20+ Exquisite Examples of Dapper Haircut: Style of True Gentlemen

You would think that having an undercut (having shorter hair) meant that you cannot style your hair in a slick back. But lo and behold, this dapper haircut gives you a carpet-ready look without the extra effort. All you need is a good hair styling product. And if you want to add a bit of masculinity to your look, wear a 5 o’clock shadow.

A part need not run the length of your crown but sometimes suffices as the slightest split at the hairline, quickly blending in with the textured waves above.

Subtle highlights accentuate the marbled nature of sandy blonde hair, adding color dimension, and you can’t go wrong with a simple taper that moves elegantly down to a drop fade.

If you want a quiff but at the same time, don’t want to fully commit your hair to it, you can choose a small triangular section to do it. For emphasis, do a side part on where the triangular section starts. The low fade keeps the hair neat and clean, and adding hair products to keep everything in place makes this haircut perfect for a dapper look. Keep your beard short and subtle without any accessories.

A deconstructed part, simple taper and a medium length side-brush up top. What’s not to love about this relaxed, low maintenance style?

On a fairer complexion, light hair has the advantage of blending almost invisibly as it fades towards the skin. This can be used to dramatic effect, giving the edges an ephemeral ghostliness, and the finely side-brushed top tonal depth between light and shadow.

Similar to the regulation (and all tried-and-true hairstyles, really) the pompadour offers many options.

From the rockabilly attitude of Brian Setzer to the theatrical melancholy of Morrissey, this version would look at home amongst the white tee and Lucky Strikes crowd of the late 50s.

Despite its strict, military-inspired name, the regulation cut is one of the most versatile formal styles out there. All it requires is longer, neatly brushed hair up top, with shorter, tapered (if not faded) sides. The choice to hard-part or not and the placement of the part itself allows for nearly endless choices.

Another cut that makes use of an unorthodox placement of the hard part, a little higher than standard. Both the tapered fade below and the wavy length up top are brushed away from this part at a sideways angle, adding movement to the wave’s curl.

As seen on many a fashionable lad in the UK, this side-brush is combed and shaped to perfection with an elegant high part.

The silhouette of this hairstyle suggests the wearer rows crew, is probably named Blaine, and ironically has no idea what a Big Boy restaurant is. But the wildly off-center, transverse hard part makes this cut a horse of a different color.

The tapered sides and styled top are both traditional enough, but when paired with the avante garde placement of that hard-part, they become something exceptional.

One of the best things about the dapper part/taper/brushback combo is that it allows for endless shaping options for heads of all shapes and sizes.

If worried that any length up top will make your already long face longer, set a hard part high enough to put a break in the outline of your head, creating a distinct separation of head and hair. Finger brush the length directly away from that part at a sideways tilt, and you have the makings of a fine-textured take on this classic look.

A slightly askew side part adds a unique flavor to this solid mid-faded quiff. The medium-length up top is styled into a standing wave with a delicate texture, and the smooth edge lines are subtly continued in the almost imperceptible beard.

Wavy length on top is not a prerequisite for the dapper look. A shorter brushed up crop achieves an equally refined look with minimal upkeep. A clean skin fade compliments dark or even salt-n-peppery hair.

Creating a slicked-back hairstyle with short hair is still possible if you use a strong-hold hair product. The sides are tapered for a clean look, but notice that there is no shaven area and the hair continues all the way down to the beard – subtle, short, and not full. It will work with most face shapes.

Brushing a quiff to the side is a tried and true look and for good reason. This is very much a recognizably dapper hairstyle, but the side quiff spices it up just a little.

The combination of a basic scissor cut and taper might sound underwhelming, but in reality, it’s a fantastic pairing that’s never gone out of style.

The Caesar cut has stood the test of time, and as a result, there are many great variations. This short business cut has roots in the Caesar cut but is a little messier and features a gentle part.

The slicked back undercut is a fashionable variation of the timeless dapper cut. The part here is less obvious since the focal point is the backward movement of the hair.

A very hipster-ish look but when done right can make it look classy. The frosty white dye makes it trendy while the top is slightly brushed up and slightly mohawked that is supported with grizzly beard that makes everything perfect.

Prefer to keep it short? This no-nonsense haircut has a very clean and even look that puts a minimal spin on the dapper style.

This unique cut says to hell with a standard hard part and opts instead for an oblique angle starting well past the top temple, running the full length of the crown. The long crop up top is brushed to the side with a wide-tooth comb, giving it texture.

Now this is the more traditional take on the slick back. It suggests assertiveness, decisiveness, intelligence; the creeds of the powerbroker. Mix it up while maintaining the sharp appearance with a smooth fade in place of the typical hard part.

With any slicked back style there is always the risk of it appearing…greasy. This breezy matte finish finger-brushback avoids that by keeping it’s textured volume up off the scalp. A tasteful part and burst fade round out this casual take on the usually more aggressive throwback look.

Revival dapperness. This cut doesn’t shy away from its heavy styling, opting for a non-matte product for maximum glow. Get your zoot-suit pressed and polish the pocket watch because this cut says you’re going out tonight!

This sleek style looks good in all hair colors, but especially striking when paired with the tonal variety of a sandy blonde. The hard part leaves enough length below to form a taper of great shape-ability.

You don’t always have to try and reinvent the wheel. Sometimes all you need is a clean drop fade with some rolling waves up top.

Some light styling on the considerable length up top creates a relaxed finger-brushed look, and a lowkey taper on the sides doesn’t seek to distract pull focus from the true star of the show.

Another breed of the pompadour, this version puts a textured finger-brushed blowout to use, adding all kinds of layers to the top. Also, proof that the sleek pomp doesn’t always have to be paired with a clean-shaven face.

A very precise incarnation of a classic dapper military cut, this requires some steely-eyed dedication to styling, or at least to barbershop visits.

Equally at home on the football pitch, as it is in the halls of West Point, the sharpness of this look is sure to garner the respect and admiration of your peers and strike jealous fear into the hearts of adversaries.

This version of the regulation cut uses a more typical placement for a hard part, but lowers the skin fade down enough to define the edges into the sideburns and juuuust barely into a near-invisible ghost beard. When personalizing a classic, it’s all in the details.

Here’s a tidy take on the classic pomp. The hair is brushed back and finger combed just a touch to create a sense of motion, while a subtle line up provides extra definition.

An undercut fade can look just as grand with no part at all; instead of dramatic contrast, smooth cohesion between the short and the long. Keep the edges trim and really blow out the pompadour for a big, lifted and textured style.

If you like your hair to be neat but still want a lot of styles, this straightforward quiff is an excellent option.

This dapper style utilizes the trendy side-swept technique and a more gradual taper, giving it a very full-bodied and neat appearance.

Here’s a simple dapper haircut that’s especially good for guys with thin hair. The hair is simply brushed to the side, but the result is formal and stylish.

If you’re after a low maintenance dapper hairstyle, try an Ivy League. This gentlemanly cut will work with any hair type, and you can get it at any barbershop or salon.

Another minimal-maintenance look that forgoes the hard part and instead focuses attention on the faded sides that blend up seamlessly with a simple and slick brushback.

This loose, voluminous hairstyle takes the dapper haircut to new heights (literally). Long hair is finger combed for the wavy, windswept look shown here.