Men's cut
Short

Ivy League

Model M1 before the cut, with their own hair. AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.

BeforeIvy League

AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person

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A short, classic men's cut with 1.5–2.5 in (4–6.5 cm) on top and a fringe, finished with a tapered neckline.

Also asked for as: ivy league haircut, harvard clip, princeton cut, long crew cut

Updated September 30, 2026

On top: 1.5–2.5 in4–6.5 cm
Best on: Straight to wavy hair
Recut: Every 4–5 weeks
Styling: 3–5 min a day

Traditionally suggested for

Conservative workplaces, round or oval faces, a crooked nose (the side part helps).

Stylist rule of thumb

The ivy league on 3 synthetic models

2 skin tones and 2 hair types, each shown only on hair the cut can hold. AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.

Ivy League · Model M1light skin · straight hair · 20s
Ivy League · Model M2fair skin · fine-wavy hair with some gray · 40s
Ivy League · Model M3medium brown skin · thick wavy hair · 30s

AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person. Each picture starts from one AI-made portrait per model; only the hair is changed, and we publish it only if our check finds the face unchanged. Your own preview uses your photo.

Who it fits

Hair comes first: these decide whether the shape can hold.

Best on straight to wavy hair.How hair behaves
Possible on curly hair with small changes; your results name the version for you.How hair behaves
Medium to thick hair.How hair behaves
Still works with a hairline a little higher at the temples.Barbers agree
Scores higher if you have close-set eyes.Stylist rule of thumb

Who should skip it

Any one of these moves it down your list, or off it.

Curly to coily hair: the shape needs a texture it can't hold, so we rule it out.How hair behaves
Low-density hair: the cut relies on bulk that thin hair doesn't have.How hair behaves
A clearly receding hairline or more: we flag it one step past its limit and stop suggesting it after that.Barbers agree
Scores lower if you have a front cowlick.Barbers agree

Barbers also flag: Hidden at hairline stage 3 and beyond; a strong front cowlick fights the part.

Ivy League vs french crop

The ivy league and the french crop share short length and the same best textures (1A–2C), which is why they get mixed up. Below are only the specs where they differ.

The ivy league and the french crop compared on the catalog fields where they differ
Spec	Ivy League	French crop
What the barber cuts	Ivy League: Scissor-over-comb; part on the natural part	French crop: Blunt-cut fringe; point-cut the top
Length on top	Ivy League: 1.5–2.5 in (4–6.5 cm)	French crop: 1–2 in (2.5–5 cm)
Fringe	Ivy League: Front long enough to side-part (1.5–2.5 in)	French crop: Blunt and straight, at mid-forehead
Density	Ivy League: Medium to high density	French crop: Any density
Recut	Ivy League: Every 4–5 weeks	French crop: Every 3–4 weeks
Daily styling	Ivy League: 3–5 min a day	French crop: 2 min a day
Top 3 on proportions	Ivy League: No shape in the top 3	French crop: Oblong
Traditionally suggested for	Ivy League: Conservative workplaces, round or oval faces, a crooked nose (the side part helps).	French crop: A high forehead, temple recession, a long face.

Every row is a catalog field or our engine’s geometry ranking; “traditionally suggested for” is stylist convention. Which of the two suits you comes down to your own texture, density and hairline: check your hair for free, or read the full french crop spec.

What to tell your barber

The catalog spec, in barber terms. Your own card adjusts it: the part side from your crown, notes for your hair type, and a QR code your barber can open.

Read this to your barber

“Long crew: front 1.5–2.5 in so it side-parts; #3 sides scissor-blended; part on my natural part.”

Clipper guards in this spec (Wahl sizes)

#310 mm

Side options that suit this cut

Low taper
Scissor-cut sides

Sides: #3 (10 mm), scissor-blended into the top
Top: 1.5–2.5 in (4–6.5 cm)
Fringe: Front long enough to side-part (1.5–2.5 in)
Neckline: Tapered (fades out naturally)
Technique: Scissor-over-comb; part on the natural part
Product: Light cream or pomade
Recut: Every 4–5 weeks

Get the look

Products and tools for the ivy league

Product types, not brands, picked from the barber spec above. Your own results match them to your hair.

We may earn a commission if you buy through these links; it doesn't change what we recommend.

Upkeep and yearly cost

Priced at $30 a cut. Your results use your own local price.

Trim every: 4–5 weeks
Per year: 10–13 cuts a year, about $300–$390 at $30 a cut
Daily styling: 3–5 min a day
Product: Light product
Heat tools: Not needed

Proportions, by face shape

Where the ivy league places in our engine’s top 10 for a textbook face of each shape, on proportions alone. Proportions are the smallest part of a real score; your hair counts for more.

Where the ivy league places in the geometry-only top 10 for each face shape
Face shape	On proportions	Position in the top 10
Oval	Not in the top 10
Round	Not in the top 10
Square	Not in the top 10
Oblong	Not in the top 10
Heart	Not in the top 10
Diamond	Not in the top 10
Triangle	Not in the top 10

Ivy League: questions

What do I ask my barber for with a ivy league?

Read this out: “Long crew: front 1.5–2.5 in so it side-parts; #3 sides scissor-blended; part on my natural part.” That's 1.5–2.5 in (4–6.5 cm) on top with a tapered neckline, recut every 4–5 weeks. Your own barber card adjusts it for your part side and texture.

Ivy League vs french crop: what's the difference?

The ivy league and the french crop share short length and the same best textures (1A–2C), which is why they get mixed up. The ivy league is cut as “Scissor-over-comb; part on the natural part”; the french crop as “Blunt-cut fringe; point-cut the top”. Our engine scores both against your own texture, density and hairline, so the free check tells you which of the two ranks higher for you. Full spec: french crop.

Is the ivy league a men's cut?

Yes: our catalog lists the ivy league as a men's cut, so it comes up when your check is set to men's cuts, and not in the women's list. That is where gender stops counting: the shape is decided by your hair and your proportions. The spec wants 1A–2C hair at medium to high density, and it still works with a hairline a little higher at the temples. The free check measures your texture, density and hairline, then ranks the ivy league against every other men's cut.

Does the ivy league work on curly or coily hair?

It's best on 1A–2C hair and possible on 3A with adjustments. On 3C–4C hair the shape doesn't hold, so our analysis rules it out.

Does the ivy league work on thin or fine hair?

Not as a first pick: the catalog allows medium to high density, because the shape relies on bulk that thin hair doesn't have. Nothing else in its spec marks it down for fine strands or low density. Density is measured in the free check, and our thinning hair guide lists the cuts our engine favours for thin hair.

How much upkeep does a ivy league need?

A trim every 4–5 weeks: 10–13 cuts a year, about $300–$390 at $30 a cut, plus 3–5 minutes of styling a day.

Who should skip the ivy league?

3C–4C hair (curly and coily): the shape depends on a texture it can't hold, so we rule it out. Low-density hair: the cut relies on bulk that thin hair doesn't have. A hairline past Norwood 2: at stage 3 it's shown with a caveat; beyond that we hide it. Barbers also flag: Hidden at hairline stage 3 and beyond; a strong front cowlick fights the part.

Is a harvard clip the same as a ivy league?

“Harvard clip” is one of the names people use for it. Ask for it by the spec above rather than the name, since names vary between barbers.

All haircuts

Will the ivy league fit you? Find out before you sit down.

We check it against your face and hair. Your best cut is free, shown on your own face. Members see every cut that fits, with the numbers for your barber.