Gentleman's Haircut: The Classic Scissor Cut, Part and Products

The four details that define it

Plenty of cuts have a side part. What makes this one the gentleman's cut is restraint in every zone, so nothing draws attention except that it looks well kept.

• Graduated sides with no visible scalp. The sides are short but never bare; the shortest point, at the sideburns and nape, is usually a No. 1 or No. 2.
• A scissor-cut top with gentle layering, so the hair falls cleanly to one side without a hard shelf where the top meets the sides.
• A natural part found at the crown, combed in rather than cut in with a trimmer.
• A soft, tapered neckline and trimmed hair around the ears, so the outline looks tidy from behind a desk or across a dinner table.

Why this cut never looks dated

Trend cuts depend on a specific contrast, a particular fringe or a product finish, and those are what date a photo. The gentleman's cut avoids all of them: moderate length, moderate contrast, hair following its own growth pattern. It has looked right in suits for most of a century for that reason.

It also ages well with you. The same shape works at 25 with thick hair and at 60 with grey, thinner hair; the only change is how short we keep the top and how much product you use.

How we cut it with scissors and clippers

This is primarily a scissor cut, and it is one of the best tests of a barber's hand work. We start with the consultation: where the part falls, whether the crown swirls, and whether you want it combed flat or with some lift.

The top is cut with scissors over fingers, following the head shape. The sides are cut with clipper over comb or scissor over comb, which gives a softer graduation than guards alone and keeps weight exactly where your head needs it. Where the head is flatter at the back, we leave a little more length to round it out.

Finally the part side and the heavy side get checked against each other, the neckline is tapered and the edges are finished with a razor. Our scissor cuts service is built around this kind of work.

Choosing a product for the finish

Product decides whether the cut reads as sharp and formal or relaxed and modern. The haircut is the same either way.

Styling it each morning

Towel dry until damp and blow dry the hair in the direction it will sit, lifting the front slightly away from the part. Warm a small amount of product in your palms, work it in from the back forward, then comb the part in with a fine-tooth comb and set the heavy side over with a wider comb.

For a softer version, skip the comb after the part and shape the heavy side with your fingers. Our guide to using hair cream covers the lighter finish, and pomade vs wax vs clay explains the heavier options.

Keeping it looking kept

Because the sides are tapered rather than faded to skin, the cut grows out gracefully and still looks neat after three weeks. Most people book every three to five weeks; if you want the neckline and ears always crisp, come in every three.

With a beard, keep it short and well defined so the whole head reads as one tidy shape, and book the Haircut + Beard to have both matched in one visit.