80 Stylish Undercut Hairstyle Variations to copy in 2024: A Complete Guide
Find answers to the most common questions regarding the men's undercut style
The undercut hairstyle is probably the most trending men’s haircut right now. Its high contrast structure is unique and memorable, and it gives the wearer a classy, refined look. It goes hand in hand with current men’s fashion, and guys love it.
It’s easy to see why––the undercut is distinctive and sophisticated. Unlike some haircuts, you can easily recognize it at first glance. You can also style it in several different ways, and each of the variations is as distinct as the undercut itself.
So we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to this hairstyle. Whether you love the cut or have never heard of it, this guide will discuss its finer points, variations, and tips for styling. We’ll also go over which products work best for each variation and help guide you to an undercut you’ll love. If you’re interested in changing up your undercut but don’t know where to look, check out these stylish variations.
Drop Fade Undercut Hairstyle
The cool, sharp lines in this cut work wonders with the dropped fade. The color contrast looks best with black hair, but truth be told this style will work for anyone.
Nick Jonas's Clean Undercut
It might be simple and it might be messy, but Nick shows us you can wear an undercut with even the least of effort.
Brushed Up Mid Skin Fade
Another haircut with a lot of motion and depth, this style allows you to achieve a messier look without anything seeming out of place.
Paved Twin Hairline with Brush Up Top
Extra long on top and as short on the sides as you’d expect from an undercut: that’s how this style creates novelty in a timeless classic.
Disconnected Undercut with Long Fringe
This adventurous style combines a long fringe, disconnected sides, and a skin fade for a very unique result. As seen here, this style works well with curly hair but would also look great with straight or wavy hair.
Undercut + Brushed Up Fohawk
A twist on the standard faux hawk, this style brushes up the faux hawk at the front to give a bit of a different look.
Related
Messy Textured Undercut
If you like casual hairstyles with a lot of texture, this undercut may be for you. Best for guys with thicker hair, this style features a windswept look that’s fun and carefree.
Long Top Pompadour with Tapered Sides
Long hairstyles don’t always have to be shags or curls sometimes they come in the form of pompadours with longer fluffs and sleek sides. This happens to be one of those. The longer the hair better the fluff.
Loose Curly Hair + Undercut Fade
If you have thicker hair and like a very full look, this undercut fade will serve you well. The sides and back are faded but kept rather long, giving this undercut a much different appearance than most of the styles showcased in this list.
Side Swept Undercut
This style is very minimal but has a noticeable presence. The sides have an extreme skin fade for a dramatic effect, and the side swept hair adds motion and visual interest.
Side Swept Undercut Fade
Side sweep is one of the underrated looks and here it is in its full glory. The hard part also acts as an undercut plane, the left side of it is taper faded with the top being dense and side-swept. This looks rocks a part and a conference.
Curly Fringe Undercut
This is a bold cut that’s not for the faint of heart! With an extremely long curly fringe, a brushed up quiff, and skin faded sides, this hairstyle is full of attitude. We also think a beard really helps to balance out this look.
Thin Hair Tapered Sides
Who said undercuts only have to be with the parts. This one is a fresh take on undercut with a man bun on top with sides being margin undercut with thin taper following it for that neat look.
Undercut with Fohawk
Looking for a unique take on the faux hawk? This disconnected faux hawk undercut may be exactly what you’re looking for. The hair on top is messy and almost spiked, and the hard part on the side adds definition.
Side Swept Undercut + Faux Hawk
Here’s an interesting combination of a faux hawk and a side swept undercut. The faux hawk is brushed up and swoops down to form a long fringe that goes just below the eyes.
Curly Undercut with a Disconnected Fade + Line up
Curly hair naturally has a lot of motion to it, and this undercut helps to emphasize that. While the main point of interest is the front of the head, the entire haircut has a wavy nature to it that’s satisfying and stylish.
Skin Fade Undercut with Spikes
Spiky hair is making a comeback, and we think this is a prime example of how spikes can be done well. This haircut has a ton of texture and doesn’t require the hair to be too long.
Icy Highlights on Volumized Top
This light, high-volume cut works great for those who want an undercut, but also something a little different.
