens at a much faster rate than the low or mid fade. This strongly emphasizes the styling of the hair on top, making it stand out in any crowd.
The most common version of this cut is the high skin fade. Furthermore, many guys like to ask their barber for a line up or shape up as well, thereby outlining their hairline around the temples with sharp lines and edges. The end result is a very stylish and sexy haircut that looks nice with long, medium or short hair on top.
If you plan on getting a buzz cut, crew cut, French crop, then you’ll need a high bald fade on the sides to highlight the shorter cut on top. Otherwise, the modern quiff, comb over, faux hawk, side part, slick back, and spiky hair are all excellent styling ideas.
Mid Fade Haircut
The mid fade haircut is the perfect compromise between the high and low fade. Starting halfway up the sides of the head, the mid fade is becoming even more popular because it’s softer and more gradual yet still very much modern and hot. Mid fades look good with a number of styles and fit in both office and casual settings.
To make the medium fade haircut more aggressive, you can pair it with a skin fade for a clean finish. If you aren’t sure about the other types of fades, get the medium fade and experiment with all the best new hairstyles.
Taper Fade Haircut
The taper fade is easily one of the most iconic haircut styles in the world. Timeless, classic and classy, the taper fade haircut blends your hair down the sides and back. It’s not as short as a skin or bald fade, but shorter than a classic tapered cut. While still sharp, neat and versatile, the taper is a more subtle trim and will cut your hair without cutting it down to the skin. This leaves the ends of your hair, around the hairline and neckline, longer than a traditional fade haircut.
This is the difference between a fade and a taper – fades continue “fading” into the skin whereas tapers gradually change and end with really short hair. When in doubt, choose a taper or taper fade cut for a more conservative, classic look on the sides. While you won’t get the same contrast as a fade, you can style just as many cool hairstyles.
Skin Fade Haircut
The skin fade, also known as a zero fade haircut, is a barbershop favorite. Guys love the skin fade haircut because it is super clean, high-contrast, and gives off a bad boy style. Whether you pick a high, mid or low skin fade depends on how short you want the sides and back cut, but all of these fades will require your hair to be shaved down to the skin on your head.
The low skin fade looks good if you want to wear a comb over, side part, or slick back and still have your hairstyle be acceptable for the office. If you don’t have a dress code to worry about, the mid and high skin fade haircuts are sexy and very popular hair ideas for young men and boys.
Bald Fade Haircut
The bald fade is another name for the skin fade. As such, bald fade haircuts blend into the skin and finish with no hair. Often, barbers will use clippers with no guard to completely shave off the hair near the ends. Because of the sharp look, guys will also ask their stylists to fix their hairlines with a line up or shape up, creating a super fresh fade.
Undercut Fade Haircut
The undercut fade is a combination of the coolest ways for guys to cut the hair on their sides and back. The undercut haircut is distinct and awesome, starting very high on the head as a one-length cut. This means your barber will take clippers, put on a comb, and trim your hair short all around but without any fading.
To taper the hair, guys will ask for an undercut fade. The final cut is a balance of the undercut’s disconnected profile and the tapering of a fade. Undercut fade haircuts can be worked into all the best styles, making it an idea worth experimenting with.
Temp Fade Haircut
The temp fade has traditionally looked best on black men with afros, buzz cuts, waves, and tight curly hair. Also known as a temple fade, the temp fade haircut is characterized by sharp, clean cuts along the edges of your hairline and near your temples.
While this type of fade haircut can be a low, mid, or high cut, all temp fade styles do an excellent job of accentuating the tapered hair on the sides and back and the longer hair on top.
Best Fade Hairstyles
Some of the best fade hairstyles require short sides and long hair on top. From the side part to the comb over, pompadour, faux hawk, and all the different kinds of cool short and long men’s hairstyles in between, here are the best fade haircut styles for men.
Side Part Fade
The side part fade is both a professional and casual haircut that won’t go unnoticed. As one of the few men’s hairstyles that has survived the test of time, the side part is generally styled neat and structured for a sophisticated look. When paired with tapered hair on the sides, the men’s side part fade haircut epitomizes the modern gentleman.
