While long, crew haircuts and buzz cuts close to the head might not suit your taste, a crew cut is a great compromise.
The stylish and functional crops have been around for a long time and are still included in lists of the best haircuts for guys every year. Plus, guys who are short on time or love the extra ten minutes in bed will find them easy to style.
So, a crew cut is the best choice. Which one should you choose? Learn about 26 famous men’s crew cuts and select your favorite.
WHAT DOES A CREW CUT MEAN?
People often use the words “crew cut” and “buzz cut” to mean the same thing, but if you ask your barber for a buzz cut when you want a crew cut, you’ll be surprised. Another difference between the buzz cut and the crew cut is that the cut has less hair on top, and the back and sides are tapered (sometimes with a fade).
A buzz haircut usually means cutting the hair all over the head to its most petite length. On the other hand, a crew haircut leaves some length on top of the head and changes the size on the sides. A buzz haircut leaves you bald, while a crew haircut shortens your hair but doesn’t shave it very close.
1. THE OLD CREW CUT
Old crew haircuts are neat, low-maintenance haircuts that have been around since the 1920s and look good on a wide range of face types. You can tell them apart because the back and sides are tapered, and the top is cut to about an inch long, though it’s usually a little longer in the front. Cut the sides with a grade 3 trim or a knife cut that meets at the top to get this look.Â
2. CREW FADE CUT
The fade crew haircut is a modern take on the old crew haircut. For a stronger contrast, crew haircut fades have a shorter cut on the sides than on top, making them stand out. Pick from low, mid, high, and skin fades based on the look you want, and use the slimming effect that comes with shorter sides.
Celebrities with great hairstyle choices, like Ryan Reynolds, Zac Efron, Tom Hardy, Brad Pitt, and even David Beckham, have worn the crew cut fade in recent years. The crew haircut in this style is not only functional but also relaxed.
3. CREW LOW-FADE CUT
low fade Crew haircut into a shorter cut about an inch above your ears. They are the softest of all the fade choices. This can be a soft low taper fade, or a sharp low skin fades for a different look. If you choose the second option, the last inch of hair closer to the hairline will be hard to see.
4. CREW HIGH FADE CUTÂ
On the other hand, it gets much thinner around the corners of the forehead with a high fade crew haircut. This striking outfit draws attention to the short top and brings out the best in your robust facial features.Â
But this crew haircut for guys isn’t for the faint of heart. Make sure you start with a low or mid-fade if this is the first time you’ve had one.
5. CREW MID FADE CUTÂ
Want to find something in the middle? Mid-fade crew haircuts have the right amount of length and fade. Between your temple and ears, they start to get thinner. This removes some bulk from the sides and smoother the change to the longer top part. Many hair types can wear this sharp, modern crew haircut. It gives the classic style a contemporary edge.
6. CREW SKIN FADE CUT
Try a skin fade crew haircut to look new and young. For this fade to work best, start high or in the middle. It goes all the way down to the skin. The barely-there sides and longer, textured top make for a sharp and daring look. Just ensure the top is a manageable length, or it might need to be corrected.
7. CREW DROP FADE CUT
Drop fade crew haircuts don’t go around your head in a straight line like the other fades we’ve talked about. Instead, they fall in an angle shape behind your ears and toward the nape of your neck. That way, the crown can have more depth and complexity while still having a sharp outline around your face. Drop fade crew haircuts can also make round faces look longer.
8. SHORT CREW CUT
Crew haircuts don’t have to be conservative. They can get dangerously close to the buzz cut by cutting the sides very short and (almost) completely cutting off the length on top. This style takes the best parts of buzz and crew haircuts, making it short without being too slick. It won’t stop you from getting a “proper” job.
Another excellent choice for men who want a crew haircut that doesn’t need much styling is a short crew haircut. Short crew haircuts, usually about ¼ to ½ inch long, combine the good looks of a crew haircut with the ease of care of a buzz haircut. You can spike up the frontal hair that is the longest for fun or leave it flat to make your face look smaller.