Classic Laid Top with Shaved Neckline
Short on top and even shorter on the sides. We think this style is particularly unique for its even hairline towards the front.
Curled Top with Neat Faded Sides
The top is amazing as it is dense curled but the sides are what make all the difference. The undercut on the sides brings out the difference and that fade gives the face a very clean look.
Side Combed Classic
This hairstyle features one of the most popular motifs in the undercut, the side part. In fact, we’d say the part is the defining feature of this style!
Side Brushed Undercut
A casual look that needs almost no maintenance is always on the rise. this such is no exception, the top is casually side brushed with sides being undercut tapered. The absence of fade is what makes this style more subtly neat.
Wavy Blonde Hair
If your hair is naturally wavy, you can leverage that to create some amazing looks. With this haircut, the waviness of the hair is emphasized and kept a bit messy for a casual appearance.
Textured Faded Undercut Hairstyle
Less definitely isn’t more with this thick and impressively textured undercut. Best of all, you won’t have to be carrying around a comb all day…
Thin Afro Undercut with Hard Part
Afro hair is very good in terms of volume as we see here that it is in abundance but those thin curls are another fantasy element that helps that undercut slip in with that cheeky hard part that provides a great contrast of top to sides.
Thin Hair with Slight Brush Up
A subtle undercut is so much fun and no one sees it coming. The top is slightly frizzy with a hint of brush up. The highlighted dye hypes the brush up quite a bit and makes it look all chill and trendy at the same time.
Spiky Texture with Skin Fade
Looking to stand out? The spiked top hair in this hairstyle screams fun. We’d probably trim the beard back, though.
Undercut with Side Pattern
This simple, low-maintenance undercut is kicked up a notch by the carefully patterned sides. It’s definitely a cool look.
Brushed Back with Long Top
Here’s a simple and eye-catching take on the undercut that keeps the sides super tight so the hair on top stands out. This is a great option for a fresh, trendy look.
Mid Fade Undercut Plus Brush Up
Not all brush-ups are chill this one is one sneaky look. The undercut here is for the sides in order to make them look clean. The thick part makes this look quite fun with that cheeky temple fade that comes to the rescue.
Messy Top with Acute Angled Fringe
If you’re after a shorter hairstyle that still has lots of personality, consider this messy undercut. The top is textured and spiked a bit, and unlike other undercuts, this hairstyle features an angled fringe with a line up, making it a rather unique style.
Curly Undercut
With curly hair comes high amounts of texture, and this style takes advantage of that. The hair is tousled for maximum texture, and the hair on top is the same length all around, providing a nice sense of balance.
Undercut Disguised in a Side Part
Who said undercut doesn’t come subtle, here it is dressed up as a side part but it is an undercut. The taper that follows tells everything with the top being brushed up and side brushed. Best of both worlds.
Low Key Faux with Angular Fringe
The faux hawk is normally a rather attention-grabbing haircut. This variation tones it down by blending a very slight faux hawk with an undercut. Finally, the fringe is kept neat and tidy. The result is a stylish look that’s not as dramatic as a full faux hawk would be.
Buzzed Part with Thin Undercut
Side part can very well be an undercut with this panache especially, it can pull off anything. The top is buzz cut with sides being tapered fade for that extra step neat look.
Buzz Cut with Hard Parted Undercut
Hard parts can certainly be undercut but just in a little style. The top here is buzzed cut for that maximum attention to the part. The sides are tapered for more push towards the top which makes total sense.
Undercut On Top
We normally see an undercut on the sides but here it is in a different position. Well, it can low key be an offset mid part but still, who’s to choose as long as the style looks good enough. The sides are as expected taper faded for a distinctly clear look.
Highlighted Fringe with Hard Parted Undercut
Hard parts don’t have to always be undercut but here we are and here it is! The top is highlighted on the fringe with sides being taper fade, the clean look is what makes this one a special one.
Saturn Ring Undercut
Doesn’t this resemble a very hippy retro look? The French crop is the trendy part whereas the cheeky undercut the hippie part. The sides are shaved for maximum neat outlook with that casual beard chilling at the bottom.
