Hair cuts

[Dinerman]

Just take those photos to a barber who knows what they're doing.

 

[Patrick Hall]

What kind of haircut did J. Edgar Hoover have? How would I tell my barber to replicate it--scissor over comb, clippers, razor? What sort of gel should I use to keep it in place? How short or long on top? Is there a name for it?

This is a standard "clipper fade." Looks like a 1 or a 0 ("balded out") on the sides, faded up to scissor length on top. Hoover combed the scissor length hair on top straight back, and looks to have used pomade or brylcreem to keep it looking slick. His hair clearly had some natural volume and wave to it which gives the texture.

 

[herringbonekid]

i haven't seen the slanted fade revived yet by the younger generation:

anyone here tried it ?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I got all my hair cut off and restyled to resemble this cut. I love the insouciant, ruffled look of it. It even looks great after a long ride under my cycling cap.

 

[simonc]

its the only way to cut the front sides is up towards the peak hitting the side bones in the skull.

 

[herringbonekid]

glad to hear you've come back around to the proper haircut Baron.

 

[resortes805]

i haven't seen the slanted fade revived yet by the younger generation:

anyone here tried it ?

Yes, this my consistent haircut now.

It is actually a harder haircut to do, since it goes against what contemporary barbers are taught to do.

 

[simonc]

You know ^ you can increase the angle even greater to hit your hairline and it will look even better.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Until next winter!

glad to hear you've come back around to the proper haircut Baron.

 

[LordJohnRoxton]

Looking for Barbers in Southern California

I'm sure that this is a question which has been asked more than a few times, but since I've been away for quite a bit I shall ask it all the same.

Does anybody have any recommendations for quality barbers in Southern California? I would really like to find somewhere to go in for a shave and hot towel as well walk out with a classic hairstyle. I've been to a few promising places over the years, but their skills seemed to be centered on a pomp... which is not what I'm looking for.

 

[herringbonekid]

Yes, this my consistent haircut now....It is actually a harder haircut to do, since it goes against what contemporary barbers are taught to do.

a very 1920s hairstyle.
your overall look isn't 1920s... what made you decide on that cut ?

 

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Now here's a chap with a haircut so damn sharp you could cut yourself on it. Taken yesterday at The Sheringham 40s Weekend.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I decided to try out my theory that the best, most economic place (I could use Mr Natty, but tbh I baulk at £45 minimum for a haircut. i ain't a lady!) to find a barber who can do a good fade w/ whitewalls was a barber who caters mostly to Turkish, Pakistani and Bangladeshi youth around the ages 15-30. All these guys that I see in my area (they are the majority population here) get haircuts with extreme fade and length on top. My theory was that because these young chaps take their hair so seriously, there must be a corps of barbers skilled enough to maintain said hair.

So, I looked for the street with the highest number of barbers (7 that I counted) and looked for the one where 1) the barbers had such haircuts, 2) where there was a queue of customers of the right demographic, and 3) where there were no white folks in the queue.

I was sure to not take any pictures of Nazis, or a Nazi officer lookbook of the type posted earlier, as I suspect this would not go down well in such an establishment. I did however use this picture from the first page of this thread.

This is what I ended up with, which to my eyes looks like a good approximation. For those more into haircuts and barbering than me: Is this well executed, or not? I think the beard helps to assuage the Nazi look. The cut retains a solid 7" of hair in front, tapering back, another attempt at the D. Fairbanks Jr cut posted before in the thread.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The upshot: if you have an area in your city that is dominated by Turks, or Indian subcontinentals of the Islamic variety, find the barber who does the hair for the youth. that's where you'll get a cheap cut in 20s-40s styles if you ask for it.

 

[Two Types]

it looks like the barber made a good job of it. I don't know if it's the angle, but your cut appears to have more of an arc to it, as opposed to the straight line in the original image.

 

[Fastuni]

Good hair cut, Baron. I concur with your observation. Here around it is also the Turkish/Arab Barbers that can do this well and reasonably priced.
Though it generally has been become easier to obtain also from other haircutters/barbers since the "Hipster(-esque) fad" made faded sides with long top fashionable for a wider audience.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Thanks chaps.

TT: Yes, I also had a picture of J. Cagney to illustrate the more curved finish I wanted, though his was cut far above his temples. So, I wanted the height of the Nazi, but the curve of Cagney, and the length in front of Fairbanks Jr. I can see why Mr Topper's refused to cut his for me. It took a long time. With at least 8 different clipper heads to achieve the fading. Funnily enough, this guy was much cheaper than Mr Topper's, and a darn site better, too!

it looks like the barber made a good job of it. I don't know if it's the angle, but your cut appears to have more of an arc to it, as opposed to the straight line in the original image.

 

[Two Types]

"I wanted the height of the Nazi, but the curve of Cagney"
That's not something you hear every day!

 

[simonc]

BK you can take the side up as high as the side bone at your head, just before it begins to round, that is the marker, for future ref. However now there is an issue, I would blend in the sides of the beard to your hairline by taking your razor down from just above your ear down to your earlobe and then trim or fade up the beard below that into the smooth skin where your sidies would have been between the arrows - http://screencast.com/t/1sFFbnvHM0

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The side height was dictated by the level at which my hats sit. I hate leather against my skin, and put up with it in the forehead area, but having leather contact my sin all the way around would be awful and so the hair can't be cut any higher.

I quite like the striking abruptness of the beard-hair transition for now. Very hipsterish, I know.