Some fades are daring and demand attention, fading close to the scalp or reducing to skin level, and then some are subtle and wearable like the low taper fade. The appeal of the low taper fade is that it starts around just above the ears, creating less contrast. It is ideal for giving your haircut structure and will make it look neat and polished. It can also highlight the hair on the top of the head, making it appear thicker and fuller. The beauty of this fade is that it can be worn with all hair textures, and you can adapt it to suit the haircut of your choice. If you are looking for a great addition to any hairstyle, or a way to make your hair feel fresh and modern, you need a low taper fade.
1. Low Taper Afro
If you want a fresh way to wear your short afro, pair it with a low taper fade. A low taper fade is a versatile fade with the hair gradually getting shorter from just above the ears and following the hairline to the nape of the neck. It can be created with hair of all textures, and you can experiment with different lengths on top. It is great with Afro-textured hair and can make a short afro hairstyle appear more structured. The fade also removes some of the weight and bulk from the hair, making it easier to style. The low taper is a great way to draw attention to the top of the hair, which can highlight your curls.
2. Low Taper Blowout
The blowout haircut is an appealing style for men who love volume. It was first popularized in the 50s, with the top section of the hair appearing voluminous and full. The rest of the hair is kept short, and for those who want to add a modern touch to this retro style, you can pair it with a low taper fade. The taper gradually shortens the hair, starting around the ears, and gives the look structure. It can also make the hair on the front and top of the head appear thicker and fuller. It is ideal for disguising thinning hair or drawing the eye away from a receding hairline. The blowout also complements most hair textures and can be styled to look messy or sleek, depending on your preference.
3. Low Taper Brushed Back
The brushed back hairstyle features more length on the top of the head, keeping the back and sides shorter. The hair at the front is brushed slightly upward and then backward, creating a dapper appearance. This is a fantastic look to make the hair on the top of the head appear fuller and thicker, and it is sexy and masculine. Pairing the brushed back style with a low taper fade is ideal as the taper will give the haircut a more modern and polished appearance. It is also one of the more versatile fades, and because the hair gradually shortens, it is more subtle in appearance and easier to wear.
4. Low Taper Comb Over
The comb over hairstyle is a classic hairstyle for men and has an old-timey gentlemanly appearance. It is achieved by brushing the hair over to one side of the hair, creating volume on the top. It is an excellent look if your hair is thinning or if you wish to draw attention away from a receding hairline. The comb over hairstyle is simple and versatile and can be adapted to suit your hair texture. Pairing the comb over with a low taper fade makes the hair on top appear fuller and thicker. It also looks more structured and makes the style look neat and polished. You can experiment with different lengths on the top of the head, with longer hair creating more contrast when paired with the taper.
5. Low Taper Curly Hair
The appeal of a low curly taper fade is that it is more subtle than many other faded looks, tapering around the ears and following the hairline to the nape of the neck. It creates a polished appearance and lends itself well to various occasions. It can also be paired with hair of all textures. Curly hair looks great when paired with fades because it gives the hairstyle more structure. The contrast between the curly hair on the top of the head and the fade around the sides and back also highlights the curls. This will also remove some of the curls’ weight and bulk and make them easier to style.
6. Low Taper Faux Hawk
The faux hawk is a subtle version of the mohawk hairstyle, easier to wear and less daring. You still get some of the benefits of the mohawk, with hair appearing longer on the top of the head with shorter sides. Instead of the sides shaved down to the skin, you can try a low taper fade. It will give the hairstyle a more graduated appearance while still making the top of the hair look thick and full. You can experiment with different lengths on the top of the hair, and the hairstyle can be adapted to suit your hair texture. The faux hawk still feels cool but lends itself to more settings and does not take as much confidence to pull off.
7. Low Taper Fade Black Man
The low taper fade can be adapted to suit multiple hairstyles and works with all hair textures. The graduated effect that it creates, which starts just above the ears, adds structure to the look and makes a sleek and polished appearance. Pairing the taper with your curls is a wonderful way to highlight them, as it creates a slight contrast between the sides and back of the hair and the hair on top. It can also remove some of the weight and bulk from the hair. In addition, a low taper fade with Afro-textured hair can make caring for your curls less maintenance. This is a great option for anyone who wants a simple and masculine look.