High Undercut with Fine Faded Sides
Talking about sleek looks, this one is another one in the line. This one can also be classified as a low-key military hairstyle. The faded sides with undercut top are quite dense and that’s exactly what’s going on with the beard.
Long Top with Tapered Sides
Starting with the top it is quite long with a side brush. The fluff is done by using some hands to shape it. That being said, the sides are tapered with a cool undercut which is being used as a side part. The low fade makes all the difference.
Semi Wavy Thin Hair with Undercut
Undercut really is that button that once pressed elevates your style statement instantly. Here the top is thin-haired and quite long whilst the sides are tapered for that panache. The slight wave texture makes life more fun, doesn’t it?
Highlighted Brush Up
An ultra-smooth undercut with highlights on top: it’s certainly not a bad look. We think the clean shave works perfectly here, too.
Sideline and Degradation Design
The thick, curly top hair here is separated from the short sides with a fine part around the head. We think it’s clever how they’ve added extra excitement by shaving a clean border at the bottom of the fade.
Blonde Blowout with Dark Undercut
Here’s another big undercut that spares no expense. The dyed pompadour on top has excellent contrast with the short, darker sides and facial hair.
Hard Part and Pompadour
We’d say this look really is a classic undercut style. With well-combed top hair, apart on the sides, and some fading, there isn’t much else to define the undercut.
Undercut Fury Puffed Slicked Back
This is one of the most celebrated Brad Pitt’s fury hairstyle.
The winged slicked back with longer strands give a nice puff to the hair with sides being undercut tapered makes a trend that raises eyebrows quite well.
Subtle Dreadlocks Textured Side Brushed Top
The top here is quite exquisite with the dreadlock-ish vibe to the look. The sides are taper faded with temple being faded for it to be blended into beard. The undercut here saves the day by making this transition quite smooth and neat.
Dyed Undercut with Shaved Slit Sides
Undercut comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors; here it is in its full glory in another fashion. The top is all dyed with icy white dye and sides are undercut with that classy slit shave. The clean is look is the courtesy to the majestic temple fade.
Undercut with Hard Part
Choosing which area of your hair to part is tricky for some. Face shape experts will say that some faces will fair better with a middle part, while others are great with a side part. For this particular hair cut, your hair part will be more pronounced as there will be a shaved line on it. Choose where you want your hair part to be, and pair it with an undercut – and voila – clean with a little bit of edge.
Undercut with Subtle Fringes
This Caesar-esque undercut is defined by the even fringe at the front, plus all the texture on top. We think the well-kempt facial hair is an excellent touch.
Brushed Back with Undercut
Closing out our list is this simple brushed back undercut. The hair is styled and teased in different directions, yet it retains a simplicity that’s very appealing.
Josh Duhamel's Wind Swept Undercut with Widow's Peak
Josh shows us you don’t need a straight hairline to sport an undercut. Embrace your widow’s peak for this rugged and angular hairstyle.
Brushed Back Taper Fade
Ah, the humble undercut with fade. It’s devilishly exciting and surprisingly straightforward, although your barber will need some time to get the perfect taper — so will you, for that 80s reminiscent slick.
Brush Up with Taper Fade
Looking for a powerful, manly style which the military might even let you keep (no guarantees!)? Brush up any faded undercut and let your stubble grow out.
High Skin Fade Undercut
Here’s another faded style which works hard to draw sharp angles and smooth curves together. Sunglasses not necessary.
Mid Fade with Slick Back
If you don’t mind spending those extra few minutes in the morning, adding a slick back to your undercut is an easy way to score style points.
Puffy Undercut Hairstyle
This cut is nothing special, but the careful, puffy styling exudes youth and confidence. We’ll bet $$$ this guy has his own rock band.
Slicked back + Medium Skin Fade
The slicked back top is a popular approach for these cuts, and there’s no wondering why. This style works perfectly with the beard to create a sophisticated yet outgoing style.
Spiky Textured Angular Fringes
This youthful hairstyle is full of texture and depth. It’s a great casual style for younger guys who want the “just rolled out of bed” look.
Casual Quiff Undercut Hairstyle
The star of this undercut is a slightly messy quiff. The hair is teased just a little, but it has a huge effect. If you have thicker hair, this style will really suit you.
