Sunday at the shop has a rhythm. The doors open at 10am, and by the second hour there is a dad in one chair and a boy in the next one trying very hard to sit as still as his father. The boy wants the fade dad has. Dad wants the boy to look like he goes to a decent school. Both of those are possible in the same visit, and the barbers have the Sunday routine down.
The short answer on a boys fade: a low or mid fade with a 2 or 3 guard above it and a bit of length on top is the right first fade for most boys, and it matches a dad’s fade without copying it. The Father and Son package covers dad’s fade and the kid’s cut for $60, which is $10 less than the two cuts separately, and both of you leave with the hot towel neck finish that comes with every haircut here.
The Father and Son package, in numbers
Dad’s fade is $35. A kids haircut is $35. The Father and Son package puts both in the same visit for $60, which saves $10 and, more usefully, gets the whole thing done in one trip on a Sunday.
| Option | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fade haircut, dad | Low, mid, high or skin fade, hot towel neck finish | $35 |
| Kids haircut | Any cut including a boys fade, parent beside the chair | $35 |
| Both separately | The two above on different days | $70 |
| Father and Son package | Dad’s fade plus the kid’s cut, same visit | $60 |
| Line up and edge up, between visits | Hairline and edges only, either of you | $18 |
Walk ins are always welcome on Sunday, but two chairs back to back is easier to guarantee with an online booking, and a boy who has been promised a haircut at 11 does not want to hear about a wait. Of the five packages, this is the one that gets used most on weekends.
Which fade suits a boy
A low or mid fade for a first fade, a high or skin fade once he is older and wants it, and a taper for boys whose school or parents want something quieter. The guard above the fade and the length on top decide how bold it looks more than the fade height does.
Low fade
The blend starts just above the ear and stays low. It keeps most of the length on the sides and grows out gracefully, which matters for a kid who gets a cut every five weeks instead of every two. The safest first fade.
Mid fade
The blend starts around the temple. It reads clearly as a fade from across the playground and still looks neat when it grows. The most common request from boys eight and up. Our guide to the mid taper fade shows ten ways to wear it.
High fade and skin fade
The blend starts high on the head or goes all the way to bare skin. Sharp, popular, and short lived, since a skin fade on a kid looks fuzzy within two weeks. Good for a boy who wants to match dad’s skin fade and a parent who is willing to come back for line ups.
Taper
Only the sideburns and the neckline are taken short, and the sides keep a uniform length. The quiet option for a conservative school or a kid with a lot of cowlicks. Our post on the types of fade haircuts goes through each one with what to say in the chair.
Matching cuts without matching exactly
Match the shape, not the height. Dad in a mid skin fade and his son in a low fade with a 2 guard look like a set without the kid wearing a cut that needs maintenance every ten days.
The reason not to copy dad’s cut onto a boy is upkeep. A dad who sits in the chair every three weeks can carry a skin fade. A kid whose haircut schedule is whenever his mother notices cannot. Keep the kid’s fade a step lower and a guard longer than dad’s, keep the same style on top, and the two cuts read as a pair in every photo. The barber will also adjust for hair type. Fine straight hair on a kid shows every line, so the blend has to be softer. Thick or curly hair hides the blend and can take a shorter guard. Dad’s hair at 40 and the boy’s hair at 8 are not the same material, and a good barber cuts the hair in front of him, not the hair in the photo.
How the Sunday visit runs
Book or walk in, dad goes first, the boy watches, then the boy goes with dad standing beside the chair. The whole thing is one visit and nobody has to come back on Tuesday.
- Book online for Sunday between 10am and 5pm, or walk in. Mornings are calmer for a kid who has not done this before.
- Dad sits first. The boy sees the clippers, hears them, and watches his father not react to any of it. This is the best preparation a first time kid can get.
- The boy sits with dad beside the chair. Parents stay beside the chair here for every kids cut.
- Hot towel on the neck for both of you. Every haircut includes it, and most boys decide this is the part they came for.
- Back on 34th Street with the rest of Sunday ahead of you.
If it is his first haircut rather than his first fade, read a kid’s first haircut and how we make it calm first. The timing and the talk beforehand matter more than the cut on day one.
Tips for parents choosing a boys fade
Go a step lower than he asks for the first time, check the school rules before the clippers come out, and skip the designs until he is old enough to keep them sharp himself.
- Age and attention span. A fade takes more sitting still than a scissor trim. Boys under five usually do better with a taper or a simple short cut and graduate to a fade later.
- School dress codes. Some schools in the city have rules on skin fades, hard parts and shaved designs. Ask before, not after. If skin fades are out, our guide to the subtle shadow fade covers the softer alternative.
- Hair type. Curly and coily hair takes a fade beautifully and grows out softly. Fine straight hair needs a careful blend and shows growth faster.
- Designs and hard parts. They look great for a week and then look like a mistake for three. Save them for a boy who will come in for line ups.
- Bring a photo of a kid’s cut, not an adult’s. A fade on a grown man’s head scales differently onto a child.
- Let him talk to the barber. A boy who got to say what he wanted sits still longer than one who was told.
Keeping both fades sharp
A fade looks its best for about two weeks and tidy for three or four. Dad usually comes back every three weeks. The boy can stretch to five with a line up in between, which is $18 and quick.
| Cut | Looks sharp | Needs a cut | Between visits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dad’s skin or high fade | Weeks 1 to 2 | Every 2 to 3 weeks | Line up at week 2, $18 |
| Dad’s low or mid fade | Weeks 1 to 3 | Every 3 to 4 weeks | Line up if the hairline drifts |
| Boy’s low or mid fade | Weeks 1 to 3 | Every 4 to 5 weeks | Line up at week 3, $18 |
| Boy’s taper | Weeks 1 to 4 | Every 5 to 6 weeks | Usually none |
At home, a comb and a little water in the morning is all a boy’s fade needs. Skip the heavy gel on a kid, since it builds up and the hair looks dirty by Wednesday. For dad, see the full fade menu, and the Classic Combo adds a beard trim to the fade for $48 on the weeks the beard needs it too.
Bring the boy to Deja Vu Barbershop on Sunday
Two chairs, two fades, one trip, and a hot towel each. Deja Vu Barbershop is at 101 E 34th St between Park and Lexington in Murray Hill, two minutes from the 6 train at 33rd Street and about eight minutes from Grand Central. Hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm, closed Saturday.
Walk ins are always welcome, or book online so both chairs are ready. Call (212) 576-1062 with questions. The Father and Son package is $60 for dad’s fade and the kid’s cut.
Questions readers ask
What is the best first fade for a boy?
A low fade with a 2 or 3 guard above it and some length on top. It looks like a real fade, grows out without a fuzzy stage, and does not need a line up every ten days.
Can my son get a skin fade like mine?
Yes, if he will sit still for it and you are willing to come back every two to three weeks. Many parents start him a step lower and a guard longer so the cuts match without the upkeep.
Does the Father and Son package need a booking?
No, walk ins are welcome, but booking online for Sunday makes two chairs back to back easier to guarantee. Tell the barber you want dad first so the boy can watch.
How old should a boy be for a fade?
Most boys handle a fade from around five or six, once they can sit through the clipper work. Younger kids usually do better with a taper or a simple scissor cut and move to a fade later.