30+ Short Fade Haircuts That Are Cool

How would you define a short fade? It’s a short haircut with a gradual fade at the sides and back. The fade is a versatile haircut that allows the hair on top to be any length, texture, and style while the sides and back are tapered or buzzed.

It’s possible to get a short fade with shaved sides and a relatively long top. A fade can complement any short hairstyle, from the hottest new trend to a timeless classic.

This year’s trending haircuts include the buzz cut, modern spikes, and a slightly longer (but short) top. But that’s not all. The crop fade, another trendy hairstyle, is a good example of this versatility.

List of Short Fade Haircuts That Are Cool

  • Very Short Hair
  • Spiky Hair
  • Longer On Top Haircuts
  • Fade + Short Hairstyles For Men
  • Short + Messy Fade Hairstyle
  • Buzz Cut + Skin Fade
  • Men’s Short Haircuts + High Skin Fade
  • Very Short Fade Haircuts For Men
  • Short Fade Haircuts For Black Men
  • Short Natural Hairstyles For Men + Fade
  • Short Fringe Haircut + Fade
  • Short Curly Hair + Line Up
  • Faux Hawk + Fade
  • Burst Fade Mohawk
  • Short Crop Fade Hairstyles
  • Comb Over Fade Hairstyle For Short Hair
  • Short Fade + Asian Hair
  • Short Black Hair + Taper Fade
  • Medium Fade + Crop Haircut
  • Fade + Short Combover
  • Short Curly Fade Hairstyles For Men
  • Short Skin Fade Hairstyles
  • Short Afro + Fade
  • Short Twists + High Skin Fade
  • Short Side Part Haircut
  • Textured Crop Fade
  • Buzz Cut + Fade
  • Buzz Cut + Taper Fade
  • Short Curls + Mid Drop Fade
  • Textured Spikes
  • Spiky Crop Haircut
  • Spiky Quiff
  • New Hairstyles For Men
  • Short Pomp + Low Fade
  • Short Hair + Low Fade
  • Textured Crop + High Fade
  • High Quiff + Low Fade

Here are 37 ideas to get your creativity flowing, but the reality is that the number of potential looks is virtually endless. Create your unique style by combining different types of fades with various short haircuts on top.

Very Short Hair

Today’s most popular hairstyle is the buzz cut. Buzz cut was a more fashionable alternative to the military cut. A blurry fade will complement your realistic look, whether your hair is cut as short as possible or left longer for style. Get the most bang for your shorter hair by adding texture and a sharp part. Alternatively, you could switch to a taper instead of a fade.

Spiky Hair

Spikes are a chic addition to short hairstyles. It’s a trendy new style that can make thin hair look fuller or tame unruly locks. Include a shaved line, some texture, and some odd angles in addition to the fade.

Longer On Top Haircuts

The coolest hairstyles for men today feature hair as short as it can get, with the sides fading even shorter. In addition to being more comfortable to maintain and style, this length offers all the benefits of medium-length hair. Hairstyles vary from person to person, but some common ones include a quiff, pompadour, fringe, and textured spikes.

Fade + Short Hairstyles For Men

This style would be a regular buzz cut if you took away the smudged fade, sloppy line-up, wavy ends, and scruffy beard. Those finishing touches make it stand out.

Short + Messy Fade Hairstyle

A low fade keeps this neatly messy look clean on the sides.

Buzz Cut + Skin Fade

Getting your hair and beard cut at home can help you save a lot of money. Time, too. Of course, the final product won’t resemble this at all. It is possible to fade your hair and line up your beard, but it will take a lot of practice. Visiting the barber before special events and keeping up with your cut in between visits is a win-win situation.

Men’s Short Haircuts + High Skin Fade

Short hair, a high fade, and a well-trimmed beard are hallmarks of this dapper dude.

Very Short Fade Haircuts For Men

A fade cuts hair to the skin, surprising those who thought it couldn’t get any shorter.

Short Fade Haircuts For Black Men

The question is how to integrate the skin fade into the beard style. You can go for a fade or try this tapered beard style.

Short Natural Hairstyles For Men + Fade

That organic texture is brought out by the short twists over the high fade.

Short Fringe Haircut + Fade

This textured take on the cropped fringe is chic.

Short Curly Hair + Line Up

The hair is very short but still has some length to it. A straight line frames the face.

