A high taper fade is a popular haircut that sharply blends the sides and back to achieve a short, edgy style for a fresh finish. It starts higher on the head and quickly transitions to very short hair, creating a low-maintenance contrast that highlights the longer hair on top. The high taper cut can be the perfect choice for men who want a bold, contemporary look suitable for any occasion, from professional work to a casual night out.

This short tapered style provides a sharp aesthetic that exudes confidence and can deliver a balanced approach, blending the sleek and polished. Guys with thick, straight or curly hair will appreciate how the cut removes bulk and weight, making styling easy and straightforward. The high taper can be combined with any modern or classic men's hairstyle, including the comb over, buzz cut, crop top, fringed curls, side part or pompadour.

As a professional barber, this is my expert guide to the best and most stylish high taper fade haircut to show your stylist at your next barbershop appointment.

Popular High Taper Fade Haircuts

Classic High Taper Fade

A classic high taper fade offers bold contrast and a stylish look for men who want to pair the cut with any short-to-medium-length hairstyle. In this example, a deep, prominent side part separates the longer top from the much shorter sides. Styling gel applied to damp hair and combed through offers chic texture and all-day hold, and brushing the hair up adds a contemporary element to a timeless vintage style.

Short Hair with High Taper Fade

Short hair with a high taper fade provides a sophisticated, elegant look popular on the red carpet due to its simplicity. The hair on top flows up and to the side from a hidden part, and the subtlety of the high taper creates a more uniform and structured appearance. Matte pomade is essential for creating texture and shine; apply it to wet hair, then use a comb to coax the hair over and slightly back.

Textured Longer Hair with High Taper Fade

Textured longer hair with a high taper fade can be a striking voluminous and daring style that will turn every head in the room. Applying sea salt spray for added grit makes it easier to tease and tousle the front, creating a massive quiff. The fade at the sides visually lifts the hair even further, and a shapely beard adds rugged maturity that pulls the look together.

Pompadour with High Taper Fade

A pompadour with a high taper fade is a sleek, sophisticated approach to a vintage style. The top section flows up and back from a part at the side, and the combed texture enhances the retro feel. Using a razor for the fade allows for a seamless transition that clippers simply cannot provide, and it continues through the sideburns into the beard, framing the face.

Quiff with High Taper Fade

A quiff with a high taper fade features long, chunky spikes that curl outward and up from the forehead, gradually getting shorter toward the crown. The fade adds bold contrast, enhancing the height on top, and thin, bold highlights accentuate the spiky texture. A full beard or long sideburns complement the style by adding visual interest without taking away from the cut.

High Taper with Short Spiky Crew Cut

A high taper with a short, spiky crew cut is a confident, sophisticated style well-suited for men with fine or thinning hair. Styling the top into subtle spikes gives the impression of more body and volume, maintaining the cut's visual appeal. The taper keeps the hair cropped close at the sides, further lifting it on top and making it appear fuller.

High Taper Fade with Short Curls

A high taper fade with short curls and a thick fringe is a stylish, trendy look that maximizes natural texture and requires little maintenance. The curls are longest in the front, where they tumble over the forehead to the browbone. As the hair gets shorter toward the crown, it blends into the fade at the sides. Adding a short, full beard that mimics the length at the sides creates a cohesive finish.

Afro with High Temp Taper Fade

Pairing an afro with a high temp taper fade is an excellent way to build structure and reduce bulkiness. The afro is longer at the crown and shorter at the front, back, and sides, creating a rounded profile. A clean line-up and sharp edges along the temple contrast sharply with the twisted coils on top, and the taper follows down through the sideburns for a balanced style.

Brushed Up Fringe with High Taper Fade

A brushed-up fringe with a high taper fade is a sleek, refined, versatile style for everyday wear. Using a styling gel, the hair in front flows upward and back, blending seamlessly into the hair along the top and the sides. A clean-shaven face or stubble offers a fresh, clean look suitable for the office as well as a casual night out.

