Princeton Haircut

Princeton-inspired haircut for men
Photo: Dean Drobot/Canva
Q: What is a Princeton haircut?
 
A: The Princeton haircut is a classic men's haircut style that has also been known by other names over the years. These names are all related: Princeton cut, the Ivy League cut, or the Collegiate Cut.
 
The cut was made popular in the 40s and 50s among the young campus men of the Ivy League schools. It was favored for its versatility - combining the short back and sides demanded by the social conventions of the day, with a longer top and fringe area that could be slicked back and styled for a clean-cut, well-groomed look, or left loose and free for a playful, tousled look.
 
The style has survived over the years, re-emerging in cycles, and slowly morphing from its original look. Even though the "Princeton Cut" of today may not be exactly the same as it was in its origin era, the details of the cut are the same.
 
The hair is cut around the lower perimeter following the men's traditional styling: sideburns are cut as desired, the hair is cut around the ears and a squared nape area is created.
 
The sides and back are tapered short at bottom to approximately 1 to 2 inches in the parietal ridge area and the hair on top increases in length from the crown area to the front/fringe area. The front length of the hair is as desired, but is generally 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 inches (whatever is appropriate to allow the hair to hang approximately to eye level).
 
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See also:
 
Men's hairstyles
 
Men's and boys' standard cuts and clipper cutting
 
Cambridge cut and Ivy League cut