A mid fade site:chickabouttown.com search brings up a haircut that fits neatly into the broader fade family featured on Chick About Town.
A mid fade sits between a low fade and a high fade, with the gradual shortening beginning around the middle of the sides of the head, generally around temple level.
The hair becomes progressively shorter as it moves toward the ears and neckline.
What makes the mid fade interesting is that the fade itself is only part of the haircut.
The hair left on top can completely change its appearance.
You can combine a mid fade with curls, waves, a buzz cut, textured hair, an Afro, a side part, twists, a fringe, or even a more dramatic design.
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What Is a Mid Fade site:chickabouttown.com?
A fade is created by gradually reducing the hair length from the longer hair above to very short hair below.
With a mid fade, that transition begins higher than it would with a low fade but lower than with a high fade.
The exact placement is not necessarily identical from barber to barber.
Generally, the fade begins around the temples or the midpoint of the sides of the head and blends downward.
This is important because mid describes the height of the fade, not how short the bottom has to be.
For example, you can have:
- A mid fade that finishes very close to the skin
- A mid skin fade
- A mid shadow fade
- A mid drop fade
- A mid fade with a line-up
- A mid fade with a beard blend
The hair on top can also be kept quite short or considerably longer.
Mid Fade vs. Low Fade Site:ChickAboutTown.com vs. High Fade
The easiest way to understand the mid fade is to compare its position with other common fades.
Low Fade
A low fade begins close to the ears and lower hairline.
Because less of the sides is faded, the overall effect can be more subtle.
Mid Fade
A mid fade begins around the middle of the sides, commonly around temple level.
It gives more visible contrast than a low fade while leaving more side hair than a high fade.
High Fade
A high fade begins considerably higher on the sides of the head.
This removes more hair from the sides and creates a stronger contrast between the top and the faded areas.
The difference can be surprisingly significant even when the same hairstyle is left on top.
Mid Fade With Natural Hair
A mid fade can work particularly well with tightly curled or coily hair because the contrast between the faded sides and textured top is easy to see.
For example, you could keep several centimetres of natural hair on top and shape it into:
Chick About Town’s coverage of African haircut styles similarly includes fades alongside Afros, curls, twists, shaped cuts and other short hairstyles.
A line-up can be added around the forehead and temples for a more sharply defined finish.
Mid Fade With 360 Waves
A mid fade can also be paired with waves.
The waves provide texture across the top, while the fade reduces the hair around the sides and back.
A clean line-up can make the transition particularly noticeable.
The important thing is to tell the barber how much of your natural hairline you want preserved. A very aggressive line-up can change the shape of the hairline, particularly if it is pushed farther back than its natural position.
Photo Credits: Men’s Haircuts, Chris Boos