Trends come through the shop in waves. The classic haircut is the water they move through. A side part photographed in 1962 and a side part cut this morning on East 34th Street look like the same haircut, because they are, and that is why the men who run things on Park Avenue have never stopped asking for one.
A classic men’s haircut is a scissor cut with short, tapered sides, a longer top that can be combed into a part, back or forward, and a clean neckline, done without hard lines, visible steps or heavy product. The side part, Ivy League, crew cut, classic taper and slick back are the core five. All of them are $35 at Deja Vu as a classic scissor cut, take about 30 minutes, and finish with a hot towel on the neck.
What makes a haircut classic, and what old money means
A classic haircut is one that was correct fifty years ago and will be correct in fifty more, because it follows the head instead of a trend. Scissor cut sides that taper to the neck, a top long enough to comb, a natural part where the hair wants one, and nothing that announces itself. Old money is just the internet’s new name for that.
The old money look in hair is a refusal to try hard. No skin fades, no hard parts shaved in, no height sculpted with a dryer, no shine. The hair is clean, combed, slightly imperfect, and clearly cut by someone who knew what he was doing. It reads as expensive precisely because it is quiet, the same way a plain navy suit reads as expensive next to a loud one. In Murray Hill it is the cut of the men who have been in the same firm for twenty years and the younger men who would like to be.
Three technical things make it work. The sides are cut with scissors over a comb rather than a clipper guard, so the taper is soft and has no line. The weight on top is left heavy enough to lie down when combed and light enough not to puff. And the neckline is tapered into the skin so it grows out invisibly. Those three choices are the whole difference between a classic cut and a modern one, and they are the reason it is done as a classic scissor cut rather than a fade.
The classic styles
Eight cuts cover the classic canon. They share the same sides; the top and the direction it is combed are what change. Pick by how much length you want to manage and how formal your days are.
Side part
Two to three inches on top, combed to one side along the natural part, sides tapered with scissors. The businessman’s haircut and the most requested classic cut in the shop. Works on every age, every face, and gray hair in particular. For the youngest heads, our guide to a kid’s first haircut covers how we keep that first visit calm.
Ivy League (Princeton)
A crew cut with enough length at the front to part or sweep to the side, about an inch and a half, shorter toward the crown. The collegiate cut. Low maintenance with a little room for style.
Crew cut
Short all over, a touch longer at the front, sides tapered. Half an inch to an inch on top. Zero styling, and the cut that looks sharpest on a strong jaw or a receding hairline.
Classic taper
Any top with the sides and back shortened gradually to the neckline and no skin showing. The taper is less a style than the foundation of every other cut on this list. Our post on taper vs fade explains where it stops and the fade begins.
Slick back
Three inches or more combed straight back with a cream or pomade. The executive look, and the one that needs the most product and the fullest hairline. If you want to grow it longer still, our guide to the men’s flow haircut plans the grow out.
Comb over
Longer top combed diagonally back and across from a side part, usually over a soft taper. More sweep than a side part, less shine than a slick back.
Caesar
Short, one to two inches, combed forward into a short straight fringe. The ancestor of the textured crop and the classic answer to a high forehead or a thinning front.
Regulation cut
The military version: sides tapered short, top short enough to need no comb, parted or not. The crew cut’s stricter brother.
The classic pompadour and quiff belong to the same family but ask for more height and more styling, and we cover the office friendly version in our post on the textured quiff.
Terminology: scissor cut, taper, fade and shape up
Four words come up in every classic haircut conversation, and two of them get confused with each other. A scissor cut is the technique, a taper is the shape of the sides, a fade is a clipper gradient to skin or near skin, and a shape up is the edging of the hairline afterward.
| Term | What it means | Tool | Classic or modern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scissor cut | Hair cut with shears over a comb or over the fingers, no guards | Scissors and comb | Classic |
| Taper | Sides and neckline shortened gradually, no skin showing | Scissors or clipper and comb | Classic |
| Fade | Sides blended from skin or a very short guard up into the top | Clippers, foil shaver | Modern |
| Shape up / line up | Hairline, sideburns and neckline edged into clean lines | Trimmer | Both; kept soft on a classic cut |
| Blocked neckline | A straight line squared across the back of the neck | Trimmer | Either; grows out faster than a taper |
| Point cutting | Scissors cut into the ends at an angle to remove weight and add texture | Scissors | Both |
A classic cut uses the first two and keeps the shape up soft: the sideburns and neckline are cleaned, but the hairline is not carved into a straight edge. If you want the hairline edged sharp, that is a $18 line up and edge up and it pushes the cut toward modern, which is fine, as long as you know that is what you are asking for.
