35 Taper Fade Haircuts: Types of Fades
The taper fade haircut is one of the most iconic and trendy styles for men, offering a masculine, yet clean look that’s perfect for casual or professional situations. From the classic taper fade to the low, mid, high, skin taper, guys can combine this short cut on the sides and back with all the best men’s hairstyles.
In fact, because of its versatility, the taper fade is also the basis for many different hairstyles for men. Beyond the popular low and high taper fade haircuts, there are a number of different types of fades, such as the temp, bald fade, drop, burst, and razor. Similarly, you can combine the taper fade with a comb over, mohawk, afro, high top, or curly hair to create any classic or modern men’s hairstyle.
There are many different types of fade haircuts and to help you figure out all the different haircut styles you can choose from, we’ve provided pictures of the best, cool taper fades online. Bookmark this page for your next visit to the barbershop!
Best Taper Fade Haircuts
Before you ask your barber for a fade haircut, it’s important to understand what a taper fade is and how the cut will look all around your sides and back. To get a taper fade, your barber will use clippers to trim and blend your hair gradually shorter as it goes down the side of your head.
Because fades are generally low-maintenance, high-contrast cuts that work well with the coolest hairstyles, guys around the world love taper haircuts. In fact, the taper fade looks good with all short sides, long top styles regardless of hair texture or type. Check out our examples below to find the best tapered hairstyles for men!
What Is A Taper Fade Haircut?
While the term “taper fade” is regularly used to describe both a taper and fade haircut, technically, they are different cuts and styles. Both tapers and fades refer to how your barber will cut the hair on the sides and back of your head, and both require the gradual blending of short to shorter hair.
However, the difference between a fade and taper is that taper haircuts are usually longer than fades. For starters, a classic taper is cut with scissors whereas a fade is trimmed with hair clippers. The taper starts with at least an inch of length and slowly gets shorter down the hairline. Further, a short taper cut trims down to shorter hair, but not bald, for a more conservative finish.
On the other hand, a fade starts with short hair and blends down to very short hair, often cutting down to the skin. This is why the taper fade is the best combination of the two haircuts – longer hair on the sides that is buzzed super short and bald to maximize contrast.
Ultimately, a comparison of taper vs fade, low vs high, or bald vs taper all depends on how you want to style your hair. Taper hairstyles tend to be longer, ranging from short to medium-length hair. The best fade hairstyles can be very short to short, medium or long because of the high contrast.
Low Taper Fade
The low taper fade starts just above the ears and curves around the hairline to the neck. The low taper is perfect for business professionals who need a fresh, clean-cut haircut. Because low taper hairstyles leave less contrast on the sides and back, guys will want to keep their hair longer on top.
Nevertheless, the light low taper can be combined with a bald fade for a more aggressive cut. Popular men’s hairstyles that work well with the low taper fade include the comb over, faux hawk, quiff and side part. The end result is a stylish and classy gentleman’s cut and style
High Taper Fade
The high taper fade is a badass, edgy haircut that starts near the top of the head. The high taper is a good cut for guys who want a high-contrast look that follows the short sides, long top men’s hair trend. Because the very short high fade haircut blends at a faster rate and generally requires a number 0, 1, or 2 clipper size, this taper fade focuses your eyes on the longer hair on top.
Like the low cut, the high taper can be paired with a skin fade that trims the hair down bald. The best taper fade hairstyles include a variety of short, medium and long hairstyles such as the comb over, quiff, pompadour, faux hawk, slicked back, high and tight, crew cut, buzz cut, and French crop.
