The taper fade,
properly explained.
The short answer: a taper fade is a haircut where the hair is graded from the length on top down to a short length at the sides and back, stopping before bare skin. It costs £20 at all four Crew Barbers shops in West London. The height of the taper (low, mid or high) sets how sharp the cut looks.
Book direct: Isleworth Brentford Whitton Teddington
What is
a taper fade?
A taper fade grades the hair down at the sides and back to a short length, then stops there. It never reaches bare skin, which is what separates it from a skin fade. The gradient still runs smoothly from the length on top down to the shortest point at the neckline, so it reads as neat and deliberate rather than an obvious clipper line. It works well on straight, wavy, curly and coily hair alike, and it’s the cut most people mean when they just ask for "a fade" without anything more specific.
If you’re deciding between a taper and going all the way to skin, we’ve put the two head to head in a separate taper fade vs skin fade comparison.
What is a low
taper fade?
A low taper fade starts close to the hairline, around the ears and at the nape of the neck, and leaves the rest of the sides at their natural length. It is the subtlest of the three tapers. The shortest point is small and sits low, so it changes the shape of your hair less than a mid or high taper, and it grows out softly, which means you can leave it a little longer between visits.
It suits anyone who wants a tidy finish without strong contrast, and it works on straight, wavy, curly and coily hair. If you want the edges to stay crisp, book around the three-week mark. If you are happy with a softer edge, four weeks is usual. Ask for a low taper, say how much length you want on top, and tell your barber whether you want the neckline faded or blocked.
High, mid
or low.
Same idea as a skin fade: where the taper starts changes how sharp the finish looks.
High taper
Starts higher up the head, giving more contrast against the top without going all the way to skin. A middle ground between a taper and a skin fade. Good for a clean, sharp look.
Mid taper
Starts around the ear. The most requested taper at Crew, since it looks sharp fresh out the chair and still holds its shape three weeks later. Good for most people.
Low taper
Starts low, close to the hairline. The subtlest option, and the one that grows out the most gracefully of the three. Good for the longest gaps between visits.
How we cut it
at Crew.
A taper fade starts the same way every cut does: a quick look at what you’ve had before and what you want to change. Clippers work down through the guards, grading the length gradually rather than jumping straight to a short guard, so there’s no visible step where one length meets the next. It’s £20 at every shop, the same as a skin fade, and finishes with the same hot-towel neck treatment as everything else on the board.
Which taper
suits you.
Most of the choice comes down to your hair and how much contrast you want. This is what we talk through in the chair.
Straight or fine hair
A taper shows the gradient cleanly on straight hair, so it’s a good choice if you want the cut to look tidy without being dramatic. A mid taper with a little length on top is the usual starting point.
Wavy or curly hair
The taper keeps the sides short and neat while the curls on top keep their shape. Leave enough length up top for the curl to show, and keep the taper low or mid so the sides don’t look cut off from the top.
Thick or coily hair
The gradient is easy to see on thick hair, so a clean taper stands out. High tapers give the sharpest contrast. Low tapers grow out more softly if you’d rather book less often.
If you want bare skin at the bottom, read our skin fade guide. Face shape matters too: taller tapers add contrast, lower ones soften. We cover it in our haircut for your face shape guide.
What to ask
for.
"A fade" can mean several different cuts, so a few specifics save a second visit. Tell your barber:
- Where the taper starts: low (near the hairline), mid (around the ear) or high.
- How short it goes at the bottom: short but never bare skin for a true taper. If you want skin at the very bottom only, ask for a skin taper.
- The length on top: a guard number, or show with your fingers how much you want to keep.
- The neckline: tapered (fades out naturally) or blocked (a hard straight edge).
- A photo: from the front and the side, if you have one. It removes the guesswork.
Keeping it
sharp.
A taper grows out gently, but the neckline and the hair around the ears show it first. Around four weeks is when most people come back for a refresh. If your hair grows quickly, or you like the edges crisp, three weeks keeps it looking just-cut.
Between cuts, comb the top the way you wear it and leave the sides alone. Leave the neckline to your barber. The shape is easy to throw off at home.
Taper fades
from the chair.
Common
questions.
How much is a taper fade at Crew Barbers?
£20, the same as a skin fade, at every one of our four West London shops.
How often do I need to come back?
A taper fade holds its shape for around four weeks, similar to a low or mid skin fade, and longer than a high skin fade, since there’s no bare-skin line to grow back in.
Does a taper fade suit curly hair?
Yes. It works with straight, wavy, curly or coily hair, and tends to sit a little softer against curls than a skin fade does.
What’s the difference between a taper fade and a skin fade?
A taper leaves a short length of hair at the sides rather than shaving down to skin, which is what a skin fade does instead. See our taper fade vs skin fade comparison for the full breakdown.
Can I walk in for a taper fade, or do I need to book?
Walk-ins are welcome at every Crew shop, seven days a week. Book ahead on Booksy if you want a specific barber or time.
What is a taper fade haircut?
A taper fade haircut grades the hair gradually shorter down the sides and back, from the length on top to a short length at the neckline and around the ears. It stops short of bare skin, so it looks neat without a hard line.
What is a skin taper fade?
A skin taper, or tapered skin fade, is faded to bare skin only at the very bottom, around the neckline and sideburns, and left longer above. It sits between a taper fade and a skin fade. Tell your barber if that is what you want.
Which taper should I ask for: high, mid or low?
A low taper is the subtlest and grows out best. A mid taper, starting around the ear, is the most requested at Crew. A high taper gives more contrast and sits closest to a skin fade. See our taper fade vs skin fade comparison if you are choosing between the two.
What is a low taper fade?
A low taper fade starts close to the hairline, above the ears and at the nape of the neck, and leaves the sides at their natural length. It is the subtlest taper and grows out the most softly.
Which is better, a low fade or a low taper?
Neither is better for everyone. A low taper stops before bare skin and grows out softly, so it needs fewer visits. A low fade goes down to skin, which gives a sharper contrast and needs a refresh sooner. Pick the taper for a quiet finish and the fade for a bolder one. Our taper fade vs skin fade comparison sets the two side by side.
What should I tell my barber to get a taper fade?
Say where the taper starts (low, mid or high), how short it finishes, how much length to keep on top, and whether you want a faded or blocked neckline. A photo from the front and side removes the guesswork. A true taper never reaches bare skin. If you want skin only at the very bottom, ask for a skin taper.
Does a taper fade work for kids?
Yes. We cut kids' fades for £15 and kids' cuts for £13 at every shop, and a low taper is a common choice for school.
Can I have a taper fade with a beard?
Yes. The taper on the sides can blend into the beard. A beard trim or hot-towel wet shave is £13, and a trim and shape-up is £18.
Book your taper fade.
£20 at every Crew shop, same as a skin fade.
Book direct: Isleworth Brentford Whitton Teddington