45 Cool Short Haircuts and Hairstyles For Men

Short haircuts and hairstyles have been the traditional look for guys. This is because cool short haircuts for men are stylish yet easy to manage and quick to style. Nevertheless, even with short hair on the sides and top, guys have a lot of trendy, modern men’s haircuts to choose from. Here are the best short hairstyles for men to get in 2021.

From very short haircuts like the buzz cut to popular short hairstyles like the crew cut, crop top, fringe, quiff, comb over fade, faux hawk, slicked back undercut, and side part, there are a number of ways to style short hair. Check out these good short haircuts for guys to find awesome cuts and styles for you.

Cool Short Hairstyles For Men

If you’re looking for more than the usual buzz or crew cut and want the best men’s short haircuts, you’ll want to check out our collection of popular hairstyles for short hair men. Whether you have thick, thin, wavy or curly hair, there are new short haircut styles for every guy!

For example, the crew cut and buzz cut are always favorites because of their really short sides and top. But if you want more variety than just very short hairstyles, guys can opt for a fade or undercut on the sides with some unique styling on top, including the short hair textured crop, comb over, spikes, and side part.

The best thing about the fade haircut is that there are so many types – taper, low, mid, high, skin or bald, drop, burst, etc. Ultimately, undercuts, tapers and fades are the basis for most of the best short haircut styles for men, especially ones part of the latest short sides, longer hair on top trend.

Then the next decision you would need to make is how you want to style the hair on top of your head, and this is where the awesome short hairstyles below come in handy.

With so many ways to style short hair for guys, it can be challenging to pick just one nice look. Fortunately, all of these cuts and styles are versatile, and can be worn with thick, thin, wavy and curly hair.

Fade Haircuts

Short fade haircuts for men offer the best base for any length hair. By fading the hair on the sides very short with a high skin fade or mid bald fade, guys are able to increase contrast and maximize the difference in lengths between the top, back and sides. Some men getting buzz cuts may even want to ask their barbers to shave the hair on the sides.

The end result is a short haircut on top with a fade on the sides that complements the finished look. With so many different types of taper fades, including the low, mid, high, bald, razor and drop, there is a fresh cut for your personal style.

Undercut Hairstyles

The undercut is the other popular way to cut short hair on the sides. Modern and stylish, men’s undercut hairstyles are often some of the hottest styles in barbershops today. Unlike fade cuts, the undercut haircut is all one-length. Starting very high on the sides and back, you’ll notice a distinct and definite difference in hair lengths. For this reason, barbers like to call these cuts disconnected hairstyles as well.

The best short haircuts to combine with an undercut include the slick back, comb over, pompadour, faux hawk, and spiked hair. With any of these cuts, men have the option of styling their short hair neat, messy, shiny, and/or textured.

Along with the best fades, we highly recommend you try short hair with your undercut.

Buzz Cut

The buzz cut is the quintessential military haircut and certainly one of the best ways to wear short hair. The buzz cut fade is clean, fresh, and low-maintenance, meaning it’s really easy to get and very simple to style.

Popular among guys who want a short haircut to fit their rugged, handsome looks, the buzz cut can be paired with a shape up that will fix your hairline and give you sharp edges around your temples.

While some men may want to experiment with cutting their own hair at home using professional clippers, for the perfect short cut, visit your barber shop.

Crew Cut

The crew cut is a simple and easy yet classic men’s haircut, much like the buzz cut. However, the main difference between the crew cut and buzz cut hairstyles is that one is slightly longer, allowing for more styling of the hair on top. For starters, most guys get a taper fade on the sides for a modern crew cut. The crew cut fade will accentuate the short hair.

Whether you get a short or long crew cut will determine how you style your hair. Some men like a side swept crew cut whereby you brush the hair in the front to one side, while others may decide to spike up the front, style it messy, or just leave it natural. For guys with thinning hair, we recommend a wax or clay to keep the crew cut hairstyle textured – this will make your hair appear thicker.

Short Men’s Textured Haircuts

The most popular short textured haircut for men is the French Crop, also known as a crop top. Cropped hairstyles have been very trendy in recent years, and are similar to the crew cut. Barbers will cut the sides with an undercut or fade, leaving the hair on top slightly longer and trimmed short in the front.

What makes textured hairstyles unique is the natural styling and look of a guy’s hair. Crop top haircuts are often styled forward, and the best products for textured styles are matte pomades, waxes, and clays.

