Military Haircuts for Men: Flat Top, High and Tight Haircut

Military hairstyle

Military hair cuts look great on men of all ages and are often seen on every one from little boys to professional business men. The military cut is called such because it mimics the standards that are required for men who are enlisted in the armed forces in America. As we all know, men in the military are required to keep their hair at a very short length. Men in the military are allowed to wear just about any style of short hair, but there are a couple of different types of military haircuts. Of course, you do not need to be in the military to wear one of these hair styles and some of these military haircut styles are quite popular. A man will want to take into consideration what type of military haircut style they want to wear. In the following article, we will review some of the different types of military haircuts.

High and Tight Haircut

First off, there is the high and tight cut, which is a variation of the buzz cut. The usual length for this haircut is one sixteenth of an inch. This is a length that is very nearly shaven. The reason that many men in the military and out of the military get this type of military haircut style is because it is known to make the face more attractive looking. With this haircut, there is more emphasis put onto the cheekbones and the eyes. Therefore, if you are interested in putting more emphasis in the regions of your eyes and cheekbones, the high and tight is the hair style to go with. The high and tight military haircut may very well be the most commonly worn military hairstyle. In US Military, many hairstyles are acceptable, as long as they are neat and conservative, as regulation explained on http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r670_1.pdf.

High & tight military haircuts


Military hairstyle with very short hair all over the head. Hairstyles pictures by ceebee23.

Flat-Top Haircut

The flat-top military haircut is another one of the more popular military hair styles. The flat-top haircut is a style that is done to give the hair on the top of the head a flat appearance while the rest of the hair is shaved off. The hair on top will be kept anywhere from half of an inch to an inch tall. The men that choose this style in the military are the ones who would like to keep their hair just a little longer than the rest. For those men outside of the military who would like a military style haircut without having to nearly shave their head, the flat-top is the way to go. There are some other military haircuts, but these two are the most popular among the men who are in the military and the men who are not. Most of the other military haircuts are very similar to the two fore mentioned hair styles in this article.

Flat-Top haircut

How to Cut A Military Haircut

The edges of the military haircut define the cut. They are cut in what is commonly referred to as a high and dry cut. This means that the hairs around the back of the neck and the hairs around and above the ears are cut tightly along the growth of the natural hair line. There are no hairs left looking jagged or out of line, this cut is precise.

The entire head of hair is electric razor or clipper cut; this is also commonly called a buzz cut or crew cut. The cut itself is performed with an electric razor over a comb or with various sized attachments over the razor, these attachments are numbered. This is how some men ask for their trim: “I would like a number three on the top and a number one on the sides and in the back.” You can ask the professional stylist that is performing your hair cut what number guard or razor attachment they are using for your cut. This will help you to be specific when you return for a trim.

The hair around the top of the head and the crown should be kept slightly longer and it should be blended into a very tight cut around the ears and neck hairline. The top can be cut into a box effect which will be a flat top or the hair can be rounded to take the shape of the head. The top is usually left no longer than one or two inches in length and the sides and back are usually faded into a eighth of an inch or even bald.

How to Maintain the Hairstyle

Military cuts for men are one of the easiest cuts to maintain and keep looking great day after day. They are a wash and go look that consistently looks great with very little hands on or styling efforts. This is one of the reasons that so many men enjoy these cuts. The other reason that men enjoy these cuts is because they are so versatile. They look great with formal clothing and with casual clothing; these cuts look great at the beach and at a wedding; these cuts look great on children and on business men.

Maintaining a military haircut is fairly easy to do. Simply have the cut shaped up and the edges trimmed with an electric razor every few weeks. If the haircut is not consistently reshaped every four to six weeks (or sometimes even sooner) it will lose the sharpness of the cut and the style will begin to look sloppy and unkempt. There is nothing less professional looking than a man with a hair cut that looks totally great for several weeks and then awful before it looks great again. A true military cut is reshaped consistently and always looks sharp and cared for. The hair around the ears can also be shaped at home with an electric razor once or twice a week to keep it looking great each day.

Cool Military haircut

Mohawk hairstyle for men

Mohawk hairstyle. Russell Mitchell, a bike builder, with his distinctive mohawk hair.

The Mohawk hairstyle can be found through out history. It is most related to the Native American Mohawk Indian tribe, however, there have also been discovered, the remains of mummies, thousands of years old, sporting Mohawks.

The punk rock movement of the early eighties is accredited for the popularity of the Mohawk. It was seen as a symbol of rebelling against authority, which is what the basis of punk was, rebelling against all types of authority, social and political. In recent times, the Mohawk has again appeared on the scene, however, this time, it knows no boundaries.

Varieties
This hairstyle adds flair to anyone brave enough to wear it. There are several different versions of the Mohawk, but the classic version is always a hit.

In the classic version of the Mohawk, the sides are shaved all the way up, leaving a strip down the middle of the head, usually approximately an inch wide. Some choose to have it stop at the crown, while others like for it to go all the way down to the nape of the neck.

The newest version of the classic Mohawk is the faux-hawk. In this version, the sides are not shaved completely, usually done using a two guard on the clippers, and blended up. Then the top is cut in an angled fashion, so as the wearer can gel the center up, with the sides coming in to form the ridge of the “hawk”. This style is good for business people, who like the style of the Mohawk, but can’t necessarily wear it to work. All types of people are wearing this hairstyle, from rockers to bankers, and rebels to state troopers. Men, women, boys, and yes, even girls…. babies too! It’s everywhere you turn. The faux-hawk can be worn down, in the “Caesar cut” style, or in a messy spike style.

Baby with a faux-hawk.

There are more variations of Mohawk such as, Bihawk (two strip of long hair with shaved portions between), Trihawk (three strip of long hair with shaved portions between), Reverse Mohawk (the opposite of a Mohawk), Fanned Mohawk (resemble a fan mohawk), Frohawk (African-American/Afro mohawk), Liberty Spikes (look like the spikes on the Statue of Liberty's crown), Dreadhawk (dreadlocks-mohawk), etc.

How to Make a Mohawk
Once you have gotten the Mohawk style that you like, the maintenance can be fairly intense. You will need to have the sides shaved on a regular basis, and be sure to keep those lines clean, or you will end up with a much thinner version, or even a crooked version of your original Mohawk. When you are styling your Mohawk, the easiest way to achieve the height you are looking for, is to dry with a blow-dryer using gel. Apply the gel on the hair closest to the scalp first, and work your way up. Using your blow-dryer and a comb, dry from the scalp out, this will help to create a foundation for your Mohawk. A hard-hold paste works very well for this, as it is already somewhat dry. Once you’ve got the Mohawk up, and in the desired shape, use a hard hold hairspray, preferably one that is humidity resistant with little to no water in it.