Please note that different people may have different ideas about the terms. You should always ensure that your barber understands what you are asking for.

bang (or bangs) - hair that is cut to hang brushed down over the forehead. This is called a fringe in some countries.

bowl cut - a cut that gets its name from its origins of placing a bowl on the head and then cutting off everything that protrudes from under the bowl. This gives hair of up to several inches in length on top with and close cropped hair below the bowl line and no blend (or transition) between the two lengths. The bowl cut became popular during the Great Depression as an easy way of cutting boy's hair. While techniques may have improved, the cut still has the same basic characteristics of longer hair on top and short hair below a "bowl line", which is usually just above the ears. (Also see under cut and dipped mushroom cut below.)

brush cut - a longer variation of the crewcut, this style gets its name because the hair is cut to stand up like the bristles of a brush.

burr cut - see induction cut below.

burr with bumper - see horseshoe flattop below.

business man's cut - a term that describes a short (but not extremely short) haircut. It would generally refer to a cut that is long enough to be either parted or brushed back. The back and sides may be tapered or slightly longer, but cut around the ears.

butch - a short cut in which the hair is cut an even, short length (usually around 1/4 inch or less) all over. Outside the U.S., this cut is generally called a crewcut. Within the U.S., a butch would be usually considered as shorter than a crewcut. The butch is distinguished from a classic American crewcut by its even length all over (where an American crewcut has a little extra length at the front of the head).

buzzcut - a short cut (like the butch cut described above). The name comes from the sound of the electric clippers used for the cut. A buzzcut may typically range from 1/4 of an inch down to stubble (that is cut without a guard on the clippers).

Caesar cut - a moderately short cut worn in the style of Julius Caesar. The hair is layered to around 1 to 2 inches all over. The hair is brushed forward to a short bang or fringe at the front.

clipper blades and attachments - electric clippers are used to cut hair short. If used directly on the head without an attachment guard, they will shave the hair from the head, leaving a very short stubble. Some clippers use a series of different plastic guards over the cutting blades to adjust the length of hair, while others have different length attachable blades. These clipper attachments (either guards or blades) are used to provide a uniform length of hair to be left. Barbers use both adjustable attachments and standard attachments. Clippers made by Wahl use attachment numbers to indicate the length of hair that will be left. Here are some examples of attachments used by some popular clipper manufacturers.

Andis.

• 0000 - 0.1mm (1/250 inch)
• 000 - 0.2mm (1/125 inch)
• 1 - 3.0mm (1/8 inch)
• 1.5 - 4.0mm (5/32 inch) separate regular and texturizing blades available
• 2 - 5.0mm (1/5 inch)
• 7 - 4.0mm (5/32 inch)
• 5 - 5.0mm (1/5 inch)
• 3.5 - 9.0mm (1/3 inch)

Oster. Oster clippers are often used in military barber shops (they are powered by a motor instead of an electric vibrating device and tend to stay cooler during heavy use). Blades used on Oster clippers include:

• 00000 - 1/125 inch
• 0000 - 1/100 inch,
• 000 - 1/50 inch,
• 0A - 3/64 inch,
• 1 - 3/32 inch,
• 1A - 1/8 inch,
• 1-1/2 - 5/32 inch,
• 2 - 1/4 inch,
• 3-1/2 - 3/8 inch

Wahl.

• #0 (no attachment) - 1/100 inch,
• #1 - 1/8 inch,
• #2 - 1/4 inch,
• #3 - 3/8 inch,
• #4 - 1/2 inch,
• #5 and #6 - special tapering attachments
• #7 - 7/8 inch, and
• #8 - 1 inch.

The advantage of using clippers is that they cut hair to an even short length quickly and easily. Some people say that only scissors can be used to cut hair short without exposing the skin underneath. This would only apply to moderately short haircuts, as with very short cuts, the aim is to expose some skin. Another disadvantage of the clippers is that because they are so quick and easy, the chance of mistakes is higher (for example by attaching the wrong attachment or by mis-cutting when tapering without an attachment - we've all heard barber school disaster stories). For this reason, you want a professional who is experienced with clippers. This is another reason to use an experienced barber for short hair.

college cut - this cut is similar to an ivy league. The back is clipper cut short all the way past the crown with the length increasing until the bangs form anywhere from one to three inches in front. Bangs may be left straight down or brushed to the side. (Contributed by a Buzztown reader.)

crewcut - outside the United States, the term crewcut has a much narrower meaning than inside the U.S. The non-U.S. definition is a cut that is short all over (about 1/4 inch), perhaps tapered a little at the back and sides. Inside the U.S. Within the U.S., crewcut is used more broadly to refer to a range of short haircuts. In general the U.S. definition refers to a cut that is tapered at the back and sides but may be up to one inch on top.

