How to Cut Short Hair With a Textured Nape

The textured nape looks natural as the hair grows out.

For men who prefer short hairstyles, how the hair on the nape of the neck is cut plays an important role in developing a stylish look. While some men prefer a blocked nape, where a straight line is created with trimmers across the nape of the neck, many men prefer the textured or tapered nape. The textured nape style features hair that is cut shorter as it runs down the back of the neck, creating a more natural, textured look and feel as the hair tapers down the back of the neck.

Instructions

1. Cut the hair at the nape of the neck shorter than the hair throughout the rest of the head. Extend this hair farther down the nape of the neck instead of cutting directly in a straight line across the nape of the neck. The hair extended just below the nape of the neck should be shaved close to the scalp.

2. Use a razor blade on the hair at the back of the neck, above the nape. This will give the hair there a more textured look and feel and allow it to blend in nicely with the taper effect you have just created along the nape of the neck.

3. Execute 45-degree angle cuts with clippers throughout the entire head to help blend the tapered nape and the textured neckline with the style of the rest of the hair. This angle will create slightly longer hair in some places while leaving other places in the hair just a little shorter, giving a textured look.

4. Buzz the hair along the nape of the neck for a clean and polished finish. Remind your customer that the hair at the nape of the neck will grow over the few days after receiving the haircut for a natural, textured look.

References

• The Art of Manliness; Get the Perfect Haircut - How to Talk to Your Barber; August 2010
• FTM Resource Guide: Men's Short Haircuts and the Barber Shop