Choosing the right classic cut
Choose by hair type first, face shape second, and how many minutes you will give it in the morning third. The side part is the safe answer for most men; the crew cut is the safe answer for the rest. Our face shape guide for men adds diamond and triangle faces.
By hair type
- Straight: side part, Ivy League or slick back. Straight hair takes a part cleanly and holds a comb line.
- Wavy: comb over or a longer side part. The wave gives the sweep body without a dryer.
- Curly: crew cut, Caesar or a short taper with the curl left on top. Parts do not hold in curls; shape does.
- Thick: any style, with weight removed on top so it lies down.
- Fine or thinning: crew cut, Caesar or a short Ivy League. Keep it matte, keep it short, and avoid the slick back, which shows scalp.
- Gray: side part or slick back. Gray hair looks best combed, and the cut can be paired with gray blending if you want the color softened; our men’s hair color page explains the natural looking version.
By face shape
- Oval: anything.
- Round: side part or Ivy League with a little height at the front.
- Square: crew cut, regulation or side part. The jaw does the work.
- Long: Caesar or crew cut. Keep the top low.
- Receding: Caesar, crew cut or Ivy League. Forward or short, never slicked back.
By lifestyle
Two minutes or less in the morning: crew cut, regulation, Caesar. Five minutes with a comb: side part, Ivy League, comb over. Five minutes with a comb and product: slick back. Nobody on this list needs a blow dryer, which is one reason these cuts have survived.
How to ask your barber
Say “classic scissor cut, taper the sides, no clippers on the sides, leave enough on top to comb a side part, tapered neckline.” That is the full order for the most common classic cut and any licensed barber will understand it word for word.
- Technique: scissor cut. Say it, or you may get a guard on the sides.
- Sides: tapered, short, medium or long. “Short taper” means tight to the head; “soft taper” means more length left.
- Top: a length in inches, or a style name from the list above.
- Direction: side part, back, forward. Say which side you part on if you know.
- Neckline: tapered, not blocked.
- Sideburns: where they end. Mid ear is the classic length.
A photo helps if the style has a name the barber might read differently, like comb over. For a side part or a crew cut the words are enough. If you have gray coming in, say whether you want it left alone or blended; the cut does not change, but the conversation is easier before the cape goes on.
Styling a classic haircut
Towel dry, a small amount of cream or pomade combed through, part with the comb, comb in the direction of the cut. Two minutes with a comb and no dryer. The classic cut was designed in a time before blow dryers were in every bathroom, and it still does not need one.
- Wash or wet the hair, then towel dry until damp.
- Rub a fingertip of styling cream or water based pomade between your palms. A pea for a crew cut, a fingertip for a side part, a little more for a slick back.
- Comb it through from front to back so it is even.
- Find the part with the comb. The natural part is where the hair separates on its own when it is wet; follow it and it will hold all day.
- Comb the top in its direction: across for a side part, back for a slick back, forward for a Caesar. Comb the sides down and back.
- If you want a softer finish, run your fingers through once after combing to break up the comb lines.
Crew cuts and regulation cuts skip steps 4 through 6; a palm of product rubbed through and a pass of the hand is enough. Thick hair that will not lie down gets a second light comb once it is dry. Hair that falls out of a side part by noon is usually parted on the wrong side; ask the barber where the natural part is and move it.
Products for classic cuts
A styling cream or a light water based pomade is all a classic cut needs. Clay and paste belong to textured modern cuts; heavy oil based pomade belongs to a pompadour. The finish should be natural to light shine, never matte and separated, never glossy.
| Product | Finish | Hold | Classic cut it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Styling cream | Natural, slight shine | Light | Side part, Ivy League, comb over, gray hair |
| Water based pomade | Light to medium shine | Medium | Side part with more control, slick back |
| Light clay | Matte | Medium | Crew cut, Caesar, fine hair that needs thickness |
| Grooming tonic or spray | Natural | Very light | A crew cut or regulation cut that only needs to lie down |
| Sea salt spray | Matte | Light | Not needed for classic cuts; skip it |
Quantity is the whole trick. A fingertip, combed through evenly, gives you the clean, barely there finish that reads as old money. A palm gives you 1950s shine and comb tracks. Wash every two or three days, condition the top if it is over two inches, and brush the sides down with a soft brush after the shower on the days you do not wash.
