33 Trouble-free Military Haircuts That Protect And Serve Until The End!

While a haircut mostly shapes the impression of an individual, the attributes it carries can also be a pivotal point in how much effort one can contribute in the battlefield. One of the many genres that allows members from law enforcement to put their best foot forward when protecting and serving is the world of military cuts, which comes in various forms.

A military cut mostly lacks size on top and around the size, in hopes of allowing the wearer to move in a rapidly fast fashion, regardless of what they do. Alongside being one of the more masculine options, a military haircut is also known for the low-maintenance routine it tends to provide.

At the moment, there are various ways in which one can dive into the trend of wearing military haircuts, which can be the perfect design if your lifestyle requires you to partake in physically intensive activities. And if you’re seeking a hub that will give you access to all the trending designs, this article should suffice!

What is a Military Haircut?

Technically, there is no such thing as a military haircut or an army haircut. There are regulations that military members need to follow, but that still leaves room for adopting different hairstyles. That is why you won’t see them all with the exact same haircut.

Also, the regulations have changed a lot over the years, and will continue changing. However, there are some common features that you will find in military hairstyles.

The obvious one is that they’re all pretty short. You can’t have hair longer than 2 inches in the military. While some cut their hair as short as they can, others like to use whatever length they are allowed.

The hair at the sides and the back are often more shortened than the front. It is also pretty common for military personnel to have a taper or a fade.

We also need to mention that different haircuts like Burr cut, Buzz cut or High and Tight are often called military haircuts. They are definitely popular hairstyles which are common among military personnel, but it is not necessary for them to precisely adopt these styles.

33 Ways to Style a Military Haircut for Modern Men

We have handpicked some brilliant military haircuts for men. Some of them stay true to the roots, some of them are modern interpretations of the classic style. But, we guarantee that there is something for everyone. Go through the list and see what works for you.

High Contrast Buzz Cut with Skin Fade

One of the rituals in the military is to wear a buzz cut almost always, which remains a favorable candidate on this list. And although a buzz cut is often praised for its masculinity, its flexibility usually goes unnoticed.

One of the designs that shows how versatile a buzz cut can be is this high contrast buzz cut, which blends marvelously with a skin fade. The option is pretty low maintenance, being a great companion for those with tight schedules.

Feathered Butch Cut with 2 On The Side

After a week or two, a military buzz cut can easily go out of place and shape, transforming into a butch cut over the subsequent days. However, if you don’t want to go back to square one, but also don’t want to deal with a disheveled mess, try adding a butch cut with a 2 on the side.

The length of a 2 on the side, also known as a 2 on the sides cut, will be of great help if you’re seeking a subtle separation between the hair and beard. It can even benefit your facial features by sharpening the jawline, chin, and cheekbones.

Cropped Buzz Cut with Zero Fade

Crop cuts are on the rise right now, and it’s quite easy to see why. They’re trendy, offer a fair amount of density, and low maintenance. On top of that, they’re quite compatible with any kind of fade haircut, from tapers to skin fades.

When push comes to shove, however, the best combination that qualifies as a military haircut involves the mix of a cropped buzz with a zero fade, which can very well be one of the frontrunners.

Organized Military Hard Part with Low Fade

Creating angular haircuts is probably the best possible look to resort to when seeking a military cut, such as this organized hard part. The hairdo has structure, tons of volume, and provides a firm hold that is solid as a rock.

With a low fade, one can highlight the visuals on top. It can even be beneficial for their face, as the design can also enhance one’s jawline.

Polished Slicked Comb Over with Taper Fade

A slicked comb over is an alternative to the previous option, providing more mobility overall. It contains a natural flow on top, which covers the crown rather delicately. The hairdo is often formed without wax, although it looks better with some hair mousse.

This slicked comb over is a great look for the disconnection it provides, alongside its clean cut visuals. If you have a stubble, don’t forget to install the skin fade.

Glossy Gentleman’s Slick Back with Disconnected Undercut

 

A disconnected undercut can also be a quick and easy way to obtain a military-esque look. To match the clean and bald fade on the side, however, going for something that contains length and volume on top might be a must-have. But if you’ve got no idea what we’re talking about, resort to this slick back.

A gentleman’s slick back is a great look for everyday occasions. With a little bit of pomade, it can even accompany you in formal settings!

Angular Mohawk with Skin Fade

Though most prefer wearing designs that are limited in size, a military haircut with some length as well as tons of lightweight feel is a short mohawk, which can be a great look at social gatherings as well.

The texture on this hairdo is great for fine hair, as it adds to the fullness of the shaft. Adding a skin fade can be great if you’re seeking a solid beard to hair disconnection. On the contrary, if you’ve got a clean-shaven face, perhaps blends will suit you better.

