A crew cut is a sharp, clean, and all-time look, which makes it the number one choice of men from all around the globe. This haircut was named after the sports crew from the Ivy League. Initially, the members of rowing teams kept their hair off eyes this way. Now, it’s considered an ageless trend that has an approach to every man.
Such men's haircuts were also called short pompadour for its pomp-like top. The hit among men's hairstyles, a crew haircut is shorter around its back and sides, tapered or faded into a slightly longer top. Does the crew cut look good? It’s more than just good. See for yourself!
What Is A Crew Cut?
Now that you know why a crew cut is called a crew cut, it’s time to get to know it better. What number is a crew cut, why is it so special, and how different can it be? The very classic version of the crew cut men from Ivy League rocked to keep their hair contained had an inch-long top with buzzed or tapered sides. Therefore, it’s classified as #4 size. The structure of the initial look is neat and precise, featuring tight sides that smoothly transit to longer hair on top. By the way, sometimes the top resembles pomp near the hairline. That’s why some call the cut “a short pompadour”.
As the world of men’s haircuts changes, the crew haircut doesn’t stand still, adapting to new trends and images to fit modern standards. Now, the number of crew cut hairstyles is unlimited. While still preserving the rule “shaved sides, long top”, the haircut has split into countless facets where men can experiment with fades on the sides and various texture choices for the top. Today, stylish gents can also play around with haircut clippers numbers on top, which can be anything from a short-to-medium French crop to a long Pompadour hairstyle.
How Do I Get a Crew Cut?
You don’t need to be a barber to notice that the classic crew cut is pretty simple in terms of structure. The good news is, you don’t need to be in a barbershop to get this cut, too. A lot of men have switched to self-haircuts, making it a part of their hair care routine. If you’d like to save some time and money on barbershop sessions, all you need is good hair clippers.
How To Cut A Crew Cut?
- When giving yourself a haircut, the sides are your starting point. First off, think of how you want the sides to look, choosing between a fade or a taper. For the former, the lowest setting will do just great, while the latter will require the number 2 setting. Work on your sides, and then move to the back, tilting your clippers as you move up for even results.
- For the top, use a 3 or 4 to create a contrast between the top and sides.
- Blend the top and sides into a smoother finish by changing attachments and balancing out the hair in an upward motion.
- Add a finishing touch of neatness to your crew cut hair look by outlining the ears and nape with bare blades.
Q: How do you ask for a crew cut? A: Tell him how much length on top you want to leave and indicate the type of fade you want the cut to have.
What Face Shape Is Good for a Crew Cut?
Another great thing about the men's crew cut lies in its ability to work for everyone. One can tailor and customize his haircut based on his style preferences, as well as hair type and face shape.
- Oval faces have perfectly balanced proportions, so they can rock anything from traditional versions to modern crew cut fade variations.
- Round faces may appear wide in the cheek area, which you can conceal with a longer top and nicely faded sides.
- Square faces look fantastic with a restrained crew cut military ideas that accentuate their sharp features.
- Diamond faces should opt for a crew cut no-fade versions to balance out the big forehead.
- Heart-shaped faces must only go with a crew cut low-fade version, as it’s one of the few options that don’t widen the forehead visually.
- Triangle faces had better keep enough volume on the sides of their crew fades to balance out the jawline.
- Oblong faces may appear even longer with a crew haircut, so it’s better to consult with your barber.
Crew Cut Tips
Although every man can wear his crew haircut however he desires, there are some tips that will help you perfect your look no matter what it is.
- Taper off your neckline to create a neater look.
- Don’t wear a beard or heavy stubble to keep your cut tidy and sophisticated.
- If you’d like to add a masculine feel, keep the top long and disheveled.
- Remember that the longer the hair on top, the more time it needs for styling.
- Trim your cut regularly: the contrast should be balanced.
How To Style A Crew Cut
As you know, the crew haircut is super low-maintenance. And that means that its styling routine is effortless and even unnecessary for short versions. When the cut looks too flat or messy, you can tame it with some pomade to add the needed texture and height. You can use the same product for a side-swept crew cut, by the way. As for long crew cut ideas, clays and waxes will do just great for both sleek and messy looks.
Check Our Crew Cut Gallery Below for More Inspiration
You’ve learned enough to want a crew haircut, that’s for sure. Now, it’s time to see the most popular and creative picks from the eternal variety of the ageless cut!
French Crop Crew Cut
Credit photo: instagram.com/z_ramsey
Technically, the haircuts you can observe here are French crop. By the way, the popularity of a French crop increases with every season. This look can be styled easily by experimenting with different textures and styling products. For example, one French crop can have various textured finishes, which means you will never get bored with it. Use a lightweight mousse if you want to create a carefree messy look. Also, make sure to have good firm clays for styling spikes or creating sleek styles.
