Men's wolf cut

Read this out: “Shaggy layers with the most height at the crown; top 3–4 in, point-cut; sides layered over the ears (low taper or burst optional); 3–5 in left at the back and blended in; curtain fringe to the cheekbones.” That's 3–4 in (7.5–10 cm) on top with a tapered neckline, recut every 6–8 weeks. Your own barber card adjusts it for your part side and texture.

The men's wolf cut and the modern mullet share medium length and medium to high density, which is why they get mixed up. The men's wolf cut is cut as “Point-cut or razor the layers; cut with the natural wave; keep the back blended, not shelved”; the modern mullet as “Leave 2–4 in at the nape, blended, not shelved”. On texture, the men's wolf cut takes 2A–3B hair, plus 1C with adjustments; the modern mullet takes 2A–3C hair, plus 1B with adjustments. Beyond the trim the men's wolf cut needs volume at the crown and a dress code that allows a statement cut, the modern mullet needs a dress code that allows a statement cut. 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: modern mullet.

Yes: our catalog lists the men's wolf 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 2A–3B 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 men's wolf cut against every other men's cut.

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

Not as a first pick: the catalog allows medium to high density, because the shape relies on bulk that thin hair doesn't have. Our analysis scores it lower if you have fine hair and low-density hair. It also needs volume to hold its shape, so anything that flattens your hair works against it. Density is measured in the free check, and our thinning hair guide lists the cuts our engine favours for thin hair.

A trim every 6–8 weeks: 7–9 cuts a year, about $210–$270 at $30 a cut, plus 3–5 minutes of styling a day.

1A, 4A–4C hair (straight 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: Fine or low-density hair (the layers look thin), a low forehead, a conservative workplace; possible with a caveat at hairline stage 3 and hidden beyond; trend-dependent (Janif 2014: rarer looks rate higher).

“Wolf cut men” 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.