Exactly what to say to your barber

Four decisions, the words for each, and a script you can read off your phone.

Most bad haircuts are miscommunication. "A little off the sides" means something different to every barber. Here's the vocabulary that gets you a consistent result.

1. Sides: taper or fade?

• Taper — hair gets gradually shorter toward the ears and neck but stays visible. Softer, more classic, grows out cleanly.
• Fade — hair goes very short or down to skin. Sharper, more contrast, needs a touch-up every 2–3 weeks.
• Fades come in low (starts just above the ear), mid (around the temple) and high (near the top of the head). Low is the safest first try.

2. Clipper guard numbers

"Skin" or "zero" means no guard at all.

3. Top: how much to leave

Say it in inches, not "a little." Rough guide:

• 1 inch — crew cut, textured crop.
• 2–3 inches — classic taper, side part.
• 3–4 inches — quiff, styled-up looks.

Add "point-cut for texture" if you want it to look less blunt.

4. Neckline

• Tapered — fades out naturally. Grows out best.
• Blocked — squared-off line. Sharp, but needs frequent cleanup.
• Rounded — in between.

Your script

"I'd like a [low taper / low fade], [#2] on the sides, [2 inches] on top, point-cut for texture, with a [tapered] neckline."

Fill in the brackets, save it in your notes, and show it with a photo.