The Best Low Fade Hairstyles And How To Get Them

‘Business in the front, party in the back’ — the mullet’s infamous tagline sounded like a hairy stroke of genius on paper: a mix of fun and formal suited to almost any occasion. However, in reality, the finished look was always less fun-loving entrepreneur, more ‘Alabama truck driver’.

Nevertheless, a more recent trim, known as the low fade, has taken the same basic concept of versatility and somehow managed to keep things classy. It’s smart yet stylish, trendy yet traditional. And, above all else, it’s taking barber shops by storm.

But before you dash off and book yourself a session in the seat, here’s everything you need to know about this simple style, which is fast becoming one of the world’s favourite lids.

Low Fade VS High Fade

Generally speaking, a ‘fade’ refers to the blending of longer and shorter hairs on the back and sides of the head to give a seamless graduation effect. The ‘low’ part refers to how far down the head that transition occurs.

A high fade is quite an extreme look, with the blend sitting at the very top of the head. By contrast, a low fade is a much more subtle style, where the fade between lengths comes in an inch or so above the ears.

A post shared by Ben “Sugar” Kane (@benwardscissorhands) on Apr 29, 2016 at 2:44am PDT

What’s All The Fuss About?

Fade haircuts, on the whole, have been growing in popularity for several years, and according to Johnny Shanahan, founder of men’s grooming chain Barber Barber, it looks set to continue.

“The low fade is probably the most requested haircut in barbershops at the moment,” he says. “The reason being is that it’s clean, neat and easy to maintain.”

However, the fade itself can vary from very short (i.e. scalp exposure) to a grade one or two, so it’s important to know what will suit you before getting too comfortable in the barber’s chair.