dipped mushroom cut or dipped bowl cut - this is like a regular bowl cut, however, the back follows the curvature around the ears and "dips" at least one to two inches lower at the back or the head. This prevents the bowl cut from having a look much like the side view of a "cupcake" when the bowl is cut too high. (Contributed by a Buzztown reader.)

fade (or temple fade) - a short tapered cut. The hair at the back and sides is tapered from zero length lower down up to around half an inch. The hair may be short or longer over the crown of the head. On top, the hair is longer (up to 2 to 3 inches) and may be layered.

flattop - a range of styles in which the hair is cut so that the top of the hair is cut into a flat surface. This style can have a range of lengths. Depending upon the length of the cut and the hair type, gel or pomade will be required to hold the hair in place. The longer the hair on top, the greater the effort required to style it. The cut gives a flat top surface on the round shape of the head. This means that the hair at the front central area of the head is cut shorter than the hair at the front and around the top sides of the head. Because of this, a short flattop will allow the scalp at the front central area of the head to be visible. This is known as a landing strip. If the hair is left longer on top, the front and upper sides will require more styling (such as blow-drying and either gel or pomade) to hold it place. The sides of a flattop are generally cut very short (although some variations of the cut can have the hair at the sides much longer than on top and slicked down). Another variation of the flat top is to have the back and sides shaved completed clean (with lather and a razor). This variation is known as white walls.

French crop - similar to a Caeser, but feathered at the front.

fringe - see bang above.

high and tight - a standard cut in the United States Marine Corps, a high and tight comprises cut to a stubble at the back and sides (using clippers with no guard comb attached) and short (around 1/4 inch) all over on top. Alternatively, the top may be cut into a short flattop. The back and sides may also be clean shaved using lather and a razor.

high and tight recon - a shorter version of the regular high and tight. The hair is cut higher on the side, tapered very closely on top with a runway in the middle going all the way to the back like a horseshoe. It resembles a Mohawk. Recon-Marines are famous for this haircut.

horseshoe flattop - an extremely short version of the flattop cut. This cut gets its name because the only hair left on the head is a "horseshoe" shape ring of hair around the upper sides and across the front. The "landing strip" area is bigger than in regular flattops and the unguarded clippers are taken over the crown of the head. One contributor to this website provided some more information about this cut, also calling it a "TH flattop". This is described as a flattop cut with a TH clipper. The TH clipper is a type of clipper that will cut hair even closer than the 000 Wahl or 0 Oster clipper and is almost as short as an electric shaver.

The horseshoe flattop is also sometimes known as a "burr with bumper". The cut is basically 1/4" (no more than 3/8") butch waxed in front and an 1/8" along the sides of the "flat" - it's as short as you'll get before going to the full burr or induction cut. It was popular among career Marines in the 1960's. Unlike most other flattops, this cut can work well with fine or thinning hair (or at least some types hair thinning patterns). (Thanks to Gunny for contributing this information.)

induction cut (or burr cut) - the cut given to male recruits when they enter the United States armed services. Generally, the cut is made with electric clippers with no guard comb attached. This just leaves an even length stubble across the head. The armed services of other countries vary in their haircuts regulations for both new recruits and trained soldiers.

ivy league - cut short and tapered at the back and sides and cut close (about 1/4 inch) across the crown of the head, but getting a little longer (up to 1.5 inches) at the front of the head. Basically this is a standard crew cut, but cut longer at the front of the head. The hair at the front may be brushed up (using gel or pomade), brushed down or parted. It provides a little more flexibility in terms of styling while still having a crisp "buzzed" appearance.

landing strip - the patch of scalp that can been seen in the flat area of a very short flattop haircut (see the flattop definition, above).

layer cut - the style of having hair cut so that hair on different parts of the head is approximately the same length (instead of being cut longer in the centre and shorter around the edges). This cut contrasts from tapered cuts and bowl cuts.

low and tight - similar to the high and tight described above, except instead of having the sides and back completely clipped to the skin, the hair is only completely buzzed to about half way up the head. The higher side and back hair is clipped fairly short, but not to the skin. The hair on top of the head may be cut as a flattop or clipped short.

pompadour (or pomp) - the style of wearing the hair brushed back off the forehead. Typically a pompadour is not parted, but just brushed straight up and back. The term pompadour is also a woman's hairstyle again with the hair brushed back high from the forehead, into a roll (much higher than for a man's pompadour). The term is named after a woman (Marquise de Pompadour, a mistress of France's Louis XV). The pompadour is referred to (as a man's hairstyle) in John Steinbeck's classic 1952 novel "East of Eden": He was wearing a flat-topped, narrow-brimmed hat, very stylish, and when he saw them he broke into a run and yanked off his hat and they could see that this bright hair was clipped to a short brush of a pompadour that stood straight up. (Chapter 49).

porky cut - see induction cut above.

