The textured fringe haircut is a very popular mens’ haircut trend right now.
It’s not just for preteens dancing on TikTok anymore; the fringe has gone mainstream.
Before we dig in, it’s important to know what the fringe of the haircut consists of. Fringe is British English for the North American English word “bangs”–that portion of your locks falls onto your forehead.
The options for what you can do with that fringe are endless. Here are what I believe are the 17 best textured fringe haircuts and how to style one.
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Wash-And-Go Fringe
What is it? The wash-and-go fringe is the most low-maintenance type of fringe haircut. For this style, the sides and back of Carlo’s hair are tapered tight and evenly blended into about five inches of length on top. The bangs (or fringe) were cut with a razor to add texture and movement and fall just above the eyebrows.
How to style it: The wash-and-go fringe cut requires very little styling–simply towel dry, add a bit of light styling cream and shake. The wash-and-go fringe is also versatile in that a blow dryer with a diffuser can add additional texture and volume and a light styling powder can be used for weightless hold and texture.
The Textured Mullet
What is it? The textured mullet is a modern mullet made more edgy by a textured deconstructed bang (with matching texture in the back). Colette cut this style at Old Dog Barbershop in Chicago, and it is a fun style for the guy who works in a creative or relaxed environment.
How to style it: After washing, gently towel dry and use a blow dryer with a diffuser to add volume and texture. When the hair is completely dry, sprinkle in light styling powder to add separation.
The Low Fade Fringe
What is it? The low fade fringe is cut to the skin low around the ears and back and tapered into a significant length on top. In this example, the client’s naturally wavy hair is enhanced with additional texture and volume.
How to style it: After washing, gently towel dry and use a blow dryer with a diffuser to add volume and texture. When the hair is completely dry, sprinkle in light styling powder to add volume and texture. This versatile style can also be parted and combed neatly for a more formal look (with just a bit of an edge).
The High Fade Fringe
What is it? The high fade fringe is a high fade blended into a short top. While the fringe is cut somewhat bluntly high on the forehead, the texture is added to the top (clipper cut with a long guard) through styling.
How to style it: This is a super-easy style to create at home. After drying the hair with a towel, work in a dime-sized amount of styling clay through the top and comb the hair forward. Next, insert the comb near the back of the head, and comb forward while subtly moving the comb side to side.
The Mid Fade Fringe
What is it? This is a simple and somewhat conservative style like the high fade fringe. The hair on the sides and back is faded to the skin about 1” over the ear and blended into about two inches on top. The front hairline is cut blunt. Like the high fade fringe, texture is added to the top with shears and grooming product.
How to style it: After drying the hair with a towel, use a dime-sized amount of styling product through the top and comb the hair forward. Next, scrunch the hair with your fingers to add texture and a bit of height. For product, you can use pomade for a high shine style or clay for a matte finish.
The Soft Fringe
What is it? The soft fringe is a great option for guys with straight, fine hair. It’s essentially a short taper or fade around the sides and back that blends into four or five inches on top. For versatility, this style can be brushed neatly with either a side or middle part for a more groomed, formal look.
How to style it: Remember my rule of thumb for styling products: the finer the hair, the lighter the product; the thicker the hair, the heavier the product. For this style, blow dry the hair completely while scrunching it with fingers to add volume and texture. For styling products, a light powder is the perfect option to add control, texture, and volume without weighing the hair down.
The Tapered Fringe
What is it? The tapered fringe haircut is a classic taper with texture added to the top and fringe, cut using a shear-point technique and creative styling. It’s a versatile short style that can still be neatly styled for a more conservative look.
How to style it: I feel like I’m beating a dead horse, but styling, blow dry the hair completely while scrunching it with fingers to add volume and texture. For styling products, a light powder is the perfect option to add control, texture, and volume without weighing the hair down.
The Textured Burst Fade
What is it? Part burst fade, part modern mullet, 100% stylish. The hair is faded to the skin at the sideburn and blends into a short mullet in the back. Texture is added with a shear-point technique and additional depth and texture is added with blonde highlights at the tip.
How to style it: Dry, scrunch, powder. By now, if you’ve read the rest of this article, you know the drill.
The Mod
What is it? The Mod is a haircut that was transported to the present day directly from 1967. It is a medium-length layer cut in which the stylist uses a razor to deconstruct the perimeter of the haircut. In layman’s terms, it’s shaggy around the edges.
How to style it: Dry, scrunch, powder, scrunch. You get the drill by now.
The Mid Fade Caesar
What is it? The mid fade Caesar is faded midway up the sides and back and blended into the top (no lines or disconnection here). Another great option for the guy who wants a short option that can go from the office to the club without missing a beat.
How to style it: For a more subtle texture, towel dry the hair and work a bit of matte clay through it, scrunching it with your fingers until the desired texture is achieved. For the guy with finer hair, use powder instead of clay to prevent weighing down the hair.