Faux Hawk + fade

This mohawk-ish look is wide and spiky at the front but pulled up into a peak. The slash across the brow and back of the head, which extends to the temple, gives the wearer an edgy appearance.

Burst Fade Mohawk

A burst fade at both sides may be the most popular type of mohawk fade. To make even more of a proclamation, go for a V-neck.

Short Crop Fade Hairstyles

This version of the trendy crop top sits heavy texture over a high fade that cuts straight around the head.

Comb Over Fade Hairstyle For Short Hair

Cut thick hair short on top and even shorter on the sides when your combover isn’t a disguise. Make those textured lines with a comb.

Short fade + Asian Hair

The hair of some Asians can be quite thick and coarse, often standing upright. A low fade haircut with short sides and messy spikes is a cool option if your hair is similar.

Short Black Hair + Taper Fade

The taper fade is a trendy haircut because it provides clean lines with minimal hair loss. Why would you want to cut off any more of these sponge curls?

Medium fade + Crop Haircut

Those ink splotches on your noggin deserve to be seen, so rock a medium or high fade. The look is finished with a clever crop.

Medium-fade-short-hairstyle-for-men
Michael Kelly

Fade + Short Combover

Here’s a variation on the short combover that uses a fade from the temples to the natural part on the side.

Short Curly Fade Hairstyles For Men

The grin on your face when you know you look stunning. This stylish haircut consists of short, textured curls and a full beard with a faded stripe down the middle.

Short Skin Fade Hairstyles

This trendy cut is the perfect solution for taming mangy, thick hair.

Short Afro + fade

This faded short Afro looks contemporary and hip, thanks to the artfully placed pick.

Short-afro-with-fade
Fede Hair

Short Twists + High Skin Fade

This high and tight ends in small twists short enough to stand up.

Short Side Part Haircut

Add a side part if a fresh fade and wavy texture isn’t enough.

Textured Crop Fade

Over a year, the crop top has been among the most sought-after styles for men’s hair. This stylish cut is suitable for any hair type. Here, length isn’t necessary to emphasize the fullness of the hair. The fade goes down to the skin to keep you cool and contrast with heavy texture on top.

Buzz Cut + Fade

If this guy’s hair got any shorter, he’d be bald. This ultra-short buzz showcases the precision of the barber, who managed to define a hairline and blurry fade with a fraction of a millimeter of hair.

Buzz Cut + Taper Fade

This longer buzz cut is shaped at the hairline and fades out at the nape. In between, you can see the arch behind the ear, which is the hallmark of a taper fade. Disappearance into a well-defined beard

Short Curls + Mid Drop Fade

This cool mid fade can be worn with all kinds of short hairstyles on top but looks especially good with this curly texture. The mid fade can drop down to follow the natural hairline, like above, or cut straight across.

Textured Spikes

The original hair gel spikes looked almost like bristles in their definition. This modern version has a softer look with more texture than a spike. Try a hair wax to get this look for thick hair.

Spiky Crop Haircut

This longer version of a crop features a medium-length and weight fringe. This somewhat spiky, somewhat messy, and cool faux Hawk is another styling option when you don’t want to wear your hair down.

Spiky Quiff

There is something about height at the hairline that is so flattering for men. This fresh look combines two high-volume styles – the quiff and spikes.

New Hairstyles For Men

The region that supplied the harvest also provides us with fresh fashion trends. The crop top is characterized by the fade and longer textured top shown here. The shaved line, horizontal spikes, and hint of a faux hawk are all new.

Short Pomp + Low Fade

This cool look may be a pompadour, but it’s hardly vintage. The sharp line-up, curved Pomp, and blurry fade are all expertly executed in contrast to one another.

Short hair + Low Fade

Instead of comparing shapes and textures, this short style is all about curves. The drop of the fade mirrors the sweep of bangs without the interruption of a side part.

Textured Crop + High Fade

As we have stated repeatedly, the shaved sides of a fade make the hair on top appear thicker and fuller. It does that here while emphasizing the texture and volume of the style.

High quiff + Low Fade

This eye-catching style pulls all two inches of hair length straight into a vertical quiff. The hair behind plays a supporting role. A bald fade makes a clean finish. Also, note that the salt-and-pepper hair, combined with some white in the beard, does not make this gentleman look old. It’s more about the style than the color.

Make sure you subscribe to The Hair Trend newsletter for the latest info.