What comes to mind when we mention a classic high and tight men’s haircut? Most often, it’s a military man with a clean skin fade and a bit longer hair on top.
Yes, initially high and tight haircuts were meant for soldiers due to their simplicity and a very long-lasting neat finish. For the first time, this hairstyle was embraced in civilian life by black men in the 1980s. Later on, the cut started spreading from Afro guys to Moroccan and Assyrian young people. Now, the most stylish and hottest celebrity men in the world like Brad Pitt, David Beckham, Conor McGregor opt for long high and tight military haircut styles.
Indeed, in the days of our creative and dynamic 21st century, the high and tight haircut styles are adapted, updated, and refreshed with modern techniques and elements. Today, high and tight style is not always short, it often features a freestyle shaved design, a side part, or variations of texture at the top.
What Does High and Tight Haircut Mean?
The haircut’s name comes from army vocabulary and means the style, which is neat, and quick, and simple, without any fuss and complications. It explains why men form structures like the air force and the USMC opt for this military and law enforcement haircut.
The cut is characterized by a bald fade that blends into longer hair on the high part of the scalp. The civilians also call it buzz cut, crew cut, fade haircut, and even a “walker” sometimes.
What Do I need for the High and Tight?
Since the short back and sides haircut is a rather simple hair solution, you won’t need any special hair products for grooming your hair-do. However, you might need a texturizing spray and a hair wax or gel if you want your crown hair high so that you can fix it into pomp, quiff, or even hawk.
How to cut a high and tight haircut?
The first thing you have to do before taking the hair clippers is to decide how narrow the top strip you want and what proportions of the haircut should be. Mark the boundaries of the crown visually, make sure that the strip covers the vertex of the head and is long enough.
Next, choose your high and tight haircut numbers. Do you want to have a medium fade with a long top or a neat hairstyle with a razor fade and a short crown? For a more traditional and tight appearance, opt for 0 on the sides 2 on top, 1 on sides 3 on top, or 2 on the sides 3 on top. To get an extreme drop fade effect, cut high the top – about 5 on top 2 on sides.
Begin by evenly clipping the areas with the shortest length, then move from the back to the forehead with a bigger guard. Make the central strip outstanding – with defined, edgy lines.
Should I get a high and tight haircut?
The style works for all hair types except extremely curly and kinky hair. As for the face shapes, it’s best suited for guys with oval, square, and triangle shapes. If you’ve got a round or oblong face shape, you should better avoid this kind of crew cut, especially with super high fade and very long top.
High and Tight Variations
@hn.barber1
This classic high and tight haircut is a go-to solution that works for everyone who has enough hair on top. A professional barber will find a way to cut and style it in a way that flatters your head and face shape.
One of the biggest advantages of this high and tight fade is that you can play with not-so-short hair on top by styling it back smoothly (like in the photo), sweeping to the side imitating a comb-over, or just make a messy high and tight cut in combination with facial hair.
@barbergreg
Alternatively, you can opt for an experimental high and tight haircut that combines the classic cut details and some modern versions of retro vibes.
@ramiro_leall
Finally, you can stick to the classic high and tight traditions by keeping the style low-maintenance, and the hair short. Thick and thin hair work equally well in this drop fade high and tight haircut, and all you need to do to keep the style is to towel dry your hair and attend your barber every 2-3 weeks.
High and Tight + High Fade
@hn.barber1
This tight fade blending into a front-swept crown with slight waves but without any volume is a typical option of the hairstyle. A full beard that also fades does work with the haircut number 2 and balances the upper and lower parts.
High and Tight Pompadour
@beauty_andthebutch
Being at the intersection of a high and tight pompadour and a high and tight side part, this is one of the best high and tight haircuts for balding men: the high fade makes the illusion of no receding hairline at all, and the perfectly sleeked pomp makes this jarhead cut variation 21-century appropriate.
By the way, a forward-swept look variation can also be a handy solution for thinning hair in a modern high and tight recon – all you need is to comb damp hair forward and secure it with a touch of hairspray.
Long High and Tight
@flattophaircut
This high and tight haircut with mid-length tight hair on the top has a very spicy key detail, which transforms the whole haircut high fade. This high and tight skin fade features a slightly longer length in the front of the crown, the spiky hair on top is in high contrast with a rather relaxed goatee that provides even more length to the whole style. Ask your barber for something special in terms of hair design and show this picture for inspiration.
Buzz Cut
@jewlscreates
A tight buzz cut is one of those classic masculine haircuts that never go out of fashion. A high and tight buzz cut is pretty casual, rather easy to style, damn attractive and good-looking.
