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Side part / gentleman's cut

Model M1 before the cut, with their own hair. AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
Side part / gentleman's cut on Model M1 (light skin · straight 1B hair · 20s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
BeforeSide part / gentleman's cut

AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person

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A short, classic men's cut with 2–4 in (5–10 cm) on top and a fringe, finished with a tapered neckline.

Also asked for as: gentleman cut, gentlemans cut, side part haircut, hard part, comb over

Updated

The side part / gentleman's cut at a glance

On top
2–4 in5–10 cm
Best on
Straight to wavy hair
Recut
Every 4–5 weeks
Styling
5 min a day

Traditionally suggested for

Round, square and oval faces, a crooked nose, close-set eyes.

Stylist rule of thumb

The side part / gentleman's cut 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.

  • Side part / gentleman's cut on Model M1 (light skin · straight 1B hair · 20s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Side part / gentleman's cut · Model M1light skin · straight hair · 20s
  • Side part / gentleman's cut on Model M2 (fair skin · fine-wavy 2A hair with some gray · 40s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Side part / gentleman's cut · Model M2fair skin · fine-wavy hair with some gray · 40s
  • Side part / gentleman's cut on Model M3 (medium brown skin · thick wavy 2B–2C hair · 30s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Side part / gentleman's cut · 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 wavy to 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
  • Scores higher if you have a front cowlick.Barbers agree
  • Scores higher if you have wide-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

Barbers also flag: The part must follow your whorl; from hairline stage 3 it is only possible with caveats.

Side part / gentleman's cut vs french crop

The side part / gentleman's cut and the french crop share short length, which is why they get mixed up. Below are only the specs where they differ.

The side part / gentleman's cut and the french crop compared on the catalog fields where they differ
What the barber cutsSide part / gentleman's cut: Soft or hard part on the natural part; scissor-over-combFrench crop: Blunt-cut fringe; point-cut the top
Length on topSide part / gentleman's cut: 2–4 in (5–10 cm)French crop: 1–2 in (2.5–5 cm)
FringeSide part / gentleman's cut: Swept to the side from the natural partFrench crop: Blunt and straight, at mid-forehead
Best onSide part / gentleman's cut: 1A–2B hair, plus 2C–3A with adjustmentsFrench crop: 1A–2C hair, plus 3A with adjustments
DensitySide part / gentleman's cut: Medium to high densityFrench crop: Any density
RecutSide part / gentleman's cut: Every 4–5 weeksFrench crop: Every 3–4 weeks
Daily stylingSide part / gentleman's cut: 5 min a dayFrench crop: 2 min a day
Top 3 on proportionsSide part / gentleman's cut: No shape in the top 3French crop: Oblong
Traditionally suggested forSide part / gentleman's cut: Round, square and oval faces, a crooked nose, close-set eyes.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

“Soft or hard part on my natural part; top 2–4 in; low taper; leave weight at the temples.”

Side options that suit this cut

  • Low taper
  • Low fade
  • Scissor-cut sides
Sides
Low taper; leave weight at the temples
Top
2–4 in (5–10 cm)
Fringe
Swept to the side from the natural part
Neckline
Tapered (fades out naturally)
Technique
Soft or hard part on the natural part; scissor-over-comb
Product
Pomade or cream, medium hold
Recut
Every 4–5 weeks

Get the look

Products and tools for the side part / gentleman's cut

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
5 min a day
Product
Light product
Heat tools
Not needed

Proportions, by face shape

Where the side part / gentleman's cut 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 side part / gentleman's cut places in the geometry-only top 10 for each face shape
Face shapeOn proportions
OvalNot in the top 10
RoundNot in the top 10
SquareNot in the top 10
OblongNot in the top 10
HeartNot in the top 10
DiamondNot in the top 10
Triangle#8 of the top 10

Side part / gentleman's cut: questions

What do I ask my barber for with a side part / gentleman's cut?
Read this out: “Soft or hard part on my natural part; top 2–4 in; low taper; leave weight at the temples.” That's 2–4 in (5–10 cm) on top with a tapered neckline, recut every 4–5 weeks. Your own barber card adjusts it for your part side and texture.
Side part / gentleman's cut vs french crop: what's the difference?
The side part / gentleman's cut and the french crop share short length, which is why they get mixed up. The side part / gentleman's cut is cut as “Soft or hard part on the natural part; scissor-over-comb”; the french crop as “Blunt-cut fringe; point-cut the top”. On texture, the side part / gentleman's cut takes 1A–2B hair, plus 2C–3A with adjustments; the french crop takes 1A–2C hair, plus 3A with adjustments. 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 side part / gentleman's cut a men's cut?
Yes: our catalog lists the side part / gentleman's cut 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–2B 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 side part / gentleman's cut against every other men's cut.
Does the side part / gentleman's cut work on curly or coily hair?
It's best on 1A–2B hair and possible on 2C–3A with adjustments. On 3C–4C hair the shape doesn't hold, so our analysis rules it out.
Does the side part / gentleman's cut 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 side part / gentleman's cut need?
A trim every 4–5 weeks: 10–13 cuts a year, about $300–$390 at $30 a cut, plus 5 minutes of styling a day.
Who should skip the side part / gentleman's cut?
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: The part must follow your whorl; from hairline stage 3 it is only possible with caveats.
Is a gentleman cut the same as a side part / gentleman's cut?
“Gentleman cut” 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.

Related cuts

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