To style a side part fade, start with slightly damp hair, ideally after a shower. Apply a good pomade, wax or clay to your hair, spreading it evenly throughout. Now use a comb to part your hair. Following your natural part, sweep the hair over to one side. For a textured finish, style with your fingers or a brush.
Comb Over Fade
The comb over fade is another classic hairstyle for men that continues to be fashionable and handsome. Like the side part, the comb over requires men’s hair to be parted. However, the primary difference is that the modern comb over is less structured, with more flow and texture as all the hair is swept to one side. There are also many different types of comb over hairstyles to get.
For instance, the low fade comb over is the more old-fashioned version, and looks flattering for professionals and older men who don’t want their scalp exposed. On the contrary, the high fade comb over makes for an awesome disconnected hairstyle with thick, longer hair on top and very short sides. Finally, the perfect balance can be found with the mid fade comb over.
For additional options, guys may want to consider a taper fade versus a skin fade. The bald fade comb over can be particularly attractive as a hairstyle for men with receding hairlines or thinning hair.
Whether you have thick, fine, curly or wavy hair, the comb over fade remains an elegant cut and style to try!
Pompadour Fade
The pompadour fade is the modern variation of this beautiful hairstyle. The pomp fade is an elegant example of why short sides, long top haircuts will always be great styles. The cut also works nicely with a low, mid, high or skin fade and a variety of hair types and lengths. In fact, men with short, medium and long hair can still do the pompadour fade, just with differing heights and volume.
With cropped sides that feature the pompadour hairstyle, guys have the choice of applying pomade for a shiny finish or wax for a textured, natural look. No matter how you style the pompadour, you’ll get a gorgeous style that will stand out.
Faux Hawk Fade
The faux hawk fade has become a trendy haircut for guys. Unlike a mohawk with shaved sides, the fohawk fade combines tapered sides with thick hair on top that is styled towards the middle of the head. Faux hawk fade haircuts are edgy and desirable, styling flawlessly with short, medium and long hair. If you’re excited about trying a new men’s haircut, ask your barber about the modern faux hawk taper fade.
Quiff Fade
The quiff haircut with a fade has proven to be a very alluring and exciting style for men. While the quiff started off as a variant of the pompadour, modern quiff hairstyles have morphed into one of the most requested haircuts in barbershops around the world.
With a high or low fade on the sides and a short or long hair quiff on top, guys can make a bold fashion statement. And although styling the quiff may be the time-consuming at first, with a little practice and the use of the right hair products, the look is certainly worth the effort.
Mohawk Fade
The mohawk fade is the most rebellious look on this list. Instead of the traditional shaved sides, the mohawk fade haircut tapers very high and short thereby allowing more men to try the cut. The taper mohawk can even accommodate short, long, thick, wavy, and curly hair depending on how strong of a product you use. For the most unique and provocative cut, get a mohawk and taper fade while you grow out a beard.
Short Hair Fade
The short hair fade refers to haircuts like the buzz cut, crew cut, French crop, high and tight, and spiky hair. To maximize contrast and avoid having hair that is one-length all around, we highly recommend guys get a high bald fade for very short sides when getting a short haircut on top.
The skin fade on the sides will stress the slightly longer hair on the sides, maintaining a sleek and attractive style. The alternative would be a razor fade haircut, where your barber literally uses a razor to shave off your hair.
Long Hair Fade
The long hair fade has been the cut of choice for Millennials, hipsters, and stylish men. By pairing a high, mid or low fade with long hair on top, stylists offer haircuts ranging from the comb over and quiff to the man bun and top knot. Even man braids and ponytails look best when combined with faded sides. For anyone who wants to grow their hair out, there is a cool long hairstyle to fit their look.
Curly Hair Fade
The curly hair fade is a testament to the versatility of the different types of fades. While curls can be hard to manage, coupling curly hair with a taper fade on the sides can make styling just a little bit easier. The most popular faded curly hairstyles include the fringe, textured crop and messy hair.
Although curly and wavy hair can be difficult to style and control, it is important to remember that these hair types offer a unique texture and styling that make them exceptional.
Straight Hair Fade
The straight hair fade refers to the many top men’s fade hairstyles that guys with straight hair are able to get. From messy textured styles to thick brush backs to long fringes on top, straight hairstyles for men work with a number of face shapes and lengths.