Comb Over with High Taper

A comb over with a high taper is a sophisticated, professional style for guys who want to maintain a stylish, versatile and understated look with minimal effort. The hair from the forehead to the crown flows from a hidden part, with the front section slightly taller than the rest. Patchy sideburns and a stubbly goatee lend the look of rugged masculinity.

Textured Ivy League with Taper Fade

A textured Ivy League with a taper fade is a chic, polished style with long, forward-flowing hair on top and closely cropped sides. The cut is versatile enough for casual, formal, and professional events, making it perfect for busy men. To style it, apply texturizing pomade to damp or dry hair, then tousle slightly with the fingertips. For the brushed-up fringe, use styling gel and move the hair around a round brush until dry.

Brush Back with High Taper Fade

A brush-back with a high taper fade is glamorous and handsome, featuring ample texture, movement, and body. The long hair in front flows back over the top in cascading waves, contrasting sharply with the much shorter hair at the sides and back. A large curling iron or blow dryer and round brush are essential for creating the lift, volume, and sleek texture.

Disconnected High Taper Fade

A disconnected high taper fade pairs wonderfully with numerous styles, including a bold, textured quiff. The hair in front curls upward and outward, creating edgy volume. The hair along the top continues to get shorter toward the crown, and the disconnected undercut fade creates the illusion of height.

Long Side Swept Hair with High Taper Fade

Long side swept hair with a high taper fade is an eccentric, creative cut with an angular, textured aesthetic. The hair flows forward and to the side from a deep part, sweeping over the forehead and eventually coming to a sharp point about two inches in front of the ear. The fade makes the longer, thicker section stand out even more, and the angular nature of the style accentuates sharp masculine features.

Messy Spiky Hair with Taper Faded Sides

A messy spiky hairstyle with taper faded sides is edgy and rebellious yet subdued enough to wear virtually anywhere. The spikes appearing to stand out in all directions radiates confidence and attitude. The fade creates a subtle transition to much shorter hair around the ears and through the sideburns, and a shapely beard adds the finishing touch to the style.

High Taper Fade with Thick Curls

A high taper fade with thick curls is a modern look that maximizes natural volume and texture. The top features just enough length to allow the curls to shine through, and the cropped sides keep the focus high. Applying volumizing mousse to damp hair defines and separates curls, creating a bold, glossy finish. Facial hair is optional, but a short, neatly trimmed beard often frames the face and accentuates the eyes.

Thick Fringe with High Tapered Undercut

Thick fringes with high-tapered undercuts are adventurous and provocative, ideal for non-conformists. Long hair along the top flows forward from the crown to the forehead, forming a blunt fringe. The undercut offers incredible contrast and creates the illusion of volume. Unconventional, bold colors like silver or rose gold accentuate the hair's texture and appear even more audacious.

High Top Taper Fade

A high top taper fade combines the sculpted, angular nature of the iconic flat top with vibrant color and impeccably cropped sides. The dense texture on top showcases natural black hair on the bottom half and bright royal blue on the top. The two shaved lines at the brow add an aura of rebellion, and the cropped sides and clean-shaven face help to draw the eye upward.

High Taper Fade with Short Straight Hair

A high taper fade with short, straight hair is a timeless and attractive look suitable for exceptionally thick tresses. Sweeping the short hair over from a deep side part creates a unique choppy and feathery texture. The taper flows through the sideburns and into the beard, which is thicker along the jaw and at the chin. The cut elongates a rounded or square face and emphasizes angular, masculine features.

What Is A High Taper Fade?

A high taper fade is a modern men's haircut on the sides and back that starts higher on the head and blends down dramatically to achieve powerful contrast, accentuating the longer hair on top. The high taper cut seamlessly transitions the hair from short to very short without exposing the skin, offering a bold but classy look for a balanced approach.

High Taper Fade vs High Skin Fade

The skin fade is a trendy haircut that blends the sides and back into the skin for a clean, shaved finish, while a taper fade transitions to shorter hair while maintaining some length. Skin-faded cuts are edgy, youthful and sharp, maximizing contrast, but taper fades are less subtle and offer some modern edge without showing off the scalp.