The Short Shag
What is it? This short shag haircut is scissor fairly short at the sides and back (about 2 inches long) and gradually tapers into about five inches on top. A razor was used to deconstruct the perimeter of the hair.
How to style it. Dry, scrunch, repeat. The blow dryer with a diffuser is your best friend here!
The Wavy High Fade
What is it? This style is a French Crop with a high side and back fade and a blunt-cut fringe. The hair is a few inches long on top and textured with shears.
How to style it: Once the hair is dry, add a matte-finish styling paste and distribute it throughout. Comb all the hair on the top forward, insert a wide-tooth comb at the crown, and move it toward the front and side to side to create a subtle wave. For added texture and a more deconstructed wave, replace the styling comb with fingers and tousle the hair from side to side.
The Curly Mullet
What is it? This curly mullet is a great option for those with natural curls (or feeling bold enough to get a perm). The hair is cut close over the ears on the sides and left long on the top and in the back.
How to style it: Work a small amount of curl cream throughout the hair and dry on low heat with a blow dryer and diffuser in a circular motion to enhance curl. For hold and a “beachy” look, finish with a spritz of sea salt spray and give it a little scrunch with your fingers.
The Modern Short Mullet
I really love the subtle detail of this haircut. The sideburn and temples are faded out, while gradually getting longer in the back, which is blocked at a point. The top is texturized with shears to enhance the model’s natural texture.
How to style it. Dry it, powder it, scrunch it while pulling the hair on top forward, allowing the fringe to rest just above the eyebrows.
You may have noticed I have used the term “scrunch” ten times in this article. Scrunching the hair with an appropriate styling product is key to achieving great texture.
The Curly Top Fade
What is it? Sam has a great head of curly red hair. He wanted something short and faded but also wanted to maintain the curl. So, we did a low, tight taper on the sides and back and left enough length on top for the curl to take center stage.
How to style it: You’ll be surprised to hear this, but I blow-dried Sam’s hair with a diffuser to enhance the curl. I then added a sea-salt spray to provide separation to maintain the curl and enhance texture.
The Low Taper Fade
What is it? Wesley is a firefighter and maintains a short haircut, but he also enjoys something with style. I did a low fade on the sides and back and cut the top to about three inches using a point-cutting technique to enhance his natural texture.
How to style it: You guessed it–I used a diffuser and scrunching to create volume and texture. Since his hair already has great texture, I used a light styling foam to give a bit of shine and separation.
The Textured Quiff
What is it? Matt is one of my favorite clients and mostly lets me do what I think is cool with his hair. For this style, I gave him a high skin fade (taken to skin with a foil shaver) and blended into two and a half inches on top. I added texture with a point-cutting technique to add texture.
How to style it. I blow-dried the hair up and back to create height. When the hair was completely dry, I added my favorite powder and gave individual sections a twist with my fingers and, of course, a bit of scrunching to add more texture.
How to Ask for a Textured Fringe Haircut
Take a photo with you!
A picture really is the easiest way to show your barber or stylist what you want. Because men’s hair terminology varies greatly from barber-to-barber, a photo is the only way to ensure you get close to the style you are trying to achieve.
Be sure to listen to your barber/stylist’s advice regarding products and make sure they show you how to use them!
Tools and Products
Throughout this article, I mentioned blow-drying with a diffuser and styling with powders, pomades, or clays, so I thought it would be helpful to provide suggestions on some of my favorite tools and products.
FURTHER READING
Blow Dryer
Over the years, I’ve used about every blow dryer known to man, and I inevitably drop one and break it every few months. Because of my natural clumsiness, I used to buy cheap blow dryers until I decided to bite the bullet and try the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer.
I’ll never use another dryer again. It is quiet, dries quickly without damaging the hair, and has many useful attachments. The Conair Infinitipro 1875 Watt FloMotion Pro Hair Dryer will do the trick for the budget conscience.
Styling Products
Styling powders are relatively new, and I’m here for them.
My favorite powders both come from STMNT: The Spray Powder and Wax Powder are both similar in function, but I love the Spray Powder, with its unique applicator, for fine or thinning hair.
I love Oil Can Grooming Benchmark Classic Cream for a styling cream that adds gentle hold and a natural shine. For a stronger hold with a matte finish, my favorite is Baxter of California Clay Pomade. For the beachy look, you can’t beat s salt spray for shine and texture. For this effect, I always turn to Uppercut Deluxe Salt Spray.
A wide-tooth comb or brush is essential for textured styles. The Giorgio G49 is a terrific comb for around $10. The Conair Gel Grips Vent Hair Brush is a solid choice for a brush.
Now that you know many of the varying types of textured fringe haircuts and have the knowledge of styling tools and products, go out and let your textured fringe fly.
Stay handsome.
