Table of Contents
Introduction
The high and tight fade is a well-known and more macho type of short haircut for men. This cut involves having a very close crop at the sides and the back with a blending line towards the top of the head. It is convenient and easy to maintain, a perfect style that many military men, athletes, businessmen, and regular men with beards who just want to tuck their hair on top of the head in style seek to maintain.
Who is the High and Tight Fade Best for?
The high and tight fade is versatile enough to work for many guys, but is an especially good option for:
- Oval, square, and diamond face shape men
- Military, police, or other public service male personnel
- For the athletes who are in search of a short hairstyle that wouldn’t fall on their eyes.
- Men of straight to slightly wavy to curly hair types
- Economical or practical hairless Australasian men who desire an easy-to-manage hair-free head.
Analyzing the High and Tight Fade Cut
As the name suggests, this style combines:
- High fade on the back/sides: Hair becomes gradually thinner starting with skin at the lower part and gradually getting thicker at the upper part. High fade hit almost the top of the head.
- Tight cut on top: At the top, the hair is cut very closely, typically between 1 and 3 centimeters lengthy based on individual inclination.
Wear fades where the sides are clipped very short, and the top should be trimmed for a sleek, shiny polished look.
How Short Can the Sides Be?
When getting a high and tight fade haircut, guys have options for how short to go on the faded sides:
- Skin fade: A line is made at the bottom and the hair is cut down. This is the boldest option.
- Bald fade: A fade that goes right to the skin with no hair on the sides and/or back.
- High taper fade: Continues less high from the top of the head making less contrast with the longer top part.
The degree of fade on the sides depends on the client’s choice of design. It’s worth remembering that the shorter it is, the more striking the figure is.
Check Out: The Crew Cut Taper Fade: Timeless Grooming with a Fresh Twist.
How Many Inches Should the Top Be?
A high and tight cut is characterized by a great contrast between the shortest hair at the sides and back and the longer hair on top. Although “tight” suggests the top is kept short too, there is flexibility:
Shorter Top
- 1 to 2 inches long
- Morphs the proportions so that the one being shrunk is made to appear shorter than the subject being grown bigger.
- Lower maintenance
Longer Top
- More than 2-3 inches is about the longest common ligature.
- Gives a little more freedom and options regarding the look
- Can be worn spiked up or combed over
Once more, the choice is subjective. You just need to keep the top long enough to have some styling options at least.
The tight sides and back are easily controlled and therefore the main area of emphasis is the area at the top of the head.
Styling options
- The conventional military regime: Military men with hair cropped very close to the skin and almost without hair. Cuts his hair perfectly, and wears very neat fades.
- Textured crop: Hair gel, wax, or paste should be applied when styling this hair to produce a piece-y, deliberately unkempt appearance on the crown.
- Combed over: The front top hair should be combed toward or across the forehead, neatly.
- Spiked up: Take gel or wax and spike up the top hair up and forward. Complements fade.
Some General Advice for the care of the Cut
Slice the sides and back every 2-3 weeks to make fades, which must be maintained continually, to look as neat as possible. Allow for the top to grow longer between trims in the athlete.
The short sides must be moisturized so that one must use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner product. You may style it with gel, wax, or pomade if you want – it is applied best on dry hair.
Use hands to cover the hair if applying any product, otherwise, avoid blow-drying hair.
How to Request Your Barber for This Cut?
Bring photos! Barbering charts assist your barber get an exact idea of the ideal length, fade level, and style that you require from your head. But you should also use these terms:
- High fade back/sides
- Tight/short top
- Get top height (1 inch, 2 inches etc.)
- Refer to any styling – messy, spikes, etc.
When complementing photos with a description, you’ll receive the exquisite high-tight fade haircut that you desire!
Conclusion
It’s no surprise why the high and tight fade haircut is still popular today; this cut is a quintessential man and low maintenance. The cropped sides come out as presentable as they are when professional barbers give that standard neat look and the fade enables men to determine the extent of shortness they want on their hair. Couple it with longer hair at the back and on the crown for lots of styling possibilities.
If it is simply a man searching for a simplified form of hair management or a man who is dedicated to agreeing to the traditional barbershop styles, the high-tight fade should be on your list of preferred looks. It does not take much extra effort, but making sure that the fades are looked after to the best of your ability means this cut will always have a sharp look.
FAQs
Which face suits the high-tight fade best?
This cut is advantageous for oval, square, diamond, and triangle faces. The ‘V’ shape lineup formation gives the faces these trying shapes with strong lines that fit the natural angles of the face shapes.
Can the ‘high fade’ haircut be worn by men with curly or wavy hair?
Yes! A high-tight fade will do well if you have naturally wavy or curly hair. This emphasizes and accentuates the texture of the focused/articulated object. Just get your barber to take the sides a bit closer, tight fades do not create much bulk for wavy/curly hairs.
Can the concept of the high tight be appropriate for teenagers?
Definitely. This cut works best during the teenage years because with it you can have that classic rock vibe. It also fits the most mobility of most teenagers as the short sides do require little attention between shaves. But unfortunately, not all schools permit extreme fades and so please don’t be caught off guard by checking dress code policies.
What’s the high and tight fade haircut and can it be done at home?
As you have seen for yourself, it is nearly impossible to have clean, even fades while working from home. The drawback includes; You overemphasize the hairline, or the sides of your head will be shaved at unequal height. The best way is to go to a skilled barber so you get sharp lines. If desired, maintain the top length at home between cuts by using professional cutting tools.
How soon does the high fade need a retouch?
It is advisable to follow the strategy of visiting your barber within 2-3 weeks to maintain the highly faded side/back haircut. In that case, you can stretch the top haircuts more like 4-6 weeks since the length makes it easier to conceal new development. By avoiding dirt, this style can be considered the best and the longest-lasting of the wash-and-wear fabrics.
Which products are most recommended for fades?
The very short sides don’t require any products. Concentrate the styling products such as gels, waxes, or pomades on the longer part of the head that makes up the top hair to achieve the style of your desire such as height, and texture spikes among others. Work especially well on dry hair to establish the right hold you desire.
