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Are Undercuts Out of Style? What Still Works in Southeast Queens

By The Lilacroix barbers · October 28, 2026 · 1,230 words

Are undercuts out of style? Not really. The loud version from a few years back, with a heavy slicked top and a hard shaved side, has cooled off. The undercut itself still sits in our chairs on Merrick Blvd every week.

The direct answer: the undercut did not die, it softened. Most guys now ask for short sides that blend into longer hair on top, with a clean line up. That keeps the shape and drops the harsh edge people started to find dated.

Are undercuts out of style right now?

No. Undercuts are out of style only in their extreme form. A hard step from nearly bare sides to a long, heavy top looks like a throwback. The softer version is a regular request at our shop in Laurelton.

Think of style as a dial, not a switch. At one end sits the sharp, high contrast cut. At the other end sits a plain scissor cut with no clipper work at all. Most of what we cut lands in the middle, where the sides are short and neat and the top keeps some length and texture.

Trends move slowly in a neighborhood shop. Our clients want a cut that looks right at work, at church, at school pickup and on the weekend. An undercut that grows out badly fails that test, so the versions that survive are the ones that blend or that grow out clean.

What is an undercut, in plain barber terms?

An undercut is a cut where the sides and back are clipped much shorter than the top. You can see the difference in length, and often a clear line where the short hair meets the long hair.

Two words matter here. A connected undercut blends the sides up into the top, so there is no hard edge. A disconnected undercut leaves a gap, so the short sides stop and the long top starts with no gradual change. We break that split down in our post on disconnected undercut versus a regular undercut, and the softer route in our guide to the blended undercut.

If your barber is using clippers, the sides end up short and the top keeps length you can style, you are in undercut territory. The sides are usually a number 1 to 3 guard, or bare skin with a foil or razor finish. The top stays long enough to comb, brush, twist or pick out.

What looks dated and what looks current?

Hard parts, extreme contrast and a flat slicked top read as dated. Blended sides, soft texture and a neat line up read as current. Use this table when you decide what to ask for.

On our price list a haircut is $25, a fade is $30 and a line up is $16. The barber will tell you which one your cut falls under before the first clipper touches your head.

Does an undercut work on coily and 4C hair?

Yes. An undercut works on coily and 4C hair, and often it holds its shape better than it does on straight hair. What changes is how you judge length and how you keep the top moisturized.

Coily hair shrinks. Four inches of hair on top can look like two once it dries and springs back. So tell your barber how much length you want to see, not only how much to leave. Many men with 4C hair pick a twist sponge top, a short afro or a high top with tapered sides. Our guide to the afro taper fade covers the version that keeps length on top with clean sides.

Keep the top moisturized with a light cream or leave in conditioner, and use a pick or a soft brush instead of a fine comb. Dry coily hair breaks, and broken hair makes the shape look uneven faster than any bad line.

Who should skip an undercut?

Skip or soften the undercut if your hair is very thin on top, if the top is too short to style, or if you do not want a visit every few weeks. Most face shapes can carry some version of it.

• Round face: keep the sides short and the top tall to add height and length.
• Long or narrow face: soften the blend and avoid piling on height.
• Square face: a blended undercut keeps the jaw strong without making it harsh.
• Thinning at the temples or crown: shorter sides can make the top look fuller, but a very low contrast cut may suit you better.

If you are weighing it against a simple all over cut, read undercut versus no undercut before you decide. It walks through upkeep, growth and hair type side by side.

How do you ask your barber for a modern undercut?

Be specific and the haircut comes out right the first time. Use this order.

1. Name the look: "blended undercut" or "short sides with length on top."
2. Pick the sides: a number 1 to 3 guard, or a skin fade if you want bare skin.
3. Say how much length stays on top, in inches, and how you wear it: natural, twisted, brushed or combed.
4. Ask for the line up and neckline, a line up is $16 on our list.
5. Tell the barber how often you plan to come back.

If you have a photo, bring it, but add the details. A photo on straight hair does not show how your own curl pattern will behave, and the barber needs to adjust the length for that.

How do you style it and how often do you need a touch up?

Plan on a visit every two to three weeks for a sharp edge, or every four weeks if you are fine with the sides softening. The short sides show growth first, and the line around the ears and neck goes fuzzy within two weeks.

For daily styling, a matte paste or cream works on straighter and wavy hair. On coily hair, moisturize, then brush or pick the top into shape. A few minutes of care each morning keeps the shape between visits.

Many guys ask what is fair to tip for a cut that takes real detail work. Our short post on how much to tip your barber covers it.

Get a clean undercut at LilAcroix Barbers in Laurelton

Come to LilAcroix Barbers at 232-12 Merrick Blvd, Laurelton, NY 11413. Call (718) 749-5800 or walk in; call ahead if you want to check the wait. We are open seven days, Monday to Thursday 7:30 AM to 7 PM, Friday and Saturday 7 AM to 7 PM, Sunday 7 AM to 5 PM.

Tell the barber the look you want, and we will build it with a haircut or a fade cut, then finish with the line up. Need directions or bus routes? See our contact and directions.

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