Thick Elephant Trunk and Medium Fade
This undercut features tidy hair on the sides and back while the messy bangs in front create the “elephant trunk” effect. It’s a great choice if you like to have fun with your hair but don’t want something too extreme.
French Crop Undercut
Here’s a combination of a French crop and an undercut that’s playful yet understated. The teased French crop almost looks like a small faux hawk, and the sides and fringe frame the top nicely.
Brushed Back with Skin Fade
The brushed back style is extremely popular, and it’s easy to see why. This style takes rather short hair and makes it look longer thanks to the medium-volume quiff. This is great for men who like shorter hair but want to do more with it.
Disconnected Undercut with Quiff on Top
The disconnected look is also very trendy, offering a unique addition to classic styles. Here, it places all the focus on the high-volume quiff.
Brushed Up Undercut + Spiky Hair
Another good example of spiked hair, this undercut brushes most of the hair straight up to create a “wow” factor.
Brushed up and Back Undercut
With this undercut, the hair is blended evenly, so the sides, back, and top all flow into each other seamlessly.
Curly Undercut
Another take on the curly undercut, this hairstyle works well with extremely curly or even coiled hair. The hair on top is simply trimmed, allowing the hair to fall naturally.
Slicked Back + Disconnected Undercut
This heavily styled undercut keeps the hair tidy while still having a wavy motion throughout. It’s a satisfyingly neat style that creates a slightly preppy look.
High Volume Undercut
For guys who want a lot of volume and texture, this undercut delivers. This is best for guys with thick hair, since thick hair really brings out the fullness of this style.
Nolan Funk's Messy Brushed Up
Looking for something a little more suave? Funk’s brushed-up, extra volume undercut might as well have a mind of its own.
Undercut with Short Pompadour
This take on the classic pompadour keeps the hair short all around, making this a great choice if you want a low maintenance haircut that still has a lot of style.
Undercut With Thick Waves
A low maintenance hairstyle that’s best suited for thick hair, this undercut features short and textured hair that’s brushed up just a bit to round out the look.
Faded Undercut
This is another straightforward version of the timeless undercut. The hair in front is brushed up, and the rest of the head is kept slightly messy for a textured effect.
Messy Curls + Fade
Here’s another style that’s well suited to curly hair. Since this cut keeps the hair shorter, it’s ideal for men who want something that’s easy to wear and style.
Brushed Up Quiff
Simple and fashionable, this undercut highlights a tall quiff and uses a gradual taper fade for a more even, balanced appearance. It’s definitely trendy but also very respectable.
Faux Hawk with Disconnected High Skin Fade
One of the more dramatic haircuts on our list, this disconnected faux hawk pairs textured hair with a hard part that’s fairly high up on the head. This is another good choice if you want your hair to be a statement piece.
Skin Fade Mohawk
This mix of an undercut and a mohawk is definitely a daring style that won’t be for everyone. For the right person, this will help them stand out from the crowd and make a statement with their hairstyle.
Sporty Drop Fade
Another twist on the drop fade, this breezy, nonchalant cut uses the fade well, incorporating it into a longer style that has tons of movement and volume.
Shaved Side with Angular Fringe
Want something a bit edgier? Try out this fringe-focused style that uses a hard part and a distinctive toothy fringe.
Back Swept Undercut
If volume is what you want, this back swept look might be for you! This hairstyle features a tall quiff that’s brushed back and sides that are a bit longer to balance out the overall length of this cut.
What Is The Undercut Hairstyle?
It is a short – to medium-length style that contrasts the top with the sides. The hair is left long on the top, while the sides (and often the back) are buzzed short. This places emphasis on the hair on top of the head and creates a vibrant distinction between the top and sides.
There are many variations on the undercut hairstyle, but that’s the basic idea: long top, short sides. More specifically, the basic form is a long top and buzzed sides. As such, it is a high contrast hairstyle that emphasizes the hair on top.
What Face Shapes Work Well?
Square faces work well because the cut makes the face appear more smooth and less boxy. The undercut also goes well with diamond-shaped faces for the same reason: the cut makes the face look less angular.