Natural Textured Cut with Drop Fade

A drop fade can actually add to the density of your existing strands if you’re already sticking to a military haircut as promising as a textured cut. The design underneath also gives tons of mobility for the cuticles on top to work with, which is often pretty apparent when the textured cut is styled with products.

If you’ve got a beard, you’re in for a treat, since the visuals of this hairdo create a disconnection between the hair and the face, bringing more light to distinct facial features. Reducing flyaways is also a selling point of this combination.

1. The Burr Cut

This is as short as a hairstyle can possibly get. It is also known as the Induction cut, which means the first haircut you get when you join the army.

This haircut looks like you have tried your best to shave off your head, but you left a few millimeters. It is just extremely short hair all around your head.

However, do not think that you can’t look incredibly hot by carrying a burr cut. David Beckham rocked a burr cut, and turned it from a military haircut into a mainstream success.

Apart from him, other international heartthrobs like Ryan Gosling, Adam Levine, and Channing Tatum have also appeared in a burr cut.

2. The Butch Cut

When your hair grows a bit after getting a burr cut, it looks like the butch cut. It is often called the Brush cut as well.

For this style, the length of your hair will be a little longer than the burr cut, but still buzzed pretty short. The main philosophy of this haircut is having the same length on the front, the back, and the sides.

If you like your hairstyle to be celebrity approved, even then this is a dependable one. From Chris Evans to Dave Franco, from Justine Timberlake to Tom Holland, this hairstyle has been adopted by many celebrities over the years.

3. The Buzz Cut

Buzz cut is one of the most popular military haircuts for men. The fact that it gives a sharp appearance to anyone while being really low maintenance, makes it an easy choice.

This style belongs to the same family as the previous two. The length for this one will be around the same as a butch cut. But, you get a cool contrast with this one.

You need to trim your hair really short, and keep the hair on the front a bit longer than the back and the sides. This contrast turns this short hairstyle into quite a striking one.

4. The Crew Cut

After going through a few really short styles, let’s get some length shall we? Well, if you increase your hair length a bit from a buzz cut, you will get a crew cut.

Also, you need to have more hair on the front than the rest of your head. This can be a more appealing length while still being not too long.

As you have some length now, you can play with your crew cut. You can add a fade or a taper to give this haircut more character. You can also style the front hair as you like. We have a bunch of other suggestions on this list about how to style similar length hair.

5. The Flat Top

This is probably the most recognizable military haircut. Whenever you see a stern army officer on a movie or a TV show, chances are high that they have this same haircut.

However, this haircut is not only for army personnel. A lot of celebrities and people in general are seen carrying the flat top style quite frequently.

For this style, your front hair is spiked up or made to face upwards. And, the front hair looks like a flat deck. You can leave the sides and the back as they are, or trim it short, or completely shave them off to create a contrast and bring more focus to the front.

6. Side Part Comb Over

As far as military haircuts are concerned, this is one sophisticated style. As military personnel are allowed a bit more length now, a lot of them are going for this style.

To attain this style, you need to create a side partition. Then, use a comb and sweep your hair on one side. The hair on the other side needs to be much shorter in comparison.

This hairstyle is perfect for those who can’t afford or don’t want to have too short hair. It is also perfectly appropriate for both formal and casual occasions.

7. Swept Back Hair

Here is another suave and dependable style. It is also a really easy-to-do military haircut and will suit you on almost every occasion.

There should be no partitions for this hairstyle. As the name suggests, you just need to sweep all your hair back. It creates a flowy style and gives you a slick look.

However, if your hairline is receding and you have an issue with that, we would suggest not going for this style regularly. Swept back hair will not help in improving the situation in any way. Otherwise, you can definitely choose this neat style.

8. Short Pompadour

There is no denying the charm of a pompadour. As you can’t go for a long and lavish one while trying an army haircut, you can try a short pomp instead.

The length of your hair needs to be like a crew cut. In that way, you can turn the longer hair on the front into a short pompadour.

It is better if the hair is much shorter on the back. That will bring more attention to your pompadour on the front. As for the sides, you can go for a high or mid fade to spice things up.

9. High and Tight

This one is the most accurate military haircut you will find. Actual members of U.S. armed forces frequently have this haircut. It is also called “walkers” by many people.

You need to completely shave off the sides and the back for this style. Only the top area will have hair. Even that will be trimmed really short like a buzz cut. There will be no hair starting from the crown.

The bold contrast created in this style will give you an overall assured and steely appearance. If you are a fan of those kinds of looks, you won’t find a better hairstyle than this.

10. The Recon

If you are looking for a variant of the high and tight hairstyle, you can give the recon a try. High and tight recon, or simply known as just the recon, is named this way because of its association with reconnaissance units of the U.S. army, marines and navy.