Apart from styling, you can customize the structure of the cut, enhancing the movement in hair with layers and feathers. Also, don’t forget about a fade, as it’s a nice finishing touch to all men’s haircuts. Paired with a fade you like the most, your French crop crew cut will look its best.
Brushed Up And Back Crew Cut
What is peculiar about this haircut is that this look always involves a beard. We love these looks because they are not difficult to maintain. Would you try one of these? Of course, if you’re not into too much facial hair, you can rock this haircut as it is. Or, simply finish it with a simple and outlined stubble. In fact, a brushed up silhouette is just a perfect match for those wearing beards, as it adds the needed height to create balance.
While there’s nothing complicated about this hairstyle, you can take a creative approach to it and play with its variations. Depending on the product you work with, you can create a sleek, pointed, textured or disheveled finish for your brushed up look.
Surgical Line Crew Haircut
Credit photo: instagram.com/silvapeluquero
Credit photo: instagram.com/alan_beak
These haircuts are all trimmed and rather low. And it is quite interesting how these haircuts draw the attention towards the front. We also like that they look up-to-date. As a matter of fact, shaved lines are pretty simple, yet significant details that actually add a lot of character to a man’s haircut. The best thing is, your crew hair look can feature this modern element wherever you want, from the sides to the temples.
If you have a very thick texture with an unmanageable hair pattern, you can feed two birds with one scone by getting a shaved line along your parting line. In this way, you will not only shave off a precise and sharp side part for your crew cut but also add more individuality to your look.
Crew Cut With A Beard
Credit photo: instagram.com/ericbandholz
These crew haircuts are very versatile, in our opinion. Truly, you can style such a haircut in different ways, depending on your preferences. Wax and pomade will help you. There are so many awesome beards, as well as countless variations of crew cut, that that there’s no way you won’t find a look to your liking. Since the haircut is very straightforward, you can always amp it up with fades and tapers to connect it with your facial hair.
Whether you prefer big and bushy beards resembling the spirit of Vikings or you like to keep things as simple and smart as possible to pull off the best hipster haircut look, you will find this cut a nice base for your beardo look. For the best results, make sure to keep up with the balance: with full beards, it’s better to wear short, well-leveled cuts. And for medium beards or stubbles, add more height with the texture on top.
Classic Crew Cut
These crew haircuts are classic. We like that these haircuts are manageable and also appropriate for any occasion. If you are a professional, then such haircuts are for you! Not only do classic haircuts like these have an approach to all hair types but they also can fit any face shape. In other words, you won’t ever go wrong picking one of them. Some crew cuts are short, clean, and edgy, whereas others are pretty full and voluminous. That means you can make this cut work for your personal style, as well as suit your individual features. On top of that, you can create your own version of the cut yourself; you only need clippers and a good tutorial on how to cut your own hair for men.
If you have a big forehead, you can draw attention from this feature by wearing a textured crop that falls as a fringe. Men with wide cheekbones can balance out their looks with the help of a well-tapered short pompadour. The list of options is endless: just be creative when it comes to crew cuts or draw some inspo from a wide variety of Bryce Harper hair looks.!
Mid-Fade + Crew Haircut
We find these looks super cool, and we can reassure you that anyone can pull them off. These haircuts can complement practically any head shape. Just ask your barber for this cut if you want to change your look for the better. A mid fade cut will keep your look neat and tidy, while the sharply chopped textured top will add a sense of modernity and masculinity to it. What makes these ideas so special is the perfectly outlined temples which make the look very clean and sophisticated.
No matter what hair type you have, this haircut can be done on anything from thin to super thick and curly hair. On top of that, men with thin hair can work on their hair type, balancing out the silhouette with lively and volumetric texture.
If you don’t like to spend much time on styling your hair, you can ask your barber for a slightly textured finish that will show up once you dry your hair with a blow dryer or leave it air dry. As for men who love to keep control under their hair, a semi-shine gel is a must for everyday styling.
Side-Swept Crew Cut
These haircuts will work great for men who are looking to add some casual and cool vibes to their image. They are low-maintenance and appropriate for all possible occasions. While side-swept and side-parted haircuts work well for both casual and official events, they offer a great canvas for styling creativity. Remember to ask your barber for a deep shaved side part so that your styling routine will be easy and comfortable.
When you have a shaved side part, you can easily turn your classy casual hairstyle into a red-carpet crowd-pleaser’s look. Surely, it’s all about the texture and the finish! For big events, nothing works better than shiny pomades that make the structure of your cut as precise as never before. As for regular daily styling, waxes will do the trick.
Short Crew Cut
Some call it a short crew cut, and we call it striking simplicity in its purest form. It’s simple because it’s low-maintenance; it’s striking for its unbelievable versatility. Such haircuts are meant to keep a wearer not only comfortable with his hair but also stylish and modern. They can adapt to any image, whether you’re a businessman or a student. Plus, one can always make his short crew haircut unique and distinctive by choosing a fade that matches his face shape, hair type, and preferences.
Each crew cut you see here is an example of haircuts that have been tailored to men’s individual needs. So if you ever think a crew is not for you, forget the moment when this thought crossed your mind. All in all, you can always make this cut work for you!
By the way, you can bring a photo of the desired result and show it to your barber before he gets to cut your hair. In this way, you will create a clear picture of what you want to achieve and consult with your barber on how to make it absolutely suitable for you.
Tousled & Textured
Although the good old crew cut may seem to be pretty restrained, it actually gives a lot of styling freedom at the top. While keeping the sides neat and clean, you can experiment with your top, playing around with textured and tousled finishes.
To make the popular messy styling easier, ask your barber for layers on the top. Layered hair is lightweight and manageable, which allows for various styling ideas. Plus, it holds the result in place all day long. You can get your edges layered for a slightly pointed spiky finish. Or, spice up the whole mane with them for a more disheveled look.
The styling itself can be different, but there’s one way you won’t ever go wrong with: tousling with your fingers. Work the product into your mane and run your fingers through it until you achieve the desired shape. Whatever look you like the most, don’t forget to coat it with a finishing touch of a strong-hold product.
Curly Crew Haircut
For men with curly hair, a crew cut is not just a stylish and modern haircut; it’s their chance to tame those stubborn curls, whipping them into good shape. You can regulate the length of the top, as well as define your curls with various styling products to create a unique and striking look for your hair.
If your hair grows out fast, it’s better to get the shortest variation of a crew cut. In this way, you can get the most of its low maintenance nature. Basically, the structure of this haircut keeps the curls away from the face even when they’re long. So if you aim to have an authentic curly look, all you need to update is your taper or fade.
Also, if you feel that your curls are too heavy, you can go for layers throughout your curly mane. Besides giving you a lightweight texture, layers will make every single curl even more defined. Also, they will reveal the curly pattern you never knew you had.
Edgy & Textured
Credit photo: instagram.com/mattjbarbers
The crew haircut is as classic as it’s edgy. We weren’t joking when we told you that this haircut could be literally anything you want it to be. This facet of the good old crew cut is perfect for men who want to showcase the rebelliousness bursting inside them. You can freshen up your look with a sense of freedom and still look pretty modern.
Of course, everything should start with a haircut. Tell your barber about the look you want to achieve so that he knows how to shape your texture. In general, sharp short layers and cropped feathers are the best way to add a bit of an edge to your hair. Once you get your cut, feel free to experiment with your styling products.
If you want every single layer to stand out, a firm clay or strong-hold pomade will be your best friend. For a relaxed, flowing look, anything from daily pomades to waxes will be just good.
Hard Parted Crew Cut
Another set of fantastic looks you can achieve with a hard part. Well, that’s actually another reason for you to get it! Once you get a shaved part in the barbershop, you will forget about those torturous hours of trying to tame your stubborn hair into a decent part. It doesn’t only shorten the styling time. t also gives a very outlined and clean finish to all hairstyles possible.
Be it a pompadour, brushed back crew cut, or a sophisticated side-parted look, a hard part is what will be the highlight. Remember: while adding a lot of ease to your styling routine, this element will need trimming on a regular basis.
Since you want the cut to keep its striking appearance, update it every time you notice hairs start growing out. To accentuate the super defined look of hard parted crew cuts, pair them with a fade. Keep in mind that your fade should suit your style best. And don't forget to trim it with the part.
FAQ: Crew Cut
What number is a crew cut?
What is a crew cut number? The back and sides of a crew cut are usually no more than a quarter-inch, or number 4. They fade down to a 1 or 2 in most cases. A classic crew cut should be no more than an inch long on top, which corresponds to the number 8 attachment on your hair-cutting machine.
Is crew cut a fade?
The Crew cut, just like the Buzz cut, gets its name from its military roots. In contrast to Buzz cuts, however, with a Fade the hair is tapered in the back and sides. The word crew cut is typically used to refer to all very short hairstyles. Outside of the military, this is known as a skin fade.
How long does a crew cut last?
A crew cut typically lasts 3 to 6 weeks. The shorter the faded sides and back, the more difficult it will be to maintain and the shorter its lifespan will be.