On the other hand, men with round or oblong faces might want to choose another haircut since the undercut is a rounder, smoother style. It isn’t meant to be a sharp, angular cut, but rather a seamless, blended style that creates a general smoothness to the face.
How To Get The Undercut Hairstyle?
The undercut is quite flexible in terms of hair length. There are no requirements for how long or short your hair should be, but there are some general guidelines to get you started.
For the top, anything from as little as 2 inches to as long as 6 inches will work fine. The sides can be buzzed as short as a #1 or as long as a #4 or #5. This is completely up to you.
It’s important to note the relative lengths here. If your hair on top is only 2 inches, a #1 or #2 on the sides is best. However, if your hair on top is 5 or 6 inches, then a #4 or #5 would work best. You can experiment with these settings if you want a less striking undercut or an even higher contrast.
And like always, we recommend taking a picture to your barber or stylist so you get exactly what you’re looking for. This is especially important if you’re after a unique variation on the undercut hairstyle. If you’re after a certain undercut look, show your barber or stylist a picture so they can estimate the length of the top and sides.
How To Maintain The Undercut Hairstyle?
If you want an undercut for an extended period of time, it will require regular maintenance and upkeep. As your hair grows out, the undercut will look slightly different. If you like the way it looks when it grows out, then keep it. If you want to keep it trimmed to a certain length, however, you’ll need to visit your barber or stylist on a regular basis. Most guys sporting an undercut hairstyle visit their stylist about once a month.
When you visit your barber or stylist for a touch-up, you have several options to maintain your undercut. You can get the sides and back touched up but leave the top of the hair uncut. This will add extra length on top while keeping the sides and back short. This will prep your hair for a longer style like the disconnected undercut, which looks nice with longer hair.
Alternatively, you can have the entire undercut hairstyle touched up so it retains its length. This is best if you like the length of your undercut and don’t want to change it.
If you want to add extra volume, you have two options: mousse and blow drying. (Naturally, you can use these in unison.) A good mousse like Pantene In Control Shaping Mousse will add volume to your hair, making it more noticeable and eye-catching. This is especially good for the disconnected undercut and long side swept undercut. Blow drying (before you apply any product) is another good way to add volume.
It suits many guys and pairs nicely with a fashionable outfit. If you have or plan to get an undercut, make sure you style and maintain it regularly. It takes a little bit of work to have a great undercut, but it’s well worth it.
Undercut Variations
Slicked Back Undercut
The slicked back undercut is a contemporary variation of the regular undercut hairstyle, and you’ve probably seen it around quite a bit. It’s immensely popular in men’s hair fashion and men’s fashion overall.
In a traditional undercut, the hair is usually parted, but slicking the hair back is a common stylistic twist. The slicked-back look is reminiscent of a pompadour and is inspired by the greaser aesthetic of the fifties. It goes well with classy outfits and works nicely for nearly all occasions.
How to style: The key to the slicked back undercut is a high-quality hair product. Depending on your hair type and personal preference, you can use a pomade, a gel, or a wax. We recommend pomade because it will give you the trademark glossy shine of a slicked back undercut.
For most hair types, a product with a medium hold will work, since the slicked back look doesn’t require a ton of volume. A product like Suavecito Original Hold Pomade or Layrite Original Pomade will give you both hold and shine. These are both water-based pomades, so your hair won’t be greasy when the product is in your hair. (Bonus: water-based pomades also wash out of your hair much more easily.)
Disconnected Undercut
The disconnected undercut is one of the most noticeable and dramatic variations of the classic undercut. The hair on top of the head is disconnected from the sides with a hard part. This creates a clearly defined line where the short hair stops and the long hair begins.
The hair on top can have some serious length and volume to it to create an extremely noticeable cut. Likewise, the hair can be cut at a medium length to achieve a more subtle, pompadour-like look.
How to style: As with the slicked back undercut, the disconnected undercut relies heavily on good quality products, especially if you have thick and/or coarse hair. If you have thicker hair, you want a product with high hold like Suavecito Firme or Layrite Super Hold.
If your hair is lighter or not too thick, use a product with medium hold like Suavecito Original or Layrite Original.