To kick things off we’ve got a clean, high fade to complement the dark volume of curly hair on top. Together with a partial trim of the beard, this haircut is a yes in our books.

There’s no real rules for naming some of these cuts, but the label of “military fade” seems to work perfectly for this hairstyle. It’s clean and effective, with tattoos bumping it up a notch.

The crew cut is a classic hairstyle, but adding a fade is a simple way to modernize it a touch. There’s no complicated styling here: it’s just simple good looks.

As you can see, the fade is something of a tool more than it is a haircut. In this case, the fade modifies this quiff to make it all the more impressive.

Here’s an easy style combining the humble comb over with a moderate fade. It’s an example of a fade haircut that’s more appropriate for formal dress, but it will need some styling on the top!

This is another curly haircut with fade: something of an afro, you could say. Notice how the fade really lights up the contrast between skin and hair.

Not every fade haircut needs to have short or medium-length hair on top. It’s perfectly possible to wear a fade with ultra long curls above, just like this.

Focusing in on the sides, you can see this fade has been taken to the next level with a hard part running along the entire length.

There’s an overlap between fade and undercut, and you can see it here. This hipster-esque, top-heavy style speaks for itself — we love that.

Fade’s don’t have to be anything extreme. This pompadour, for example, features a very gradual fade on the sides, helping to tie together the top and facial hair.