To get this naturally spiky touch on top, use a small amount of a hair product like pomades or waxes, spread it between the palms, and sweep the hair up, combing it through with fingers. Your barber, in turn, is gonna use minimal blade guards to achieve the short length high and tight haircut to your liking.
High and Tight Comb Over
mattwardario
Wanna have a classic smart Ivy League twist? It’s also possible with high and tight haircuts! Just add a shaved side part and comb the hair smoothly to one side. This will bring some personality and uniqueness to the hairstyle and make you shine even in your everyday outfit.
High and Tight with Beard
@xmitchthebarberx
The main point of any high and tight hairstyle is to be neat, easy to maintain, and versatile. That’s why most tight haircuts for men suit almost everyone and can be easily complemented with any type of beard, mustache, and whisker. Save a couple of best pictures from our gallery to show the ways to cut your hair and beard you love to your barber.
Military High and Tight Haircut
@barbergreg
This classic military high and tight haircut is probably the most typical representative of this style. It resembles the marine corps' high and tight cuts in a way that can naturally adjust to being a trend in the modern civilian world.
There are all essential characteristics of a military personnel cut: an extreme bald fade at the temples and sides, short buzz cut on the top, and a rather defined border of the landing strip. This traditional high and tight classic cut features slightly longer hair on top, which makes the look handsome, neat, and low-maintenance.
High and Tight with Undercut
@theshop_classiccutsnshaves
For a completely modern interpretation of high and tight haircuts for men, the high and tight fade on the back and sides may blend into an undercut – the most popular, loved by barbers and trendsetters, multifunctional contemporary version of the classic barbershop cut that exists among civilians. This undercut high and tight haircut will work for round, square, and diamond face shapes, the hair length can be varied.
Short High and Tight
@thecuttingden
If you hate any experiments and mixtures of styles, you should better choose the safety of a traditional short high and tight style for men that never fails.
Crew Cut
@xmitchthebarberx
Flattop, crew cut, and taper – all in one. This military high and tight fade haircut for men with a very short, flat and edgy crown is not a style for everyone, but only for the old-school brutal fashionistas. Thin hair and thick hair equally will work well for this classic haircut since it has a rather short length.
Skin Fade
@tidyazbarbershop
Meet another extra short, clean, neat, and handsome high and tight hairstyle with a perfect bald fade. This high and tight doesn’t need any modern twists – it’s authentic and complete on its own. Btw, it’s probably impossible to make it shorter!
High and Tight Mohawk
@flattophaircut
Wow! Apparently, it’s possible to go even this wild in the context of military high and tight style. The back and sides are skin-shaved, and the central “island” gradually grows from the vertex to the forehead.
Despite this cut resembling a reckless Mohawk, this hawk features very sharp, precise, and edgy lines and cuts – that’s the nature of high and tight traditions is breaking out.
Slick Back
@barbergreg
The ordinary slick back is too trivial and boring. Let’s have fun with longer hair on top and add some texture to the look. This option works fantastic for men with thick hair, but if your locks are too thin and smooth, don’t worry and just use a dry shampoo or a texturizing spray to get this blowout high and tight style variation. Is it legal to look so trendy with an old-school cut? The best part is this slick and messy high cut suits different outfits and occasions.
Curly Hair
@dukedesdunes
If your Afro hair is not too kinky, a fade haircut like this will work for you too. There is one thing, however: a high and tight Afro classic style won’t probably look as neat and fresh as a typical high and tight for straight hair. Nevertheless, this exception of the tendency is also loved by boys with natural curls a lot.
The more hair and texture, the more tight and outstanding the high and tight cut for young black males is.
High and Tight Haircut for Black Men
@rogue_dbarber
Unlike the previous high and tight Afro fade haircut, this high and tight style is more often chosen by Afro men due to its higher versatility and practicality. Also, remember that black men are always in an advantageous position over any blonde guy when it comes to skin fade styles and shaved sides. Yes, the contrast and blend of fade haircuts look best on dark high hair.
Marine Haircut
@sirjay_bossbarber
Meet another example of typical military marines haircuts for men. To keep the hair clean and accurate in this shaved sides style for men, you’re gonna visit your barber every 2 weeks. But if you don’t mind having a taper fade, which is not so tight, you can wear this best high and tight cut up to 4 weeks. High and tight, masculine and laconic haircuts for men like this one will always be in fashion as it’s eternal hair classic that never fade.
Bottom Line
A high and tight haircut is a versatile soldier that is capable of withstanding the test of time and changing fashion trends. From a classy military high and tight buzz cut with a flat top to creative and modern high and tight pompadour, mullet, drop fade solutions, those high and tight sides and back are the win-win element that makes the hairstyle rock.