Barber styles come down to a handful of building blocks: how the sides are cut, how long the top stays, how the neckline finishes and what you do with your beard. Learn those pieces and you can ask for nearly any look without a photo.
The quick version: a fade goes short to skin, a taper stays gentle, a scissor cut keeps length, a line up sharpens the edges and a hot towel shave handles the face. Here is each one, who it suits, what to say in the chair and what it costs at a Manhattan barbershop.
What do barber styles actually mean?
A barber style is a combination of a side treatment, a top length and a finish. The names people use, such as fade, taper, crop or classic cut, point to one of those parts.
Think of it as three questions. How short are the sides, and how do they blend? How long is the top, and how is it shaped? How are the edges and the neck finished? Answer those and your barber knows exactly what to do. Our barber services and prices are organized around the same pieces, so you can see what each part costs before you sit down.
At Deja Vu the core cuts are the fade haircut, the classic scissor cut and the kids haircut at $35 each, plus separate services for the beard, line up, shave and hair color. Every haircut ends with a hot towel neck finish.
What are the main fade styles?
A fade blends hair from very short at the bottom to longer higher up. The main versions are low, mid, high and skin, and the difference is where the blend starts and how close it gets to bare skin.
| Fade | Where it starts | Look | Typical upkeep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low fade | Just above the ear and the neckline | Subtle, office friendly | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Mid fade | Around the temple height | Balanced, the most requested | 3 weeks |
| High fade | Higher on the head, near the crown | Bold, high contrast | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Skin fade | Down to bare skin | Sharpest, shows regrowth fast | 2 weeks |
Our fade haircut is $35 in any of the four, with a hot towel neck finish included. If you want a deeper walk through, the post on taper versus fade covers the terms barbers hear every day, and the fade haircuts page shows the options.
What are tapers and scissor cuts?
A taper is a gentler cousin of the fade: the hair gets shorter at the sides and neck but never goes to skin. A scissor cut uses scissors and comb on the whole head, so the length stays natural and the style grows out softly.
Taper
A taper reads clean and professional. It is the usual pick for men who want sharp edges without the contrast of a skin fade. Low and mid tapers pair with nearly every top.
Classic scissor cut
The classic scissor cut is $35. It suits men who want a traditional side part, a longer finish or a relaxed look that does not demand frequent trips. Our classic scissor cuts include a hot towel neck finish too, and the guide to the classic men’s haircut shows the styles that never date.
Textured and cropped styles
Tops can be cut short and choppy, swept forward, or left longer for a flow. Many modern barber styles are a taper or fade with one of these tops.
Which barber styles suit your hair and face?
Match the style to your hair type, density and face shape. Straight hair shows a clean taper. Wavy hair gives free texture. Curly or coarse hair looks best with a fade on the sides and some length on top.
- Round face: add height on top and keep the sides short.
- Square face: nearly everything works, including skin fades.
- Long face: avoid too much height, and consider a fringe.
- Receding hairline: keep the front a little longer and choose a taper over a skin fade.
If you want to check where the undercut fits in the current mix, our look at whether undercuts are out of style explains why softer blends have taken over from hard contrast.
What about beard styles and edge work?
Beard work is its own style set: full, trimmed, shaped, faded or clean shaven. A beard trim and grooming is $18, and a line up and edge up is $18, so you can add either to a haircut.
A trim keeps length even and the neckline set. A shape defines the cheek line and the jaw, and a beard fade blends the beard into the sideburns. Check the options in beard styles, then book a beard trim and grooming visit to keep the shape sharp.
Edge work is the hairline and the neck cleaned with a trimmer or razor. It makes a good cut look finished, and it is the first thing to blur as hair grows.
What shave and color options does a barber offer?
A traditional barber shave uses warm towels, lather and a straight razor. At Deja Vu the hot towel shave is $35 and takes about 30 minutes, and the royal shave is $50 for about 45 minutes with extended hot towel steps. Men’s hair color is $55.
Packages bundle them. The Classic Combo is a fade plus beard for $48, the Royal Treatment is a royal shave plus beard for $60, the Full Refresh is a fade, hot towel shave and beard for $75, the Sharp Edge is a line up plus beard for $30, and Father and Son is a fade plus kids cut for $60. We list them all in our services overview and on the packages page.
How often should you go, and what about tipping?
Most barber styles need a visit every three to four weeks, with edge work every two. Tipping at a Manhattan barber is usually 15 to 20 percent for a good job.
Our guide to how often to get a haircut breaks it down by style, and the tipping guide explains how much to tip a barber in NYC.
If you cannot make it to a full cut, ask for an $18 line up and edge up. It buys a week or two without touching the top.
Pick a barber style at Deja Vu in Murray Hill
Deja Vu Barbershop is at 101 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016, between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Murray Hill. We are open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm, closed Saturday. Walk ins are always welcome, and you can book online through the contact and booking details. Call (212) 576-1062 with any question.
Every barber is New York State licensed, with 15 plus years of experience on the team, and pricing is honest with no upselling. Browse the full list of services and tell us which style you want.
Questions readers ask
What is the most popular barber style?
The mid taper or mid fade with a textured top is the most requested cut in Manhattan. It is clean, balanced and easy to style.
What is the difference between a fade and a taper?
A fade shortens the sides down to very short or skin, while a taper stays longer and ends more gently. Fades look sharper and need upkeep sooner.
Do barbers do scissor cuts?
Yes. At Deja Vu a classic scissor cut is $35 with a hot towel neck finish.
Can I mix barber styles?
Yes. Most modern cuts are a mix, such as a taper on the sides with a textured crop on top. Tell your barber each part you want.
How do I describe a style I saw online?
Bring a photo and name the side blend, the top length and the neckline. Guard numbers help, such as a number 2 at the bottom of the taper.