Textured Crop for Men: What It Is & How to Ask for It at the Salon

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Plus, expert tips for styling this trendy haircut

Co-authored by Barry Hairston and Devin McSween

Last Updated: February 11, 2026 Fact Checked

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What is the textured crop?

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What to Ask For

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Hairstyle Ideas

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Styling Tips

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Maintenance

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Textured Crop vs. French Crop

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Video

The textured crop is a low-maintenance and trendy hairstyle that’s great for guys who want to look good without spending a lot of time styling their hair. At its core, this popular cut features a tapered back and sides, lots of layers, and a choppy fringe. If you’re interested in trying this style but not sure where to begin, keep reading! In this article, we’ll explain what the textured crop is, how to ask your barber for it, go over some of the most popular variations, and give you styling tips, all with expert insights from professional hairstylists and barbers.

All About the Textured Crop Haircut

A textured crop is long and layered on top with a choppy fringe that hits at the middle of the forehead. The sides and back are cut short with a low taper fade. To style it, run a bit of clay or pomade through your lightly damp hair to tousle it. Air-dry for a low-maintenance style, or blow-dry it for a sleeker look.

Section 1 of 6:

What is the textured crop?

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The textured crop is a short, layered style with a choppy fringe. The classic textured crop features a back and sides that are cut at a low taper fade. The top of the hair is kept slightly longer and layered to add lots of texture (hence the name of the style). The cut also comes with a choppy, textured fringe across the forehead.^{[1]
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- What face shapes best suit the textured crop? All face shapes (round, square, diamond, oval, etc.) look great in the textured crop style.
- What hair types best suit the textured crop? People with all hair types rock the textured crop style, including those with straight, wavy, curly, and thick hair.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Barry Hairston is a barber and men's grooming content creator with over 10 years of experience. He also operates TheStarsBarber Lounge in Dallas, TX.

Tiffany Carnevale-Russo is a hairstylist with over 19 years of experience. She specializes in hairstyling for men.

Jasmin Todd is a master hairstylist and owner of Austin Curls with over 22 years of experience.

Frankie Sanderson is a master hairstylist and founder of TheStudeo, a styling business specializing in hair and makeup.

Janet Miranda is a professional hairstylist and makeup artist with over 15 years of experience in the hair and makeup world.

Section 2 of 6:

How to Ask for a Textured Crop

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Tell your barber you want a textured crop, and bring a photo for reference. The textured crop is a trendy hairstyle, so most barbers and hairstylists will already have an idea of what you want. If they’re not familiar with it, though, make sure you have a reference photo on hand. Hairstylist Tiffany Carnevale-Russo always recommends showing your barber a picture of the cut you want so they know exactly what you’re looking for.^{[2]
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Tiffany Carnevale-Russo
Hair Stylist

Expert Interview}
- Carnevale-Russo suggests searching for pictures of the style you want on Google or Pinterest.^{[3]
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  Tiffany Carnevale-Russo
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- When showing your barber what style you want, Carnevale-Russo adds that it’s important to have realistic expectations. She says, “Just because it looks good on a certain person doesn't mean that it's going to fit you.” Luckily, your barber will give you their opinions and suggestions, so take them into consideration to find a look that suits you best.^{[4]
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Consult with your barber about what length and fringe style suits you best. The textured crop can be cut in lots of different ways, so let your barber or hairstylist know what overall length you want, what type of fade you like best (or if you don’t want a fade), and what kind of fringe you prefer. They’ll consider your preferences and work with you to find a cut you like that works with your face shape, hair type, and lifestyle.
- For instance, let your stylist know if you want to keep your hair fairly long, or if you’d prefer a shorter look. Then, tell them if you’d prefer a low, medium, or high taper fade along the sides and back. Finally, tell them if you want a long, choppy fringe or if you prefer a shorter, blunter fringe.
- When getting fringe, master hairstylist Jasmin Todd says to “discuss the style you want” with your stylist, “communicate the length and thickness you prefer,” and “consider [their] recommendations based on your face shape.”^{[5]
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  Jasmin Todd
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Section 3 of 6:

