If the military lifestyle inspires you, there are dozens of military haircuts you can wear without joining the Airforce, Navy, or Marine. They are all short, neat, and low maintenance to help you focus on what is important.
Ideal Face Shapes:Diamond, Heart, Oblong, Oval, Round, Square, Triangle
Ideal Hair Types:All
Styling Tips
Military haircuts don’t include dying, designs, texturing, or other trendy features.
Military grooming rules don’t permit facial hairs, and the hair must not exceed 4 inches.
In the military, the induction cut is a rite of passage. Every recruit gets this haircut when joining the boot camp. The haircut is also called buzz zero or number zero since this is the shortest you cut your hair. The hair is uniform throughout the head, and it's an easy haircut to give yourself at home.
When done correctly, the induction cut screams masculinity, despite being bland. It is effortless to maintain and makes a great summer haircut but apply sunscreen.
2. Burr Haircut
@haircut_barber_prijan
Now:
The burr cut is very similar to the induction and the brush cut that I will discuss next. The hair is cut evenly throughout the head but slightly longer than the induction cut.
To cut this haircut, you or your barber will use either guard number 1 or number 2.
Unlike the induction cut, you can line up the edges for a crisp look. It's easy to maintain and makes a great DIY haircut at home.
This haircut looks exceptional when paired with stubble.
3. Butch Cut or Brush Cut
@custombarbers
The butch or brush cut is another buzz cut popular in the military. It’s the longest compared to the burr and induction cut.
The hair is cut between ¼ and ½ inches using guard numbers 3, 4, or 5. Because it's longer, you can pair it with a fade on the sides and back and line up the edges.
You will need a low hold wax or a light pomade for styling and touch-up to keep the length within the range.
If you brush it properly, you could develop 360 waves to add some style. This cut oozes masculinity, and it's easy to maintain.
4. Military Flat Top
@johnny.vintagency
While there are many flat-top haircuts, what we are referring to here is a subtle flat-top haircut without so much frill.
The hair is cut between half and one inch in length, but the top forms a flat deck. Ensure that the deck’s shape matches the skull’s shape to avoid looking awkward.
After washing, blowdry the hair upward and use hair wax to set it in shape. Avoid using styling products that will make the hair shiny.
5. Crew Cut
@fadedbyerin
Also referred to as GI or Government Issue haircut in the army, the military crew cut is another masculine, neat and easy-to-maintain haircut.
This style was popularized by rowing crews of Ivy League universities back in the 1920s. The crew's hair was short on top and faded on the sides to keep the hair off the face when rowing.
The crew cut gave rise to the Harvard clip, Princeton cut, College Cut, Standard Crew Cut, and the Olympic Cut crew cut versions.
Here is the definition of the crew cut in the military handbook “taper trimmed at the back, sides, and above the ears to blend with the hairstyle. On the top of the head, it shall be no more than 6 inches in length and sufficiently short at the front and sides.
The classic crew cut has the hair fade from the front (#6) to the crown (#2). You can style the long hair in front into bangs or pompadour style. The back and sides should have even length, while the lower part should be a skin fade.
7. The Ivy League
@barbearia_leviptattoo
Another popular military haircut is the Ivy League, which is a version of the Crew Cut.
Basically:
The Ivy League is a crew cut but with longer hair at the front. You can style the top into a quiff, spiky, or textured pompadour. The sides and back are cut into a taper fade.
However, keep the styling as subtle as possible if you want it to be military-approved.
8. The Classic High And Tight
@mike_the_barber_88
Now:
The high and tight is another short haircut that is very popular in the military. High refers to the longer hair on top, while tight refers to the clean-shaven or faded sides.
Compared with the crew cut and ivy league haircuts, high and tight as the shortest length. It’s often referred to as the jarhead haircut because of the resemblance with the mason jar. That’s why the marine corps are nicknamed the jarheads.
When worn by civilians, the high and tight is often called the walker. The classic high and tight has the sides clean-shaven all the way up.
There are so many variations, including longer hair on top and faded sides, but if you want one that meets the military regulation, keep the sides and back short and shorter hair on top.
Wrapping up
And that is it for the best military haircuts you can wear. This guide is not just for those looking to join the army but also for civilians, especially those who find inspiration and love the army lifestyle.
If you are a civilian, you can customize the haircuts to add a personal touch to each of them but keep them neat and low maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
A military haircut is a blanket name for haircuts won by the army. While the styles differ, they are all clean, neat, and low maintenance.
A good military haircut is neat, short, and easy to maintain. There are various reasons why the military has strict grooming rules. 1) Short haircuts don’t cover the face allowing for a good view of the battlefield when laying down. 2) They are easy to clean and maintain. 3) Easy to wear with a helmet and heads-up display (HUD) devices. 4) Keep the head cooler by promoting air circulation. 5) In case of a head injury, it's easy to perform first aid on the head with short hair. 6) Short hair dries faster, minimizing the chances of developing a cold. 7) Originally, it was a means to reduce the spread of diseases and lice.
When joining the boot camp, every male recruit gets the induction cut. After graduation, soldiers are allowed to wear any of the other military-approved haircuts that include: 1) Burr cut 2) Butch cut 3) High and tight haircut 4) The regulation haircut 5) Crew cut 6) Ivy League.If you want to see how these styles look, check the photos above for styling ideas.
Every military haircut is unique. Some are short and uniform throughout the head, while others have shorter sides but longer on top. Note:The military grooming standards don’t allow men to wear cornrows or dreadlocks. Texturizing or dying hair is also not allowed.
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