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Textured crop

Model M1 before the cut, with their own hair. AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
Textured crop on Model M1 (light skin · straight 1B hair · 20s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
BeforeTextured crop

AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person

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A short, textured men's cut with 1–2 in (2.5–5 cm) on top and a fringe, finished with a tapered neckline.

Also asked for as: crop top fade, french crop textured, textured french crop, crop fade, messy crop

Updated

The textured crop at a glance

On top
1–2 in2.5–5 cm
Best on
Straight to curly hair
Recut
Every 3–4 weeks
Styling
2–5 min a day

Traditionally suggested for

A high forehead, hairline stages 2–3, fine or thin hair, longer faces.

Stylist rule of thumb

The textured crop on 5 synthetic models

3 skin tones and 3 hair types, each shown only on hair the cut can hold. AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.

  • Textured crop on Model M1 (light skin · straight 1B hair · 20s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Textured crop · Model M1light skin · straight hair · 20s
  • Textured crop on Model M2 (fair skin · fine-wavy 2A hair with some gray · 40s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Textured crop · Model M2fair skin · fine-wavy hair with some gray · 40s
  • Textured crop on Model M3 (medium brown skin · thick wavy 2B–2C hair · 30s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Textured crop · Model M3medium brown skin · thick wavy hair · 30s
  • Textured crop on Model M5 (light brown skin · curly 3B–3C hair · 20s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Textured crop · Model M5light brown skin · curly hair · 20s
  • Textured crop on Model M7 (olive skin · straight-to-wavy 1C–2A hair, receding at the temples · 30s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Textured crop · Model M7olive skin · straight-to-wavy hair, receding at the temples · 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 curly hair.How hair behaves
  • Possible on curly hair with small changes; your results name the version for you.How hair behaves
  • Any amount of hair, thin to thick.How hair behaves
  • Still works with a clearly receding hairline.Barbers agree
  • Scores higher if you have a high forehead.Stylist rule of thumb
  • Scores higher if you have a receding hairline.Barbers agree
  • Scores higher if you have fine hair.How hair behaves
  • Scores higher if you have low-density hair.How hair behaves

Who should skip it

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

  • Coily hair: the shape needs a texture it can't hold, so we rule it out.How hair behaves
  • A receding hairline and a thinning crown or more: we flag it one step past its limit and stop suggesting it after that.Barbers agree
  • Scores lower if you have a low forehead.Stylist rule of thumb
  • Scores lower if you have prominent ears.Barbers agree

Barbers also flag: A low forehead; a very round face if the top is left flat.

Textured crop vs french crop

The textured crop and the french crop share short length, any density and a recut every 3–4 weeks, which is why they get mixed up. Below are only the specs where they differ.

The textured crop and the french crop compared on the catalog fields where they differ
What the barber cutsTextured crop: Point-cut the top for textureFrench crop: Blunt-cut fringe; point-cut the top
FringeTextured crop: Choppy, about 1 in above the browsFrench crop: Blunt and straight, at mid-forehead
Best onTextured crop: 1A–3B hair, plus 3C with adjustmentsFrench crop: 1A–2C hair, plus 3A with adjustments
Daily stylingTextured crop: 2–5 min a dayFrench crop: 2 min a day
Top 3 on proportionsTextured crop: No shape in the top 3French crop: Oblong
Traditionally suggested forTextured crop: A high forehead, hairline stages 2–3, fine or thin hair, longer faces.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

“Mid or high skin fade; top 1–2 in point-cut for texture; choppy fringe ~1 in above brows.”

Clipper guards in this spec (Wahl sizes)

  1. Skin0 mm
  2. #13 mm
  3. #26 mm

Side options that suit this cut

  • Mid fade
  • High fade
  • Low taper
Sides
Mid skin fade, 0 → #1 → #2
Top
1–2 in (2.5–5 cm)
Fringe
Choppy, about 1 in above the brows
Neckline
Tapered (fades out naturally)
Technique
Point-cut the top for texture
Product
Matte paste, pea-size
Recut
Every 3–4 weeks

Get the look

Products and tools for the textured crop

Product types, not brands, picked from the barber spec above and split by hair type. 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
3–4 weeks
Per year
13–17 cuts a year, about $390–$510 at $30 a cut
Daily styling
2–5 min a day
Product
Light product
Heat tools
Not needed

Proportions, by face shape

Where the textured crop 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 textured crop places in the geometry-only top 10 for each face shape
Face shapeOn proportions
Oval#5 of the top 10
RoundNot in the top 10
SquareNot in the top 10
Oblong#9 of the top 10
Heart#9 of the top 10
DiamondNot in the top 10
Triangle#9 of the top 10

Guides that mention the textured crop

Textured crop: questions

What do I ask my barber for with a textured crop?
Read this out: “Mid or high skin fade; top 1–2 in point-cut for texture; choppy fringe ~1 in above brows.” That's 1–2 in (2.5–5 cm) on top with a tapered neckline, recut every 3–4 weeks. Your own barber card adjusts it for your part side and texture.
Textured crop vs french crop: what's the difference?
The textured crop and the french crop share short length, any density and a recut every 3–4 weeks, which is why they get mixed up. The textured crop is cut as “Point-cut the top for texture”; the french crop as “Blunt-cut fringe; point-cut the top”. On texture, the textured crop takes 1A–3B hair, plus 3C 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 textured crop a men's cut?
Yes: our catalog lists the textured crop 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–3B hair at any density, and it still works with a clearly receding hairline. The free check measures your texture, density and hairline, then ranks the textured crop against every other men's cut.
Does the textured crop work on curly or coily hair?
It's best on 1A–3B hair and possible on 3C with adjustments. On 4B–4C hair the shape doesn't hold, so our analysis rules it out.
Does the textured crop work on thin or fine hair?
Yes: the catalog allows any density, so low-density hair isn't ruled out. 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 textured crop need?
A trim every 3–4 weeks: 13–17 cuts a year, about $390–$510 at $30 a cut, plus 2–5 minutes of styling a day.
Who should skip the textured crop?
4B–4C hair (coily): the shape depends on a texture it can't hold, so we rule it out. A hairline past Norwood 3: at stage 4 it's shown with a caveat; beyond that we hide it. Scores lower if you have a low forehead. Barbers also flag: A low forehead; a very round face if the top is left flat.
Is a crop top fade the same as a textured crop?
“Crop top fade” 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

All haircuts

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