It’s just like a high and tight haircut, but with a bit more hair and covering more area. For this style, your hair will go further back and cover the upper crown area.

Your hair will also cover the sides a bit more. With longer hair, the recon will look like a refined version of the high and tight.

11. Side Swept Taper

This hairstyle is for the ones who are a bit conservative with their style. It is completely okay if you don’t want your hair too short or expose too much skin.

You can just go for a class side sweep style. Create a side partition and sweep your longer hair on one side.

Add a mid taper to this style, and you now have a dapper look. This is a great hairstyle and loved by military members who prefer longer hair. Also, check out this link if you are confused between the difference between a taper and a fade.

12. Lined Up Fade

A line-up haircut, also known as shape-up or edge-up, is when you follow your natural hairline and cut your front hair along that line. So, you’d end up with absolutely no fringe.

You need to keep the hair short overall. Finally, add a high fade or drop fade to your lined up hair to create the magic.

This is a hugely popular style, especially among the African-American military personnel. It might look like a simple hairstyle, but it catches a lot of attention. You should definitely give this impactful style a try at least once.

13. Messy French Crop

We know what you are thinking. Yes we agree that this is not a strictly military haircut. It is mostly taking inspiration from the shorter hair on the sides and the back.

If you are not in the military yourself, you do not have the restrictions on trying something fancy on your front hair. So, you can go for a messy fringe style. Apply a hair product or just use your fingers to create that messy look.

Unlike all the other styles on this list, you will have a chill and laid back vibe with this. If that is your jam, you can definitely go for this one.

14. Military 360 Waves

360 waves are becoming more common in the military nowadays. Why not try the most unique member of the buzz cut family?

You first need to trim your hair really short to get this style. When your hair starts growing and the curls start forming, then you need to constantly brush and comb your hair to get the desired ripple-like wavy pattern.

You also need to apply wave pomade and moisturizer, and wear a durag to keep the style in its place. Do not miss out on this amazing style if you have curly hair.

15. Military Mohawk

That’s right, the mohawk doesn’t only belong to the punk subculture and the rebels. The military has a mohawk of its own. This style became most famous when Robert De Nero’s character adopted it in Taxi Driver.

Like a usual mohawk, the sides will be completely shaved off, and there will be a strip of hair from the front to the back. This hair at the center will be the only hair on your head.

The height will be much less than usual, and the strip of hair will be quite short. You can also avoid going all the way and stop at the middle part of the crown. This bold style is only for the bravest and the most courageous ones.

16. Regulation Cut

Not a lot of people know that this class hairstyle has roots in the military. When you think about a regular average-length haircut, this one probably comes to your mind.

However, being a common hairstyle does not mean that this is a bland one. This style suits almost every man, and that is why it has always been a safe, smart and popular choice.

So, you are welcome to try out this ever-dependable hairstyle.Not everyone needs to go for an eccentric or extravagant haircut, and kudos to you if you can make this style work for you.

17. Short Quiff Mid Fade

Now, we have another tasteful hairstyle for you. This style is bound to give you a smart and dignified appearance.

First, you need a side part. You need to then create the quiff style on the side with the longer hair. As it is a military haircut, you will have shorter hair, and the quiff will be smaller.

But, this quiff will look fantastic when you add a mid fade to the sides. The blend of the side part, the quiff, and the fade makes this an exquisite combination.

18. Slick Back Undercut

All the credit goes to Brad Pitt for making this hairstyle into a sensational hit. As soon as he appeared with this style in Fury, it became popular instantly.

For this style, you need to shave off or really shorten the hair on the sides and the back. Then, you have to sweep back your front hair to create the slick back style.

The long hair should go down till the mid-crown area. This hairstyle can give you the perfect combination of confidence and elegance.

19. Military Ivy League

The Ivy League hairstyle originated in Harvard, and is also called the Harvard Clip or Princton. It is basically a variation of the crew cut.

You will have long enough hair on the front that allows you to do a side part. The hair at the crown, the sides, and the back will be much shorter. The longer hair on the front will be combed and swept on one side.

Many beloved celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal have adopted this hairstyle at some point. It’s understandable because it’s hard to resist the charm of this style.

20. Short Spikes

This hairstyle allows you to have some fun with your front hair. Again, the hair length should be like a crew cut, and let’s face it you can’t really go much longer than that in a military haircut.

With the help of a cream or gel, spike up your front hair. The rest of the hair will be shorter than the front.

You can also add a mid or high fade to make the spikes feel more alive.This is a fun hairstyle that you can try while still sticking to the military root.

21. Disconnected Hard Part

This is another strong look for the bold and confident gentlemen. This is a more striking version of a traditional side part hairstyle.

Create a side partition to begin. Then shave off entirely one side of your head. All your front hair should fall on the other side.