Textured Crop Hairstyle Ideas

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With the classic textured crop, your barber cuts your hair short up top, typically around 3 to 5 inches (7.6-12.7 cm) long, and adds a few layers. Then, they cut a choppy fringe that hits around the middle of your forehead. They’ll give you a low taper fade on the sides and back, gradually shortening the hair starting at the ear until it fades into skin at the nape of your neck.^{[6]
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Short textured crop The short textured crop simply refers to cutting your hair shorter on the top, around 3 inches (7.6 cm) or less. Keep the rest of the look in the classic style, with a low taper fade along the sides and back and a choppy fringe that hits at the middle of the forehead.^{[7]
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- However, if you want a short style all over, opt for a mid to high taper fade and a fringe that hits higher up on your forehead.
With the long textured crop, you simply keep your hair longer up top, typically over 5 inches (12.7 cm) long, and add a longer fringe that hits around your eyebrows. The longer length allows your stylist to create more choppy layers, giving the style an even more textured look. Just keep the classic low taper fade along the sides and back.^{[8]
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For a bolder and more dramatic look, ask your barber or hairstylist to cut the sides and back of your hair at a high taper fade. They’ll typically start the taper above your temples or in line with your fringe, and quickly fade it into your skin. This leaves most of the sides and back of your head bare, drawing more attention to the textured top and fringe.^{[9]
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For a more natural look, ask for a drop fade instead of the classic low taper fade. With the drop fade, your stylist curves the fade down around your ear and follows a lower line around the back of your head, instead of cutting a straight line across your head.^{[10]
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Research source} The rest of the style is kept the same, with a short textured top and choppy fringe.
If you want a clean, sharp, and bold look, ask your barber for a skin fade (also known as a bald fade). This simply means that the hair on the sides and back of your head fades into your bare skin, rather than a short buzz. Simply choose where you want the taper to start on your head, and tell your stylist if you want a classic low taper or a more dramatic high taper.^{[11]
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With the undercut style, you completely buzz the sides and back of your hair starting around the temple area instead of getting a gradual fade. Opt for a classic short buzz, or for a bolder look, shave the sides and back completely. Just ask your barber or stylist to keep the hair on top long and layered, and to add a choppy fringe.^{[12]
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If you like the look of a straighter, blunt fringe, ask your barber or hairstylist for this style. They’ll keep the rest of the textured crop the same, and simply cut your bangs in a straight, even line across your forehead. This adds contrast to the layered and textured top, making this a bold and multi-dimensional look.
For an even more textured and tousled look, tell your barber or hairstylist to keep your hair a bit longer on top. Then, ask them to add lots of uneven layers to the top and fringe. The layers of varying lengths create a lot of movement and dimension, giving you the ultimate messy look.
If you part your hair to the side or prefer a more side-swept look, let your stylist know so they can cut the textured crop with your part in mind. They’ll typically cut your fringe a bit longer and at a slight angle to allow you to easily sweep it to the side when you style your hair.^{[13]
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Twists textured crop If you have coarse, natural hair, barber and men's grooming content creator Barry Hairston says twists are a great textured crop style. He explains that “because the hair texture is coarser, it's going to twist and…bind together,” which creates a “really cool look.”^{[14]
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Expert Source

Barry Hairston
Professional Barber

Expert Interview} Simply ask your barber for a fade along the back and sides and to keep your hair longer up top.
- To style, Hairston says you need a hair sponge: “one part of the sponge has holes in it” and the “other side of the sponge has…these teeth.” He explains that the teeth “come into the hair, you twist in it…and it locks.” Hairston suggests adding a bit of conditioner or oil sheen to your hair to help the twisting process go smoother.^{[15]
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  Barry Hairston
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Section 4 of 6:

How to Style a Textured Crop

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Towel dry your hair and add a bit of clay or pomade. The textured crop is a low-maintenance style, so you don’t really need to style it to make your hair look good. For an everyday look, simply wash your hair, towel it dry so it’s damp, and apply a bit of matte clay or pomade. Let your hair air dry, or blow dry it at an upward angle for a bit of extra volume.^{[16]
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Use sea salt spray to add more texture. If you want to add an extra touch of texture and wave, master hairstylist Frankie Sanderson suggests spritzing your damp hair with sea salt spray.^{[17]
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Frankie Sanderson
Master Hair Stylist

Expert Interview} Then, scrunch your hair with your fingers as you blow it dry. Set the extra-tousled look in place by running a bit of matte clay or pomade through your hair.
- If you have longer hair and want to add some waves or curls, use a curling iron to create even more volume and dimension.
- On the flip side, if you want to get your hair nice and sleek, straighten it with a flat iron.
- If you’d prefer a sleeker look for a change, use a styling gel to smooth down your hair. For instance, style it into a slick back or an Ivy League-like look.

Section 5 of 6:

How to Maintain a Textured Crop

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Get your hair trimmed every 4 to 6 weeks. “I definitely recommend getting [your] hair maintained every four to six weeks,” says professional hairstylist Janet Miranda. This is typically when you start to see the cut losing its shape, especially around the sides.^{[18]
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Janet Miranda
Professional Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist

Expert Interview} Just schedule an appointment with your barber or hairstylist to trim up your textured crop so it stays looking neat and clean.

Section 6 of 6:

Textured Crop vs. French Crop

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The French crop is a less textured version of the textured crop. The textured crop and French crop are very similar styles, as they both feature long hair on top, a fringe, and a tapered back and sides. However, the French crop is usually cut with fewer layers, giving it a sleeker and smoother look. Additionally, the fringe is usually blunt and straight, rather than choppy.^{[19]
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- The French crop is a great alternative style if you’re not sure about having a super textured look, but still want to try out the trendy hairstyle.