Maintenance and upkeep
A classic cut is cut every 4 to 6 weeks and looks right in between, because a scissor taper grows out without a line and a combed top gets a little better in week two as it gains weight. It is the lowest maintenance cut on the menu that still looks like a haircut.
| Cut | Full cut every | Between visits | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side part, comb over, slick back | 4 to 6 weeks | Optional $18 line up for the neckline at week 3 | $35 or less |
| Ivy League | 4 weeks | None needed | $35 |
| Crew cut, regulation, Caesar | 3 to 4 weeks | None needed, or $18 line up at week 2 | $35 to $53 |
Between cuts, do not reach for the clippers. A classic taper has no line to maintain, and the neckline grows out soft on purpose. If the top gets heavy before the sides need cutting, ask for a dusting of the top with a line up and the barber will take a quarter inch off without changing the shape. The whole point of the classic cut is that it keeps looking like itself, and over styling it, with product, with heat or with your own scissors, is the only way to make it date.
How Much Is a Men’s Haircut in Murray Hill?
A men’s haircut at Deja Vu Barbershop is $35, for a classic scissor cut or a fade, and a hot towel neck finish is included.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Classic scissor cut | $35 |
| Fade haircut | $35 |
| Kids haircut | $35 |
| Beard trim and grooming | $18 |
| Line up and edge up | $18 |
Cash and all major credit cards are accepted. See the full price list.
Haircut Near Murray Hill, Midtown and Grand Central
Deja Vu Barbershop is at 101 E 34th Street, New York, NY 10016, between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Murray Hill.
- Subway: the 6 train at 33rd Street and Park Avenue is about a two minute walk.
- Grand Central (4, 5, 6, 7, S, Metro North and LIRR) is about an eight minute walk, and 34th Street Herald Square (B, D, F, M) about nine minutes west.
- Bus: the M34 and M34A Select Bus stop at East 34th Street and Park Avenue, outside the door.
The shop serves Murray Hill, Kips Bay, Midtown East, Gramercy, NoMad and Turtle Bay.
Walk In or Book a Haircut in Murray Hill
Yes, you can walk in for a haircut any day the shop is open, no appointment required.
To pick an exact time, book online at Setmore. A classic cut takes about 30 minutes, short enough for a lunch break. Hours are Monday to Friday 8 AM to 7 PM, Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM, closed Saturday.
What Murray Hill Clients Say About Our Haircuts
Deja Vu Barbershop has a 4.4 star Google rating from 301 reviews.
- “These guys keep it classic. Consistent haircuts for a great price.” Dan Wehrle
- “Jacob has been the only person to cut my hair since 2008. That says it all. Excellent service and extremely reliable.” Bryan Kosowski
- “Super fast great cut from Jacob on my lunch break” Jonathan Eigen
Every barber holds a New York State barber license, and the team brings 15+ years of experience.
Get a classic haircut at Deja Vu Barbershop
Every cut on this page is a $35 classic scissor cut at Deja Vu, done by New York State licensed barbers with 15 plus years of experience on the team, with a hot towel on the neck at the end. Add a beard trim for the Classic Combo at $48.
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. Call (212) 576-1062 with questions.
Questions readers ask
What is the most classic men’s haircut?
The side part over a scissor taper. It has not changed in decades, it works on every face and hair type, and it is the most requested classic cut in our shop.
Is a classic haircut done with scissors or clippers?
Mostly scissors. The sides are tapered with scissors over a comb so there is no line, and a clipper only cleans the neckline and sideburns. Ask for a scissor cut and say no guards on the sides.
Can I get a classic cut with gray hair?
Yes, and gray suits it. A side part or slick back looks sharp in gray, and if you want the color softened we offer men’s hair color for a natural, blended result.
How often should I get a classic haircut?
Every 4 to 6 weeks for a side part or slick back, every 3 to 4 for a crew cut or Caesar. A scissor taper grows out without a line, so the cut looks right the whole way through.