Spring is all about starting anew, which means its the perfect opportunity for clients to freshen up their style, or even try something new. This upcoming spring/summer season short, cropped cuts will be all the rage and one in particular that will be favoured is the crew cut. We spoke to Jim Shaw, award-winning men’s hairdresser and Director of TONI&GUY Billericay, who shared his top tips on how to create this look.
Jim Shaw’s Steps to Cutting the Perfect Crew Cut
1. The key with this look is that it is super short on the sides and blends into a longer length at the top. Therefore, firstly, you want to take your clipper and cut the back and sides at your desired length. I love to go in with a #1 at this point, but you can go as low as a #0 if you wish or you can go higher with a #2 or #4 – it’s all personal preference. Ensure this is even all over around the side and back of the head before using your #0 or a trimmer to clean up any areas around the neck, ears and sideburns etc.
2. Next, you want to transition this shorter length into the longer length you will have at the crown of the head. Because I used a #1 guard to start, I would now use a #2 helping to fade the line out in between. You can also use a #1 with the guard open to give a more flawless blend in between the two lengths.
3. When you reach the crown, I would then advise to reach for the scissors, cleaning up and blending any areas around the head with your scissors and a comb, and then focusing on cutting the top section of the hair depending on the client’s chosen length. I would say to have this around one to two inches. Here you can work with your scissors to add direction and detail into the hair for movement, or you can do a more classic cut for a softer finish.
4. This hairstyle looks great with a fringe, and you may want to keep this slightly longer in length for a more prominent and contemporary finish. I also love to cut the fringe to the same length for clients who are looking to create that almost ‘bowl cut’ style finish that we’ve seen becoming popular over the past couple of years.
5. Finish with a styling product of your choice. I love to distribute some pomade or wax through the hair to add a soft shine and some texture and definition to the finished style. One of my favourite products is American Crew Fiber or I also love American Crew Forming Cream when I’m looking to give the style a more sleek, smooth, shiny and polished appearance.
Now you’ve ticked the crew cut off your list, why not check out how to cut a medium fade, too?