Ever felt complete without a nice haircut to complement your look? Of course not. You could wear an impeccable double-breasted suit, Italian shoes, and a sleek watch but without a good haircut, your look is never complete. Speaking of haircuts, you certainly want a style that unleashes your masculine vibe, and what better one than the military haircut?
This haircut has remained an iconic staple across branches of the armed forces for decades. This signature short hairstyle serves both practical and symbolic purposes that are deeply ingrained in military culture, and now it is available for modern men.
In this article, we’ll take a short dive into the history of this haircut while showing you inspos to elevate your look.
The History and Purpose Behind the Military Haircut
While today’s military haircut standards vary slightly between units, they originated largely from a need for neatness, uniformity, and safety. Keeping hair extremely short reduces the risk of hair getting caught in machinery and equipment during training or combat. Furthermore, in battlefield environments, long hair can even pose dangers like obscuring vision.
On the other hand, short hair projects professionalism and discipline in appearance. Recruits often receive buzz cuts upon entering basic training. This signals their transition into a military culture where following rules and personal sacrifices take priority. In addition, this initial shearing represents their commitment to service over personal style or preferences.
But beyond practical applications, the military haircut has evolved into an iconic representation of honor, duty, courage, and strength within armed forces around the world. The unified look allows military members to stand out while also blending in with their units. It gives troops a sense of belonging and pride.
10 Military Haircut Inspos to Look Out For
If you think the term “military haircut” only suggests a singular style strictly for soldiers, permit us to prove you wrong. This style is for every man who fancies a laidback look. Moreso, the hairstyle is a broad term that has different styles and cuts under it. Here are a few you should consider:
The Buzz Cut
Looking for a haircut that exudes the perfect military vibe? Go for the buzz cut. With its uniform length, it offers a clean and neat look. Whether you’re dressing up for a formal event or dressing down, you’re sure to always look sharp with this haircut.
Military Undercut
Remember the hairstyle Michael Pitt rocked in the Broadwalk Empire? It’s the military undercut. This look is almost similar to its classic version, however, the absence of a fade distinguishes it.
The Crew Cut
The crew cut is somewhere between the buzz cut and voluminous hairstyles. This hairstyle fits all facial features and can be adapted to suit your style preference. With its length on top and how it tapers down the sides and back, the crew cut is a must-try.
Beard Faded Taper
Part of the beard gang and you’re wondering if there’s a military haircut for you? Don’t worry we’ve got you. You can try the beard faded taper. This haircut comes highly recommended if you want a fresh and trendy look.
Low Fade Military Haircut
To sum up this look, we would describe it as a tidy haircut with a polished finish. With the use of a good hair product, you can tame the hair on top to help complement the overall style.
The Regulation Cut
The regulation cut is the perfect military haircut to rock this new year. The look offers a good mix of trendy and masculine. Furthermore, it’s a low-maintenance haircut that looks clean but doesn’t show any scalp. You don’t have to be an on-duty military man to rock this look as anybody can wear it and look sharp.
The Flat Top
Call it a military favorite or whatever you want, it will never change the fact that this haircut embodies the structure and precision of the military. The look is characterized by its flat leveled peak, and you don’t have to don a military outfit to look good in this style.
Short Brush Up
Just like the flat top, the short brush-up is one hairstyle that will surely make you look dapper and neat. And that’s not all, this haircut makes it easy for you to embody the clean cut and stylish look when you incorporate any type of skin fade.
The Short Buzz Cut With Mid Fade
Want a hairstyle that is easy to wear and gives all the right military vibes? Opt for the short buzz cut with mid fade. We guarantee that this is one military haircut that comes with no hassle.
Short Pomp
Although the classic version of this look features long hair on the top of your head, there’s no stopping you from adjusting it to a shorter pomp to suit your military vibes.
Military Haircut: A Style That Exudes Honour and Class
The military haircut has become a powerful symbol of professionalism, conformity, sacrifice of self-image, and respect for tradition. However, this signature hairstyle is not exclusive to the military alone as every man who embodies these qualities and wants their style to reflect them can rock them too.
So, from politicians wanting to project leadership and authority, to athletes seeking grit and tenacity on the field, to ordinary people who admire military virtues — the classic short back and sides cut makes a statement. The military haircut’s connotation of confidence, decisiveness, and power allows anyone to harness those qualities by incorporating clipped crops into their look.
Need more inspos to hasten your visit to the stylist for your new look? Check out these photos we’ve gathered for you: