The classic taper haircut is a low-maintenance, high-performance style that’s classic and timeless. It’s easy to get, and you can modify it to your personal style. It’s one of those styles for men that simply can’t go wrong.It works well with all face shapes and hair types, and it strikes the balance between casual and professional. If you’re in need of a tidy haircut for your job or simply want a polished style, the classic taper haircut is for you.

What do I need for the classic taper haircut?

Since the classic taper haircut is a flexible style, you can tweak it to your liking. Because of that, there are no set requirements for hair length. Shorter hair will give a more professional, classic appearance, while longer hair will give a more contemporary appearance and will almost look like a quiff in some regards.
The length is completely up to you.

How to Get the Classic Taper Haircut

In many ways, the classic taper haircut is like the disconnected undercut. The hair on the sides and back is tapered quite short while the hair on top is left long. However, the classic taper haircut is more old-school and formal.

You’ll first want to tell your stylist how long you want your hair to be. While it’s up to your liking, a good starting point is two inches on top.

To get the classic taper haircut, start by tapering the sides and the back. (Make sure you tell your stylist how gradual you want the taper to be.) Your stylist may use shears or a hair clipper to achieve the taper. The clipper setting can be as short as #2 or as long as #5, depending on your preference.

You can also specify where you want the taper to end. If you prefer a long taper that ends at the base of the neck, then the clippers should provide a good result. However, if you like a shorter taper that ends more near the bottom of the ears, ask your stylist to end the taper there. It’s possible they will use a straight razor to eliminate all the hair below the taper’s end. If you like this clean-cut look, make sure to ask for the razor trim as well.

Next, ask your stylist to trim the hair on top of your head to your desired length. This can be anywhere from half an inch to four inches. Your stylist will most likely use scissors for this.
​
How to Style the Classic Taper Haircut

The classic taper haircut can be styled in tons of different ways, so choose a style that suits you. That said, there are a couple of elements that always work well with a classic taper haircut.

You can’t go wrong with a side part. A part used in conjunction with a classic taper haircut is a winning combination, especially if the part is dramatic.

You’ll also want to consider some good-quality hair products to keep your taper at its best. For shorter hair, any regular wax, paste, pomade, or similar product will work. For longer hair, consider a product with a higher hold. Pomade or paste are ideal if you want your hair to have a glossy shine.

Eufora Men’s Team Co-Lead and barber extraordinaire, Dana Caschetta, knows when her clients are starting to feel a little fatigued and is a pro at helping them switch up their personal style.

“Even short men’s cuts can be flexible if you know how to craft a smart cut so that the wearer has multiple style options,” says Cashetta. “Most men who visit a salon or barber expect a lot of mileage from their cut, so I focus on the shape of a classic fade. Shape can mean just as much as length and blend… if not more. This is where I can truly customize a look to suit a face shape, head shape, and hair texture. If you want to build in versatility so that your client can create different shapes and styles, then there is no such thing as a ‘basic fade.’ It is always custom, and product choices are key in creating the final looks.”

To demonstrate Fade Flexibility, Dana styled different looks all easily do-able for the model at home, post-shoot.

Strong Silent Type

To create this confident and modern take on the Caesar, HERO Firm Hold Gel was worked through clean, dry hair, then combed through to shape and define the waves, providing super shine without crunch.

Hockey and hair go together like peanut butter and jelly or a burger and fries with a milkshake on the side. They're a long-storied winning combination: from mullets to mustaches to playoff beards, the two are intertwined through the annals of sports history. 

This year is a special one and may go down in the record book with the best hockey-hair game ever. Why? Well, it's 2021 and we've been in a pandemic for almost a year. Many cities have shut down hair salons or people may not be clamoring for a new do right now.

As a result, the flow this year is off the charts and the beards are already in grizzled, deep playoff-run mode. This list is going to take a look at the styles on the ice as opposed to the nicely-quaffed headshots (looking at you Rasmus Ristolainen). 
​
Here's a look at some of the early candidates for best hockey hair in 2021.

What would men’s magazines have done for the past year or so, I wonder, without the re-emergence of Brad Pitt as the style icon he was back in his 1990s heyday? From the chisel-jawed one’s gilded turn in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood last year to his more recent Brioni tux-clad series of red carpet appearances, Pitt has proved beyond any doubt that style and sex appeal don’t go anywhere after 50.

One of the key areas in which Pitt excels is with his hair. Though recent years have seen the actor opt for darker hues and shorter cuts, his most recent honeyed slick-back is not only incredibly complimentary to both his bone structure and his skin tone, but it’s also a look that speaks of a certain glamour only Hollywood can truly muster, and it goes as well with a tux as it does with a beaten-up band tee and jeans, as Pitt so deftly proved in OUTH.

Pitt’s red carpet train chasers Ansel Elgort and Timothée Chalamet have also tried the cut out recently, both with equal levels of success. Here, our resident barber Joe Mills explains how to get the look yourself.

The styling guide

1. Who does it suit? This cut suits medium to thick hair, ideally with a slight wave. You need to have a good four to six inches of hair on the top, and it should be left heavy, with a little texture added.

2. How should I have it cut? The back and sides should be a good three inches in length, which will allow it to be swept back. Texture needs to be added here too, so that your hair has some movement and doesn’t look too “Lego-head”. Ask your barber for a longer, classic layered cut with some texture and no hard lines around the back and sides.

3. How do I style it? Ideally, you’ll need to get the hairdryer out for this. Use a texture spray when your hair is freshly shampooed, then blow dry the hair back from your face using a vent brush. When it’s almost dry, apply a styling cream that will give it enough hold but will allow you to still be able to run your fingers through it.

The products you need

1. A lightweight, non-aerosol volumizing spray - spray on damp hair before blow-drying.

2. A light cream pomade for all hair types - apply to damp hair for a wet-look finish, or dry for a more natural, matte style.

3. A Vent Brush - like this one by Denman

4. A Hair Dryer (I have some recommendations for you here)
​

1 Classic Bob

While a bob is a great option year-round, it’s especially choice come winter. There’s no need to worry about your ends getting caught on the collar of your coat or wrapped up in a scarf, not to mention that a bob is quick and easy to style anytime, anywhere, says Gina Rivera, hairstylist and owner of Phenix Salons and By Gina. While there’s no shortage of ways to wear a bob (versatility for the win), this cut is best for those with fine to medium hair. With thicker hair, your risk ending up with an unflattering, triangular or helmet-like shape, notes Austin-based stylist Michelle Pasterski. The other important part? “Don’t wimp out on the length,” says Pasterski. “A ‘lob’ doesn’t have all of these same benefits." A classic bob should hit about mid-neck.

2 French Girl Bob

Already rocking a bob and want to change it up? Consider going even shorter with this trendy new take on the classic cut, suggests Gia Wendt, a stylist at SPACE by Alex Brown in Chicago. Surprisingly low maintenance, it too can be styled a number of ways, and works well with bangs, as seen here, or without. Plus, it looks super chic skimming a turtleneck or peeking out from under a wool beret, says Wendt.

3 Textured Curls

Embrace your natural curls for not only an on-trend winter hairstyle, but also one that will be less damaging. Dry indoor heat coupled with the cold, dry weather outside can take a toll on your hair, zapping it of moisture and shine. The less you can shampoo and heat style, the better, which is why this look is so good; it doesn’t require daily shampooing and blow-drying, points out Rivera. Just refresh your curls in between washes with a hydrating, curl-reviving product. The other upshot? “This is also a great look if you’ll be wearing a hat, scarf, or earmuffs, since you don’t have to worry about them messing up your style,” she says.

4 Curtain Bangs

If you’ve been pondering fringe for a while, now’s the time to make the cut. “Bangs are a great winter addition. With the lack of humidity, it’s easier to keep them smooth and flat, and you don’t have to worry about them getting greasy from a sweaty forehead,” says Dani Hauflaire, stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. Curtain bangs—a choppy bang that softly splits in the center—allow for a good amount of styling versatility, and are nice way to help frame your eyes when you’re wearing a mask, adds Wendt. The other nice option? If you don’t love them, they’ll naturally grow out into soft, face-framing layers that you’ll be able to pull back, adds Hauflaire.

5 Clavicut

One of the best winter hairstyles for those who prefer to sport longer length is the clavicut. “Dry winter air can leave old dry ends extra staticky and nasty, so consider taking off at least a few inches so your hair ends right below the collarbone,” Pasterski says. “Plus, you’ll have less hair to blow dry, which is always nice given that you probably don’t want to run out of the house with wet hair in the middle of winter." This length is also ultra-versatile; it’s pretty worn down, either straight or with texture, but also long enough to pull up. Top tip: If you’re sporting a winter hat, run a little bit of a styling cream or oil through the visible lengths to add polish and smooth out errant hairs, says Pasterski.

6 Pixie

Pixies are a good pick for those with fine hair, as they can create the illusion of texture and thickness, Rivera says. The caveat: There are all kinds of nuanced difference among pixie cuts, so “make sure to bring photos of ones you like and don’t like,” she advises. Stock up on some cute accessories, think fun clips or bobby pins too, as they’re a great way to tamp down unruly winter hair and add a festive touch.

7 Lots of Length

​If you’ve been growing out your hair and want to keep doing so, but are craving a little refresh or subtle change, ask for lots of face-framing layers and movement, suggests Wendt. Hauflaire agrees, pointing out that a cut like this works well for the season because it’s all about the length, rather than creating volume at the root that will just get crushed under a winter hat. That being said, “the key to any long style is hydration, especially during the winter,” she notes. (It’s the secret to warding off errant frizzies and static), so make sure to load up on moisturizing stylers.

​8 Shag

The shag remains a popular winter hairstyle season after season. “Adding shorter layers helps eliminate some of the dry ends that come with winter, while still maintaining length,” explains Hauflaire, who adds that this is another good haircut that works well with or without bangs. As an added benefit, it’s also a great low-maintenance option, a nice plus if you’re trying to minimize salon visits these days. You’ll be able to get through the whole winter without having to come in for a trim, says Wendt.