Princeton cut - this is basically another name for an ivy league cut (Princeton University being one of the eight Ivy League universities in the United States).

pudding basin haircut - another term for a bowl cut that is derived from the history of the cut. This term is not a widely used term these days. The following information about this style was provided by a Buzztown reader.

Haircut performed by placing a pudding basin over the head and cutting off all the hair below the rim of the basin all the way around the head.Commonly used for hundreds of years by poor and rural families. Other names for this haircut are bowl cut, bowl crop, basin cut and basin crop. The roundheads of English 17th Century history got their name from this haircut.The apprentices rioting in London wore their hair 'cut around the head' using a bowl as a guide; hence the name roundhead. Two German names for this haircut are Topfschnitt and Pottschnitt.

regulation haircut - a very short tapered haircut. The back and sides are cut very short and clipped to the scalp lower down at the back and sides, tapered very short to the crown, with the top cut just long enough to comb over. This is a broad term and you may wish to provide more details of what you want to your barber. In some shops, you might expect to have the hair clipped to the scalp up to about an inch and a half or more above the hair line. In other shops, less of the head may be clipped to the skin.

razor cut - a technique of cutting hair using the blade of a razor instead of scissors.

shaved - the hair is cut completely to the sking using a razor (either some form of blade razor or an electric razor). This should not be confused with hair that is cut using clippers. A crewcut or a buzzcut is not shaved. Too many people tell their barbers that they want part or all of their head shaved, when they actually want a tapered cut or some other clipper cut.

short back and sides - a widely-used term used in Australia and New Zealand (especially before the 1970s) to describe a short tapered cut. A barber in New Zealand provided the following information about the term "short back and sides":

Before the 1970's the most common haircut given in New Zealand was the "short back and sides" which is 1/8th inch on the back and sides (tapered 'round the edge) and reasonably short on top regardless of whether it is brushed back, flat top, side part, center part, or whatever. A male (regardless of age) would religiously get his hair cut every 2 - 3 weeks without fail and accordingly all that was needed on the top was a trim. A New Zealand written song uses as part of it's lyrics referring to the New Zealand male's haircut "a bit off the top and short back and sides".

square back - the hair at the back is cut at the bottom as a defined straight line. The hair is left full and is not tapered at the back or the sides. A square back can be used with a range of styles, including a crewcut, an ivy league or college cut or a flattop.

taper - the style of having the hair cut getting progressively shorter lower down towards the nape of the head. This is generally done with electric clippers and gives a crisper, freshly cut look. The degree of tapering can range from a slight taper to a style in which the hair around the nape and around the ears is completely shaven.

teddy boy cut - a style worn by mods in England during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Typically the hair was cut relatively long (for the time), brushed back, and heavily greased. To read more about mods, teddy boys, including hairstyle information, read the article "Mod. The Life and How to Live It", which is part of an English website.

temple fade - see fade above.

TH flattop and TH clipper - see horseshoe flattop above.

thinning shears - scissors that are used to thin hair out. Instead of having two flat blades, like regular scissors, thinning shears have matching sets of "teeth" with gaps between them. When used to cut hair, some of the hair gets between the teeth of the shears and is cut, but most of the hair falls in the gaps between the teeth and is not cut. This allows some of the hairs to be cut short and other hairs to remain at the full length of the style. With some of the hairs cut short, this thins out the hair.

under cut - this cut is much like a bowl cut except the ridge of the bowl is not where the cuttings ends. The ridge of the bowl is lifted so the hair is clipper cut further up the side of the head an additional one to two inches. This allows the head to be shaken and the bowl look will always return to its regular shape. The sides may either be "white-walled" or cut to 1/8" length. The bottom of the back may be either faded or square cut. (Contributed by a Buzztown reader.)

wedge cut - similar to a bowl cut, except that the hair below the weight line is tapered instead of all being cut to the one length. The taper may be quite gradual and may not be very short or clean cut. In fact, the hair may even cover the top of the ears. This is not really a barber shop cut and may be worn by men or women.

whiffle cut - see induction cut above.

white walls - a flattop haircut in which the back and sides of the head are shaved clean using lather and a razor (see the flattop definition above).