You can trim short the back as well for more contrast. The lack of hair length elsewhere will bring all the focus on the comb over front hair.

22. Curly Military Haircut

It is true that a military haircut is not the best way to show off someone’s amazing curly hair. But, if you really want to go for one, do not let us stop you.

In fact, we have some suggestions. The easiest way to achieve a military-inspired look is to just shorten your curly hair, and add a high or skin fade.

You can also try the curly version of a flat top. If you have a long face, a curly flat top will gel perfectly with you.

23. Wavy Taper

While we are on the topic of non-straight hair types, let’s not leave out the ones with wavy hair. We got ideas for you as well.

While we suggested fades for curly hair, we would recommend tapers to wavy hair. A taper will not disrupt the natural flow of wavy hair like a fade, and will rather complement it.

You can also go for a messy fringe style. You will only have long hair on the front and you need to create a messy vibe for the front hair. This style completely suits wavy hair.

24. Army Inspired Dyed Hair

If you like dying your hair and you are in the army, then you have very limited options. According to the regulations, you can only dye your hair natural colors.

You can not choose anything eccentric like green, blue or red. However, if you are not in  the army, and you just like this haircut, then there is nothing stopping you.

Dye your hair any color your heart wants. If you don’t want to dye all your hair, you can just go for a two-toned style, and color a portion of your hair. This will work better if you have some contrast in length. Then different colors for longer and shorter hair will look absolutely dashing.

25. Bold & Bald

Can shaving all your hair off be called a hairstyle? We would say yes. Because, you are actively deciding to go for a look that you think will suit you.

Apart from having short hair, it is also pretty common in the military to shave off hair completely. So, why not follow the same route yourself?

This will save a lot of your time. You don’t need to worry about styling your hair or maintaining your hairstyle. It is a bold and strong style statement on its own.

Why are Military Haircuts so Short?

Let’s discuss why it is necessary for military members to have short hair. There are actually a couple of logical reasons.

The first reason is that it is more hygienic to have short hair. Shorter hair is easier to manage as well. You can’t afford spending your time taking care of your long hair when you are training in the military.

There is also the fear of lice. If one person has lice, he can spread them to the entire unit. Having short hair prevents that from happening.

Everyone having similar length hair creates a sense of uniformity. It helps with team building and makes everyone feel like members of the same community.

There is also the tactical advantage. It is so much better having short hair in training or in combat. Your hair won’t get stuck anywhere, and the opponent can’t grab your hair to dominate you.

Short hair makes wearing all kinds of headgears easier as well. Because of all these reasons, military members always have short haircuts.

Why Should You Go for a Military Haircut?

Now that we know why the men in the army have to have short haircuts, the question is should you follow the same route as well?

You will have some similar advantages as them. It is so much easier to manage and maintain shorter hairstyles. You will save a lot of your time and also be more hygienic.

Military haircuts are all very neat and tidy. You can carry this style anywhere, anytime, and it will not feel out of place. It is always dependable and always appropriate.

A military haircut will give you an appearance like no other. Apart from giving you an attractive look, it will give you an overall assured and confident appearance.

So, if you want these from your hairstyle, you can definitely give the military haircut a go. If you are looking for styling options, we got you covered in the next section.

Maintenance Guide for a Military Haircut

Although a military haircut is a fairly low-maintenance style, you should not neglect the basic necessities. That means do not avoid regular cleaning with shampoo, and applying conditioner and/or moisturizer on your hair.

If you have a fade or taper in your hairstyle, you will need to visit the barber every one or two weeks to keep the style crisp and fresh. The same goes for really short styles like the high and tight, buzz cut, or burr cut.

It’s not necessary if you want to just let the hair grow out. Also, you can easily do it at home as well, if it is not convenient for you to visit the barber frequently.

You will just need an electric trimmer, and by using the right guard you can get the desired length you want. You can use a safety razor to shave off hair if you want.

While shaving off your hair partially or completely is a great style statement, it will be risky for the ones who have sensitive skin. Remember that your skin is more exposed now, so do wear something on your head when the weather is too hot or too chilly.

Follow these simple suggestions, and you have nothing to worry about. These tips will protect your hair from all kinds of harm and give you a fresh look always.

Final Words

Before we end this article, we need to mention that all the styles we have discussed are just military-inspired. If you are actually joining the armed forces, you will not be able to have a lot of these haircuts.

Do carefully go through the regulations to learn what is acceptable and what is not. You can check out this course if you want to do your hairstyle by yourself.

As for the rest of you who are just looking for your next awesome hairstyle, we have presented you some delectable military haircuts for men.

Choose whatever you want, and be as bold or as subtle as you like. These are all amazing hairstyles, most of which are suitable for any occasion.

So, follow your intuition, figure out which one suits you the most, and then present to the world your brand new snappy look.

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