Taper and fade haircuts are barbershop mainstays, and you’ve certainly had at least one variation of both. But do you know what are the differences between these two popular hairstyles? These terms are frequently confused and they are used interchangeably. While they may appear very similar at first glance, there is a significant difference between a taper and a fade.
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What Is A Taper?
In general, the taper haircut is a more conservative cut and style. A taper is when your hair gradually gets shorter on the sides and back from top to bottom, eventually touching the ear and curling around to the nape of your neck. Longer hair on the sides is also possible with a classic tapered haircut.
What Is A Fade?
The fade haircut differs from the taper in that it is often shorter and can result in the hairline fading down to the skin at any point, decreasing the hairline. In comparison to the taper, the fade gets used in more hairstyles. The comb over fade, mohawk fade, and undercut fade, for example, are three of the best hairstyles for males.
What Is A Taper Fade?
The taper fade is more of a hairstyle than a haircut. People began to mix up the two cuts due to their resemblance. A tapered haircut is technically a type of fade, but a fade is not. Just keep in mind that if you request this haircut from your barber, you will almost certainly receive a tapered haircut. Given that the fade is the most common approach to cutting men’s hair on the sides, we recommend requesting a fade when describing your desired hairstyle.
How Do They Differ?
Both cuts have falling sides and back lengths that are progressively shorter from top to bottom. The difference between a taper and a fade is the declining length. The short back and sides get enhanced with tapers and fades.
The taper is a more conservative version of the fade, a classic and adaptable hairstyle that incorporates progressively shorter hair length. Following the natural growth of your hair, your hair length should decrease uniformly over the back and sides. The sides and back of this cut are longer.
The fundamental distinction between a taper and a fade is that the latter does not require a progressive decrease in length. Instead, the hair length can shift from long to short in a split second and tend to be shorter, reaching the skin and minimizing the hairline. Mohawks, combovers, and undercuts get frequently matched with these cuts.
Which One Is Right For You?
Consider your face shape and which haircuts fit someone of your stature when choosing between a taper and a fade. Taper is more likely to be the cut of choice if searching for a safer, inoffensive haircut. Consider a fade if you’re searching for something with minimal more edge and swagger.
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