Cream of the Crop: The French Crop Haircut

The French crop has had something of a renaissance, and it’s easy to see why this haircut has become such a popular style: it has ease and versatility in spades.

Unlike the Peaky Blinders inspired undercut, which features a sharp contrast between the longer top and the short sides and back, the French crop has a relaxed feel and short ‘blunt’ fringe, with a subtle tightness that renders the cut clean, fashion-forward, and interesting.

What is a French Crop Haircut?

Its short length and textured top is connected with a soft gradient on the sides, which can either work all the way down to a fade (and into the beard), or embrace a bit more length so to achieve a softer look. This adaptability means that the French crop works for many different face types and hairstyles. Its top can be dramatically textured and styled, combed down and forward into a straight and short fringe, or it can be left au naturel.

Whatever the case, the French crop is characterised by its neatness and the charm of its nonchalant appearance, which is fairly easy to maintain. Despite its easy effort, be mindful that its length – long enough to style but not so short to create severity – needs to be regularly trimmed and texturized to maintain its distinctively kempt and tight look. This haircut demonstrates that even short hairstyles have great and versatile styling potential – and when kept this way, is a practical solution to managing hair even across the summer season.

What to Tell Your Barber:

If you’re looking to achieve a French crop, when you’re next at the barbers, ask for the sides and back to be clippered using a fairly short guard size. You’ll want the hair kept close to the skin – the extent is your choice. Keep some length at the top, longer than the sides to be sure, which can then be layered and textured to add visual interest and volume. Your barber can use texturizing shears or point-cutting to achieve this, and those with thicker hair can really rock a textured look. The fringe is generally cut high and short, with either straight bangs at the front or a distinctively textured look that can be styled forward, to the side, or slightly tousled.

If you’ve decided to wear a French crop, make a booking at one of our barbershops.

How to Style a French Crop Haircut:

The French crop comes alive with a broad choice of styling options. Using a soft cream product with a firm yet malleable hold, you can achieve a neat and groomed look – Layrite’s Natural Matte Cream or the sleeker Forming Cream from American Crew will serve you well. For a more textured appearance, look at Hanz de Fuko’s Quicksand or American Crew's Boost Powder.