These no shine hair styling products leave a natural, textured finish. If you want a modern new hairstyle that looks good, try a short textured crop!

High and Tight Fade

The high and tight haircut is a classic short barbershop cut. Like the buzz cut, the high and tight originated as a military hairstyle, and guy’s who loved the styles clean-cut, masculine look brought it into the mainstream. Although the high and tight fade may look easy to cut at home with a good set of hair clippers, we highly recommend you ask your barber.

For one, the tight fade on the sides requires precision cutting and blending. Most stylists recommend a high bald fade, although guy don’t have to trim the sides down to the skin. As for the short haircut on top, the high and tight works well with a variety of hair types, including thick, thin, wavy and curly hair. This is because short hair makes curls, waves and hard-to-manage strands easier to style and maintain.

Short Quiff Haircut

The short quiff hairstyle has quickly become one of the hottest men’s haircuts. As a classy yet trendy cut, the modern quiff comes in many different styles to suit all hair types, lengths, and face shapes. For example, you can ask your barber for an undercut quiff or the quiff haircut with a fade on the sides. Guys have the option of a high, mid, or low fade because the quiff is extremely versatile.

Furthermore, the styling on top can be achieved with long, medium-length or short hair. The short quiff often looks best textured, natural, and/or messy for maximum flow and volume. While the essence of the quiff’s styling suggests its a more casual hairstyle, it’s also equally suitable for professionals. Ultimately, the short textured quiff is a beautiful style for men who want a fashionable look.

Fringe Hairstyle

Men’s fringe hairstyles are sexy and stylish, but require a good amount of styling and maintenance. Also known as man bangs, fringe haircuts can be cropped or allowed to grow longer, and styled messy, to the side or angular, and textured. Perfect for men with wavy or curly hair, a short or long fringe can transform your look.

Combined with a short taper or fade on the sides and back, guys with bangs still have plenty of styling options for the short hair on top. Using a good pomade, wax or clay, guys should experiment with different ways to get a fringe.

Short Comb Over Fade

The comb over is an iconic and iconic hairstyle for men. Similar to side part haircuts and other side-swept styles, a short comb over allows for a number of different elements to make it a unique, fresh cut. The modern comb over works best with a fade or undercut on the sides. The high, mid and low fade comb over provides a level of contrast that completes the style. Guys can even ask their barbers for a line in their hair known as a hard part, which makes the parting more defined.

The short comb over also ensures that the hair on top can be worn in many different ways. Although the short comb over fade is a very attractive men’s haircut, it’s nice to occasionally style a quiff, slick back, crop top, or fringe to change things up.

Short Curly Hair Fade

The curly hair fade has become a favorite for guys with frizzy, unruly hair. Short hair is especially good for wavy or curly hairstyles because it makes it harder for men’s hair to curl. However, curly long hair can be especially enticing with textured, messy styling and faded sides. Whatever your personal style, guys should know that the short curly hair fade is an effortless option to consider.

Slicked Back Hair

The slicked back undercut offers a degree of sophistication matched by few other cool styles. Although slicked back hairstyles are often cut short on the sides and medium length to longer on top, men with thick hair can get away with a short haircut on top.

With just 2 to 3 inches, short slicked back hair can be brushed back with a strong pomade or wax and made to look classy yet edgy. If you happen to have a receding hairline or thinning hair, then a matte product that results in a textured, natural finish may be a better choice to cover up the scalp.

Short Spiky Hair

Short spiky hair for men has been a thing since the 90’s. Although we don’t recommend frosted tips or blonde highlights with your spiked hair, men’s short spiky hairstyles can be particularly appealing when styled naturally for a textured finish.

Instead of using gel that will clump together your strands, a top-rated wax or clay product can help you create thick spikes for a badass look. Along with faded sides, spiky hair will always be in vogue.

Short Side Part Haircuts

The side part haircut is the epitome of the gentleman’s hairstyle. Perfect for both casual and formal events, the side part exudes elegance as a neat and structured style. Short side part haircuts are often tapered on the sides. Whether you want a fade or classic taper, and how high you want the blending process to start, depends on how you style your hair.

Much like the comb over, you can ask your barber to shave a thick line into your scalp where you part your hair. This hard part makes the side part look more modern and sleek. As one of the best parted hairstyles for men, the short side part is certainly worth getting.

