Short Afro with Taper

What it is

Length is kept uniform so the curl pattern does the shaping, and the taper at the sides and neckline keeps the outline tidy. Height at the crown lengthens a round face; a line-up at the front squares off a soft hairline if that is wanted.

Who it suits

• Round

  Face length and width are close, with a soft jaw angle and full cheeks. Styles that add height on top and keep the sides tight will make the face read longer and more angular.

• Oval

  Slightly longer than wide, with the cheekbones as the widest point and a gently rounded jaw. The most forgiving shape — most cuts work, so the decision comes down to hair texture and how much effort you want to spend.

• Heart

  A wide forehead narrowing to a smaller chin. Fringe and side weight balance the top, while beard length adds the width the lower face lacks.

• Square

  Jaw, cheekbones and forehead are close in width, with a pronounced jaw angle. The structure is already strong, so the job is either to show it off or to soften its corners.

When to think twice

• long face
• straight hair

Show this to your barber

Pick out first, then cut to an even 3-5 cm with clipper-over-pick. Taper the sides and nape, optional line-up at the frontal hairline. Leave-in moisturiser.

Related styles

• Textured Crop

  Short, choppy top with a tight taper — the modern default.

• Low Taper with Textured Top

  Clean at the neck, volume on top — smart without being severe.

• Mid Fade Pompadour

  Serious height at the front, tight at the sides.

• Classic Side Part

  A hard-line part, combed over, nothing to argue with.