9. MEDIUM CREW CUT
A medium crew haircut stays true to the standard crew haircut by being about an inch long. For a classic look, choose slightly curved sides. For a more modern look, choose sides that fade. The top can be styled in many ways at this length, from fluffy spikes to textured strands, so you can easily switch up your look for different events.Â
10. LONG CREW CUT
Long crew haircuts are another choice for men wanting to change their haircut. An extended crew haircut can be brushed into a pomp shape, parted to the side, or styled into a faux hawk. The top can be up to 2 inches long. You’ll need a stiff brush or comb and some strong-hold wax or pomade to get your desired look.
11. MASSY CREW CUT
It might be easier to style if you’d rather not spend time doing a messy crew haircut. This crew-necked shirt for guys has a loose, natural look for everyday wear. It can also help hair that is too thin appear fuller. Let your hair grow out on top, and keep the sides short. After that, use some style wax or hair mousse on your fingers to rough it up for a more laid-back look.Â
12. TEXTUREÂ CREW CUTÂ Â
The original crew haircut was about keeping it neat, possibly with a lot of pomade. But it’s the 21st century, and you probably need to be added to an Ivy League sports team so that you can mess up the style a bit. This is where the textured crew haircut comes in; it’s like the standard crew haircut but could be more neat.
Textured crew haircuts are less formal than standard cuts. They look like messy cuts but are more planned out. In the longer top part, point cutting makes layers of different lengths that aren’t smooth. Then, the gel can be used to spike them up, or a sea salt spray can mess them up and remove any natural fluffiness. If you want a strange, unfinished look, blend the sides into the cut or keep them short.
13. MILITARY CREW CUT
If you want a classic short back and sides with a touch of wartime charm, this is the cut for you. It was easy to get military cuts during WWII because they were short enough to follow military rules. Military crew haircuts are neat and clean, with a short crop on top and a high fade on the back and sides. They look best on people with square faces.
14. CREW SIDE SWEEP CUTÂ
There is still a way to get a side-swept crew haircut that slims the face, no matter what length crop you have. Rather than cutters, ask your stylist for a square cut. Then, you can use your natural parting to make a smooth side-part style or choose to have no parting. You can then brush it to the side or forward as you like.
15. CREW TAPER FADE CUT
When you compare a taper fade crew haircut to the original crew haircut, you can see the skin around the ears more quickly. For a fade set at different grades, the sides get shorter and shorter as they get closer to the base of your head. This is less extreme than a skin fade, but it must still be shorter. Ask your stylist to base the fade’s beginning point on the best haircut for your face shape and hair on your face.
16. IVY LEAGUE CREW CUT
In the 1930s, Ivy League crew haircuts were first seen at prestigious colleges like Harvard and Princeton. They are still popular today. They have a side part and are a little longer than standard crew haircuts. The hair is then combed over to make it look stylish and put together. This style is great for guys with thick, straight hair because the sides are tapered like scissors.
17. BEARD AND CREW CUT
You instantly look rugged and manly when you wear a beard with a crew haircut. Full beard styles can look good with longer, messy hairstyles. On the other hand, crew haircuts with more angles look good, with shorter beards or neat chin straps. Whether you have a fade or a nicely tapered cut, remember to blend your sideburns into your sides.
18. CREW MOHAWK CUT
A crew haircut mohawk might be fun if you like a more extended cut with a short, high fade. This style doesn’t follow the rules because it doesn’t have spikes down the back, but you can still release your inner rocker no matter what. Brush the strands together to make a line like a half-triangle along the top, and use a strong-hold spray to keep it in place. Curly hair can also wear this style.Â
19. CREW BLONDE CUTÂ
A while ago, edgy blonde buzz cuts were all the rage. Now, blonde crew haircuts with more hair on top are more in style. Style it into short, airy spikes to make your hair look more modern. Platinum blonde shades look especially good when worn that way. You could add some golden highlights to messy brown hair for a sun-kissed surfer look.
20. RECEDING HAIRLINE FOR CREW CUT
You can get one of two leading crew haircuts for thinning hairlines. A textured, mid-length crew haircut can hide thin spots on your forehead because it doesn’t have a sharp end, and the hair can be brushed forward as required. On the other hand, short crew haircuts with faded sides make the difference between your temples and sides of your head less noticeable, making the receding part less noticeable.