Short Faux Hawk Hairstyle

The faux hawk is a less intense version of the traditional mohawk, but still delivers a good-looking, youthful, and eye-catching short hairstyle for men. Specifically, the fohawk fade offers a trendy yet surprisingly versatile cut and style for short hair. With so many different ways to cut fades on the sides and back, and the relative ease in which guys can simply brush and style their hair on top, the short fohawk haircut can suit any guy.

As the tamer version, the short faux hawk is ideally styled textured and messy with a matte hair product. Use your fingers for a more tousled finish and the natural look will look exceptional.

How To Style Short Hair For Men

From the buzz cut to the comb over to the slick back, there are a number of ways to style short hair for men. The most popular short men’s hairstyles start with a taper, fade or undercut on the sides. In line with short sides, long top men’s hair trends, faded cuts provide the necessary contrast to highlight the styling on top. With so many different types of taper fade haircuts, guys have the ability to customize and tailor their look.

As for the short hair on top, with just 2 to 3 inches of length, you are still able to get some of the best short men’s hairstyles. Start with clean hair after a warm shower, then towel-dry to leave it slightly damp. Apply your favorite styling product for men throughout. Using the top hair products from leading brands can significantly help you get your desired style.

For a flawless finish to a pomade hairstyle, use a brush or comb to control and style your hair. Whether you want to part your hair to one side or brush it straight back, these tools will create the proper effect. Otherwise, the hottest textured hairstyles can be achieved with light combing but mostly moving hair with your fingers.

If you have short hair and aren’t sure exactly what to do with it or how to style it, this guide and the inspiring haircut ideas below should offer plenty of tips and direction.

Best Hair Styling Products For Men With Short Hair

Here’s a breakdown of the best hair products for men with short hair. From pomades and hair waxes to clays and creams, there are a number of good styling products for short hair. Whether you should use pomade vs wax vs clay vs cream ultimately depends on how you want to style your hair and the different levels of hold and shine you need. Below, we’ll provide an overview of the leading brands: Suavecito, Layrite, Baxter of California, Uppercut Deluxe, Imperial Barber, TIGI Bed Head, American Crew, Gatsby and Smooth Viking.

Pomade

Pomade is best for short hairstyles that need medium to strong hold with moderate to high shine. Pomades are good for straight, wavy, curly and thick hair, making it one of the top hair products to use. From the short pompadour to the comb over, quiff, slick back, and classic side part, a high-quality pomade will work wonders for your stylish haircut. These are the best pomades for short men’s hair.

Wax

Hair wax is generally medium hold and can be matte, low or medium shine. Wax works best with short hairstyles that need texture, volume, and flow. Because most wax hair products are made with beeswax, which actually makes hair appear fuller and thicker, styling wax can be great for guys with thin hair. If you’re looking for a styling product that will give your hair a natural look, here are the best men’s hair waxes on the market.

Cream and Clay

Styling creams and clays can add thickness and body to any short hairstyle. With medium to low holding strength and a range of finishes, from matte to low to moderate shine, a good hair clay or cream can be the right product for short hair that needs a natural look and feel. If you want plenty of volume and movement for that beautiful, textured style, check out these awesome cream and clay products for men.

The Best Men’s Short Haircuts

From the short comb over to the fringe, crew cut, crop top, buzz cut, and spiky hair, there are a number of cool short hairstyles for guys to get right now. For a quick guide, here are some of the most popular short hair men’s haircuts.

• Short Textured Crop – French crop with a high or low skin fade on the sides
• Crew Cut – messy, textured crew cut with a high bald fade
• High and Tight Fade – very short military-style haircut
• Short Hair Quiff – short modern quiff haircut with faded or undercut sides
• Buzz Cut – fresh skin fade with a line up and really short hairstyle on top
• Fringe – cool fringe hairstyle with wavy or curly hair in the front
• Comb Over Fade – short comb over on top with high or low fade on the sides
• Slicked Back Undercut – brushed back hair with a trendy undercut
• Side Part Fade – classy and neat hard side part with faded cut
• Short Spiky Hair – textured and messy short spiked up hair with bald fade
• Faux Hawk Fade – short fohawk haircut with skin fade sides

For even more styling ideas for short hair, see these dapper hairstyles, barbershop cuts, and classic styles.