Men's Haircuts in North London: The Styles Men Are Asking For This Winter
This winter, the cuts men are asking for are short-to-medium, textured and softer at the edges: the textured crop, the low taper fade, the French crop, a toned-down modern mullet, mid-length “flow” with layers, and the clean buzz cut. The common thread is a cut that grows out gracefully and survives a hat. Hard, high-contrast shapes are giving way to gentler transitions that still look intentional in week four. Below, for each style: who it suits, the words to use in the chair, and what upkeep really involves.
We have only included styles that recent trade and grooming coverage, from spring to autumn 2026, consistently reports men requesting. Nothing here is a prediction dressed up as a trend.
The six cuts, at a glance
| Cut | Best hair type | Morning effort | Rebook every |
|---|---|---|---|
| Textured crop | Thick, straight to wavy | Low | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Low taper fade | Almost any, including curls | Depends on the top | 3 to 4 weeks |
| French crop | Straight, medium to thick | Very low | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Softer modern mullet | Wavy or curly, medium density | Moderate | 5 to 6 weeks |
| Mid-length flow | Medium to thick, with some movement | Low to moderate | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Buzz cut | Any, if the head shape is even | None | 2 to 3 weeks |
Rebooking intervals are typical ranges, not rules. Your growth rate and tolerance for a softer edge decide the real number, and our Highgate barbers can judge it on a first visit.
1. The textured crop
The short cut that turns up in almost every 2026 trend round-up. Short back and sides, a top of a few centimetres that is point-cut so it breaks up rather than sitting as a solid block, and a short fringe worn forward or pushed slightly to one side. This year’s version is less severe: softer blending at the sides and less of the shelf where the fade meets the top.
Suits: thick hair with some natural movement. On fine hair the texture can separate too far and show scalp, so ask for a heavier top.
How to ask: “Textured crop, short fringe, low taper on the sides rather than a high fade, and keep the transition soft.”
Upkeep: a small amount of matte paste worked through dry hair. Two minutes, no hairdryer needed.
2. The low taper fade
A London barber interviewed in the grooming press this spring called it the most requested cut in the chair, and it features in autumn trend lists too. A taper only shortens the hair at the temples and the nape, leaving more length through the sides than a full fade. That small difference is why it looks smart rather than sharp, and why it grows out without an obvious line.
Suits: almost everyone. It pairs with a side part, a swept-back top, or natural curls. It is a particularly good choice if your hair is curly or coily and you want definition on top with a neat outline.
How to ask: “Low taper at the temples and neckline only, keep the length through the sides.” Then describe the top separately. If you say “fade” without “taper”, you may get far more taken off. Our skin fade guide explains the difference in detail.
Upkeep: the taper itself softens in around three weeks. A neckline tidy between full cuts keeps it crisp.
3. The French crop
Back after a few quiet years. Close sides, a short, blunt fringe cut straight across, and very little length on top. It is graphic, clean, and close to effortless.
Suits: straight hair of medium thickness or more, and oval or longer faces. A heavy fringe shortens the face visually, so on a round face ask for the fringe to be broken up rather than blunt. Also a sensible choice for a receding hairline at the temples, since the fringe sits forward.
How to ask: “French crop, fringe about a centimetre above the eyebrows, textured rather than a solid line” (or “blunt” if you want the stricter version).
Upkeep: almost none day to day. The fringe is what gives away a cut that has been left too long.
4. The softer modern mullet
The mullet has not gone away, but the versions men want now are subtler: tapered sides, a little length at the back, and enough layering through the top that the back looks like part of one shape rather than an afterthought.
Suits: wavy or curly hair of medium to thick density, and men who already have some length to work with. On straight, fine hair it can look thin at the back.
How to ask: “Tapered sides, keep some length at the back, but blend the top into the back so it’s one shape.” Say how much length you want at the collar in centimetres.
Upkeep: a texture spray or light cream. Winter note: the back length sits against scarves and collars, so expect to tidy it more often than you would in summer.
5. Mid-length flow
Longer hair, often to the ears or a little beyond, layered so it moves and can be pushed back off the face. Trade coverage frames it as a nineties reference: textured, slightly undone, never stiff. It is also the cut most often done largely with scissors, which suits it well; see our piece on choosing a full scissor cut.
Suits: medium to thick hair that is straight, wavy or loosely curled. Professionals who want something less corporate without looking as if they have stopped going to the barber.
How to ask: “I’m keeping length. Take weight out with layers, frame the face, keep the ends soft.”
Upkeep: fewer cuts, more care. Let it dry mostly naturally and use a light cream. The growing-out stage is the hard part; a barber who shapes it every six weeks or so will spare you the awkward phase.
6. The buzz cut
A single, even length all over, cleaned up at the edges. Popular for the obvious reason: zero decisions in the morning.
Suits: men with a reasonably even head shape. Bumps, ridges and scars will show. It is also a clean solution for advanced thinning, where trying to preserve length on top only highlights it.
How to ask: name a guard length, and remember small numbers make large differences on the head. If unsure, start one longer than you think; you can always go shorter. Ask for the neckline and around the ears to be shaped by hand.
Upkeep: rebook every two to three weeks. In winter, it is the coldest option on this list and offers no protection to the scalp, so a hat stops being optional.
Winter hair: hats, scalps and timing
Hat hair
Any cut can be flattened by a beanie. A few things genuinely help:
- Choose matte, light-hold products. Heavy waxes and gels set in the shape the hat gives them. Matte paste or cream can be reworked with damp fingers at your desk.
- Leave a little more length on top than you would in summer, so the hair has enough weight to fall back into place.
- Ask for a tapered rather than a squared neckline. A square line rubs against collars and scarves and looks untidy sooner.
- Put the hat on dry hair. Damp hair sets in whatever shape the hat presses it into.
Dry, flaky scalp
Cold air outside and central heating inside dry out many people’s scalps. Very hot showers make it worse, so turn the temperature down a notch for the hair wash. The NHS dandruff page notes that cold weather may make dandruff worse and suggests trying an anti-dandruff shampoo containing ketoconazole, coal tar or salicylic acid for up to four weeks. If your scalp is very itchy, red or swollen, or things have not improved after a month, see a GP.
Timing around the holidays
December fills quickly at every barber’s. If you want to look sharp for a specific date, book your cut five to seven days before it rather than the day itself. Hair looks most natural after a few days of settling. Our note on booking without the wait has more on this.
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between a taper and a fade?
A taper shortens hair only at the temples and neckline. A fade shortens the whole back and sides, often down to skin. A taper is subtler and grows out more gently.
Which of these cuts needs the least maintenance?
Day to day, the buzz cut and French crop. Between visits, mid-length flow, because it can go six weeks or more.
Should I grow my hair longer for winter?
A little extra length on top makes hat hair easier to fix and keeps your head warmer. You do not need to change style to get that benefit.
Can I bring a photo?
Please do, ideally of someone with similar hair thickness and texture to yours.
The Highgate Cuts team can talk any of these through with you at Highgate Cuts, on the ground floor of The Highgate House on Archway Road, a short walk from Highgate tube and easy to reach from Crouch End, Muswell Hill and Hampstead. See the barber menu for services, or email us to book.
Book with The Highgate House
Ready for a proper cut? Email us at [email protected] with the service and the day that suits you, and we will come back to you with times.
Visit The Highgate House · The barbers
The Highgate House, Archway Road, Highgate, London N6.
