Skip to content

What to Tell Your Barber for a Crew Cut

Crew Cut on a man with straight salt-and-pepper hair, side view
Crew Cut on a man with straight salt-and-pepper hair, back view
Crew Cut on a man with straight salt-and-pepper hair, three-quarter view
Crew Cut on a man with straight salt-and-pepper hair, front view
Crew Cut on a man with straight salt-and-pepper hair, close view of the short top brushed up at the front
Crew Cut · Side · 1 of 5

Crew Cut · Side

1 of 5

Say this at the chair

A crew cut: about 2 cm on top at the front, shorter towards the crown, sides tapered short with no skin.

Top
About 2 cm (3/4 inch) at the front, shortening to about 6 mm (1/4 inch) at the crown.
Sides
Tapered from a number 2 (#2 guard, about 6 mm, 1/4 in) at the bottom to a number 3 (#3 guard, about 10 mm, 3/8 in) higher up. No skin.
Back
Tapered to match the sides, with a neat neckline.
Styling
No product, or a little matte paste brushed up and to the side. One to two minutes.
Grow-out
Needs a trim every two to three weeks to keep the top short.

Clipper guards in this cut

GuardLength it leaves
#2 (number 2)1/4 in, about 6 mm
#3 (number 3)3/8 in, about 10 mm

Updated · Guard sizes from Wahl's published chart, listed in our haircut numbers guide

Briefs for similar cuts