Dealing with thinning hair or a receding ... or to a very short length, while the hair on top is left longer or styled accordingly. A proper skin fade is an iconic cut, and for lots of good reasons.

"A mid fade starts around the temple," Meekins says. This haircut focuses on shorter hair on the side and more on top. "For those with waves or caesars, the drop fade fades around the ears ...

Some lengths call for the grit and structure of a mattifying putty, for example, while slightly longer hair adheres better with a texturizing powder. Even subtle variations in short haircut length ...