Guide · October 18, 2026
What to Ask For at the Barber
Most bad haircuts come from unclear asks, not bad barbers. Run through these five things and your barber will know exactly what you want.
1. Bring a photo
A photo of a cut you like, ideally on someone with similar hair, does more than any description. Two photos are even better: front and side.
2. The sides: fade or taper, and how high
Say whether you want a fade (blended all the way up) or a taper (just the edges), where it starts (low, mid, or high), and how short it goes at the bottom. Clipper guard numbers help:
- #0 or skin: bare skin
- #1: about 1/8 inch
- #2: about 1/4 inch
- #3: about 3/8 inch
- #4: about 1/2 inch
3. The top
Say how much to take off in inches, or how long you want it left, and whether it should be cut with scissors or clippers. Mention if you style it forward, back, or to the side.
4. The neckline and line-up
Necklines come blocked (a straight edge), rounded, or tapered (fades out naturally and grows out best). Say whether you want a line-up on your hairline and how sharp.
5. The beard
Say how much length to keep, where you want the cheek line, and where the neckline should sit.
Put it together
"Mid skin fade, about two inches off the top with scissors, tapered neckline, light line-up, and keep the beard length but clean up the lines." That one sentence covers everything.