Barber Style: The Fade

In the spring when Covid first hit, I looked myself in the mirror after a few weeks away from the barbershop and I was not happy with my style. 

Once I realized that this whole ‘not going outside’ thing was going to last (and last and last and last) I decided that I needed to take action for myself. I wanted to be able to present my best self to the world around me, and I started to look in to maintaining my barbershop-fresh style. 

I knew I really had to keep my hair looking fresh and sharp, even if I couldn’t get my barber’s help, so I took matters into my own hands. 

The result? This little run down on the fade. It help me, and who knows:  it might even help you  

Capiche! Sound Good?

2: WHO IS ROCKING THE FADE

If you have been going to the barbershop, you have probably been getting a variation of one of the following cuts: taper, low fade, high fade, medium fade, skin fades, or even an under cut.

3. YOU WANT MORE INFO ABOUT THE  FADE? 

If you are real american, you know that the fade is part of our tradition of fighting for freedom. (There was a time when going in to the military was a rite of passage for just about all american men.)

For me personally, the fade is definitely associated with young guy going in to basic training. For these guys, our fathers and grandfathers, getting their hair buzzed off was a very powerful signal that they were about encounter a serious new challenge. 

Those of us who have not served in the military are so … lucky. I don’t know if i could deal w the danger that these guys have confronted. 

Well ..

A military crew cut means exactly that you shave the back and sides to one uniform length, while the hair on top is left slightly longer. 

This is the origin of a 'fade' as the shaved sides and back of new recruits were blended-in to the top of the hair. As an american, it is hard not to associate the fade with the brave men who have served our country over the decades since world war II (I say world war II because guys who have fought since then have often had photographs taken with their military cuts.)

Of course, all things change and over time the military has become a less prominent part of our culture. Likewise, popular hair styles drifted away from the fade

In the 1990s, tho, the fade started making a comeback in popular culture. Think Will Smith’s fade back in the day on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In fact, even before Will Smith made it mainstream, the mid fade was popping in black barbershop.

So, i would argue, the today’s popularity of fades and especially the mid fade. Well it is a blend of ‘the establishment’ on one hand and ‘black culture’ on the other. It is a truly american style. 

4.a TELL ME  ABOUT THE LOW FADE 

This cut is great for guys who have with texture.

The reason this particular hair cut is called a low fade is the hair here disappear higher than a regular fade but lower than a high fade. The hair in this cut usually disappears at the back of the head and half way through the sides and about an inch from the natural hairlone of the back and the sides of the head. However, it is your preference regarding how much line of fading you want. The cut is most suitable on hair which have texture.

4.a.i: The low fade in action

4.b WHAT ABOUT THE HIGH FADE

Though the cuts are similar in technique, your choice between a low fade and a high fade will show the difference in your overall style. The main distinction between a low fade and a high fade is -- you guessed it, genius! -- how short the hair on the sides is and the location of the cut taper. 

The low fade is gonna taper from the ear by about an inch and can also sometimes curve around your ears and go down to the neckline. In the case of high fade, tho, the cut starts from the corner of the forehead or the temple and it gets shorter on the sides. In most high fades the cut fades gradually down the neck. 

Another point to watch out for with the high fade is pigmentation

A high fade generally requires you to have the same skin tone on your face and your scalp. 

You would be surprised, but for a lot of light skinned people this is a real issue. Your scalp was previously covered by hair and may be noticeably lighter. 

You can still go in for the high fade, but it will take a few days for your scalp to tan to your face’s skin tone. 

This is one reason why the high fade is, from at least one perspective, more of a ‘black style’. Think about! When was the last time you heard a black guy talk about getting a sun tan?? If you were born with dark skin, then it makes sense that you don’t really need consider differences in initial pigmentation between face and scalp.

Overall ..

The standard barbershop wisdom is that:

You wanna go for a low fade if your hair has ample texture and curl; 

But if you want a hairstyle with maximum contrast, then you might wanna consider the high fade.   

4.c  DONT SLEEP ON THE MID FADE

The mid fade is a classic hairstyle that has recently come back in to style. It can look good on just about every face shape. 

Most mid fade styles require very low maintenance and that is another reason why they are popular. 

Insert photo / example 

You may intuitively link the mid fade with black barbershops. That is totally fair enough, but in fact it really has become a hair style for everyone. It is a versatile hairstyle, and it has so many variants that it can work out well for all hair types and hair lengths. 

I’ve got another post breaking out the difference between a low fade and a high fade. 

 MORE ABOUT THE MID FADE

Medium fade haircut lies somewhere between the long and short. Its perfect for getting a fresh and sharp look look while still being respectable enough. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQsX75k1J6c 

If you want a decent mid top fade then you can go for this look. The hair on the top and front are somewhat longer while the sides and back keep on getting faded as we go towards the ears.

5: Summary

The fade is an iconic style for american men. The mid fade started out in black barbershops and has now transformed into a versatile hairstyling option for all American guys.