21. A CREW CUT IS BEST FOR CURLY HAIR
Have you needed help keeping your locks in place? If you have wavy hair, a crew haircut might be just what you need. The top is about 1 to 2 inches long to show off your natural curls. The sides are curved to cut down on some of the volume for a neat look. Along with the smooth top, a beard can look great with this men’s crew haircut.
22. CREW FLAT TOP CUT
The front part of the standard crew cut is longer than the crown. And flat top crew cuts are the same way. The only difference is that this style keeps the top flat. To get the look, you’ll need to get it precisely cut and then comb up the top to make a boxy shape. Use a firm hold of hair clay to keep it in place, and for a sharp look, cut the sides short and fade.
23. WIDOWS PEAK CREW CUT
Some people have a V-shaped forehead in the front. A medium-length widow’s peak crew haircut can help hide it. Make fluffy spikes with the strands that go up and toward the front. These will cover the beginning and end of the hairline. Then, choose soft sides that meet at a point and easily flow into the longer top. You could also try a short widow’s peak Cut with a fade that goes down to the skin if your hair is light.  Â
24. COMB OVER CREW CUT
There are many crew-cut combovers, from short haircuts with a slight quiff in front to retro Ivy League crops with a side part. Choose the style that best fits your personality. You can even slick it back instead of to the side for a stylish, modern look and add a high fade. Ensure the top is brief, or it won’t look like a crew haircut.
25. THIN HAIR FOR CREW CUT
In the same way that a short crew haircut can help hide a receding hairline, it can also help hide the difference between thicker and shorter strands of hair. However, with crew haircuts for thin hair, the goal is usually to conceal a head of baldness. A medium-length, wavy cut can also work because the crossing strands help hide the thin spots.
26. MULLET AND THE CREW CUT
Combining parts of the mullet and the crew haircut, the mullet crew haircut is unique. The front and sides of the hair are short and neatly trimmed, like a standard crew haircut. The back of the hair is longer, like a mullet. The front of this style is clean and sharp, and the back has a touch of edgy length. It’s a modern take on the classic mullet.
FAQs
DID A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE THE CREW HAIRCUT?
If you need clarification on whether the crew haircut was one of the best hairstyles for guys, consider where this heroic hairstyle started. People on US Ivy League college rowing teams around the turn of the last century may have been the first to use the word “crew cut” to describe their hairstyles.
This hairdo caught on because of more than just a frat boy’s whim. It also looked good with little work. “The style was liked because it’s short and neat, which keeps hair out of the rower’s face.”
Soon, people who wanted to join the army did, too. McDonald says, “The style became very popular after the US Army adopted it in the 1930s.” “Once more, it was praised for being easy to keep up.”
The group is not only functional, but it also gets a lot of votes. Because of the length of the style, people with all kinds of hair can wear it, including those with shiny, smooth hair, curls that are impossible to control, and fine silky strands.
WHAT DOES A CREW HAIRCUT MEAN?
The crew haircut is a classic, easy-to-care-for haircut with longer hair on top, trimmed sides, and back (sometimes with a fade). The front of a crew haircut is usually longer than the back, but the longest part of the top is generally at most 1 to 2 inches.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CREW HAIRCUT AND A BUZZ HAIRCUT?
When you get a buzz haircut, you cut your hair short all over your head. With a crew haircut, the hair stays longer on top of your head and gets shorter on the sides. A buzz haircut has very short sides and some length on top, while a crew haircut is cropped and has shorter sides and some length on top.
THE BEST WAY TO ASK FOR A CREW HAIRCUT
What style do you want? Ask for a short trim on top that is between ½ inch and 2 inches long and has curved sides. You can also ask for a low, mid, or high fade with a longer length on top.
HOW TO MAKE A CREW HAIRCUT
No matter your length, crew haircuts can be worn in several ways. You can spike it up, comb it over, or mess it up to give it more texture or make a fake mohawk. You can also choose a modern fade or the standard scissor-cut sides. It is up to you alone.