8. Low Taper Hard Part Curly Hair
A low curly taper fade a stylish and masculine look. The hard part and a low taper fade go well together, giving the look structure. The low taper fade features hair gradually becoming short around the ears, making it more subtle than many other faded styles. The hard part has been popular since the 20s and is defined by the clean line shaved in the hair, which is created with a razor or trimmer. These looks can be adapted to suit hair of all textures, including curly hair. Curly hair looks great when paired with a fade or a hard part, making the curls look neater and polished. It is an excellent way to manage curly hair and remove some of the weight and bulk from the curls.
9. Low Taper Hard Part Slick Back
Pairing a slick back with a hard part is ideal for a masculine and retro appearance. The hard part is defined by a clean line being shaved in the hair, exposing the scalp. It gives you a neat, structured appearance and gives your chosen look a slight edge. The slick back is created by brushing the hair backward away from the hairline and keeping it secured with a wet-look product. You can also add a low taper fade to your hairstyle to give it more structure and create a subtle contrast with the hair on the top of the head. This will make the hair appear thicker and fuller.
10. Low Taper Ivy League
The Ivy League is a simple, classic, and effective hairstyle ideal for men who want to keep their hair short. It gets its name because it first emerged in Ivy League schools and is defined by short hair on the back and sides and longer on the top. You can adapt this low-maintenance look to suit your preference, including a fade like the low taper fade. This subtle and versatile fade creates a graduating effect around the ears and is an excellent addition to all haircuts. The low taper does add structure to the hair and can produce a slight contrast, but it is more subtle than other fades.
11. Low Taper Messy Fringe
The appeal of the low taper is that it can be added to your chosen hairstyle, giving it structure and creating a slight contrast. This is true of styling hair with a messy fringe, and the balance between the unstructured fringe and the structured fade makes for a balanced look. Fringes are a great addition to most haircuts and can give you a youthful appearance. They are also ideal for drawing attention to the face and highlighting the features. Depending on how you wear the fringe, it can disguise problematic skin and hide signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. Fringes work with long hair or short, and there are several options to suit your face shape best.
12. Low Taper Fade Haircut Asian
Asian hair can vary in texture but is generally straight and thick. It can be styled in various ways, including a low taper fade. If you want a low-maintenance asian hairstyle, you can keep the hair short on the top with the backs and sides shorter; with a low taper fade, they will gradually become shorter, starting around an inch above the ears. This fade is more subtle than other options, creating less contrast but still giving the hair structure and looking neat and polished. Depending on how much contrast you wish to make with the fade, you can experiment with different hair lengths on the top.
13. Low Taper Pompadour
Men have long favored pompadour because it is a high-volume hairstyle that makes the hair appear thicker and fuller. The hair at the hairline is brushed upward and backward, while the backs and sides are kept short. It can be adapted to suit your preference, adding modern elements like a fade. A taper fade is perfect with the pompadour, giving the hairstyle structure and creating a slight contrast. The top of the hair will appear even more voluminous. Pairing your pompadour with a fade is also great for reducing style time, giving you a masculine look that is easy to wear.
14. Low Taper Quiff
The quiff hairstyle is defined by the hair being brushed upward and backward from the hairline. The front of the hair appears voluminous, and it is a great way to show off your hair texture. The quiff can be created with various hair textures and lengths and looks good when worn with a fade, as it makes a more polished appearance. The low taper fade is ideal for those who want something more subtle as it does not create such high contrast; the hair gradually shortens, only starting just above the ears.
15. Low Taper Short Spiky Hair
Spiky hair is great because it gives the hair an interesting, textured appearance. You can experiment with various lengths and thicknesses, but the most wearable looks are when the hair is kept short and looks fluffy rather than rigid; you want to avoid the spiky looks of the 90s in favor of something more modern. Spiky hair creates a relaxed and carefree aesthetic, so to balance this, you may wish to pair it with a fade. The appeal of a low taper fade is it gives the hair structure. It is also much easier to wear and more subtle than other faded styles. The hair gradually shortens around the ears and to the nape of the neck.
16. Low Taper Short Textured Hair
Textured hair gives you a more unstructured appearance and creates a more relaxed aesthetic. It has a slightly undone and messy feel which can give your haircut a sexy, just-got-out-of-bed feel to it. Pairing it with a low taper fade will give the hair more structure, creating an interesting balance. It is also an excellent way to highlight the natural texture and draw attention to the top of the head. This makes the hair appear fuller and thicker. You can style your short textured hair in various ways, including brushing it back.
17. Low Taper Slick Back
The slick back hairstyle is a stylish and masculine look that can be achieved with various hair textures and lengths. It is defined by the hair being brushed backward away from the hairline and secured with a wet-look product. There are several ways to wear a slick back, letting you personalize it to your preference; this includes combining it with a fade. The low taper fade is one of the more subtle and easy-to-wear fades and is excellent for giving the hair structure and creating a slight contrast. It can also make the classic slick back feel more modern.
18. Low Taper French Crop
The French crop is a classic men’s hairstyle that is exceptionally versatile and can be adapted to suit your preference. It is defined by short hair on the back and sides, with slightly more length on the top and a small fringe. The hairstyle can be worn with various hair types and textures. It can be paired with a low taper fade if you want to give the haircut more structure and make it appear less youthful. The low taper will create a graduated appearance, slowly shortening the hair, starting around an inch above the ears. It can slightly contrast the hair on top of the head and the back and sides. It also makes the haircut feel more modern.
19. Low Taper Mohawk
If you are a man who wants a hairstyle that is edgy and cool, look no further than the mohawk. The mohawk hairstyle features shaved sides and a long strip of hair down the middle of the head. Originally, it was styled upward for a high-volume and high-impact appearance. It was initially favored by the punk movement but has been adapted over the years to feel more modern and is much easier to wear. Keeping the hair shorter on the top and less rigid creates less of a contrast, and instead of shaving the sides, you can try a fade instead. The low taper fade is versatile and subtle, adding structure to your hairstyle. The look is fantastic when paired with thick and full facial hair, like a beard, making it feel more balanced.
20. Mexican Low Taper
If you want a neat and structured Mexican hairstyle, you can pair it with a taper fade and a hard part. These modern additions to your haircut will make you look polished and professional. You can retain some length on the top of the head to achieve a voluminous look; the low taper fade will make the hair appear thicker and fuller. The low taper can be worn with hair of various textures and thicknesses, giving your look a modern and masculine touch. The hard part is ideal for giving your hair some attitude and will make a statement.
Low Taper Fade FAQs
What is a low taper?
A low taper is a type of fade. It is defined by hair gradually shortening, starting around ear level to the nape of the neck. This fade is more subtle and easier to wear, creating less contrast but still giving the hair structure.
How do you ask for a low taper?
If you want a low taper, the best way to communicate this to your barber is to bring in pictures for reference. You can also discuss with him what you want from your hairstyle, including where you want the fade to start and how long you want the hair to be at the top of the head. Together, you will find a look that complements your face shape, hair texture and type, and preference.
What's the difference between a high and low taper?
The difference between a high and low taper fade is where the fade begins. With a low taper fade, the hair gradually shortens just above the ears. On a high taper fade, the sides of the hair will still get gradually shorter, but it begins much higher on the head, around two inches above the ear, in contrast to around one inch with the low taper. Both fades are appealing depending on the look you want to achieve, and both will add structure to your hairstyle.
Cailyn Cox holds a degree in journalism and has been working with The Trend Spotter as a writer for over ten years. She has worked with some of the most prestigious women’s and men's lifestyle publications. For her, writing is not just a job; it’s a passion, which is why each article she writes is approached with such enthusiasm and dedication. She has extensive knowledge of hairstyles, tattoos, and beauty and has made a career out of creating informative articles that appeal to women and men of all ages.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox.
Thank you for subscribing.
Something went wrong.
