What Is a Mid Drop Fade? How to Ask for It + Style Ideas

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Learn how to get, style, and maintain this ultra-trendy look

Co-authored by Tiffany Carnevale-Russo and Devin McSween

Last Updated: March 24, 2026 Fact Checked

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• What is the mid drop fade?
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• Asking for a Mid Drop Fade
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• Styling Advice
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• Maintenance
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• Hairstyle Ideas
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• Other Fade Styles
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

The mid drop fade is a crisp and trendy fade that starts around the temples and neatly curves around the neck. It looks great on most face shapes, is easy to maintain, and pairs well with lots of hairstyles, so it’s a great option if you want to change up your look! In this article, we’ll tell you what the mid drop fade looks like, how to ask for it, and how to style and maintain it, while sharing advice from wikiHow’s barber and hairstyling experts. Plus, we’ll go over some of the best mid drop fade hairstyles. Keep on reading to learn more!

All About the Mid Drop Fade Haircut

The mid drop fade starts at the temples or top of the ears. It involves gradually trimming the hair from the top of the head to the neck, with the fade line curving around the ear and dipping low behind the head. Simply ask your barber for a “mid drop fade” and bring a reference photo of the length and style you want.

Steps

Section 1 of 6:

What is the mid drop fade?

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1. 
   The mid drop fade starts at the temple and dips around the back of the neck. A mid drop fade is a combination of a mid fade and a drop fade. A mid fade starts around the temples or at the top of the ear, with the hair gradually shortening from the top of the head to the neck. With a drop fade, the fade line dips low behind the ear and curves around the neck (instead of following a straight line around the head). This creates a clean and trendy look, which pairs well with a ton of different hairstyles.

   • According to master barber Craig Whitely, faded hairstyles that hit around the temple area really complement a lot of guys. He says these hairstyles (like the mid drop fade) help frame the face and draw attention to the eyes.
   • Don’t worry—we’ll go over all the different mid drop fade hairstyles you can try in the section below!

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Craig Whitely is a men's grooming expert and barber with over 15 years of experience.

   Tiffany Carnevale-Russo is a hairstylist who specializes in haircuts and hairstyling for men.

   Janet Miranda is a professional hairstylist with over 15 years of experience.

   Frankie Sanderson is a hairstylist and founder of TheStudeo, specializing in hairstyling, makeup, and personal image.

   Amber Rose is a hairstylist with over 10 years of experience. She’s also the founder of Quality Style Weaves and Braids Salon.
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Section 2 of 6:

How to Ask for a Mid Drop Fade

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   Ask for a mid fade that drops behind your ears. When you go to your barber, tell them that you want a mid fade that starts around your temples and drops behind your ears to curve around your neck. Specify exactly where you want the fade to start and how gradual you want the fade to be. Then, let your barber know how much hair you want to trim on the top and how you usually style it.

   • For example, let your barber know if you want the fade to start at the same height as the top of your ears or slightly above the top of your ears. Then, let them know if you’d like a more gradual fade (like a taper fade) or a more dramatic fade (like a skin fade).
   • Specify the length of the clipper guards that you want the barber to use, too. Most barbers do a mid drop fade using #1.5 to #0.5 guards.
   • As hair stylist Tiffany Carnevale-Russo explains, the higher the clipper guard number, the less hair you’re going to trim off. For example, a #3 guard leaves behind more hair than a #1 guard.
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   Bring in a reference photo so your barber knows exactly what you want. It’s always a great idea to bring in a few pictures of the hairstyle you want. As Carnevale-Russo says, pictures are usually more helpful than actually saying what you’re looking for. She recommends finding styles you like on your browser (like Google) or going to a site like Pinterest.

   • Hair stylist Shun Pittman adds that it’s important to show your barber what you don’t want, too. She says this helps give your barber a clear description of what you want, your boundaries, and how they’ll deliver the look.
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   Ask for your barber’s input if you’re not sure what looks best on you. Talk to your barber about which type of fade and hair length will look best on you. Carnevale-Russo definitely suggests taking your barber’s opinion into consideration, as they generally know which styles will fit you. In particular, she notes they will understand what looks best for your face shape.

   • If you have a particular style in mind, Carnevale-Russo says to have a realistic expectation. While a certain style might look good on someone else, that doesn’t mean it’s also the perfect fit for you. However, your barber can tweak the style you like to make it look good on you.
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Section 3 of 6:

Styling a Mid Drop Fade

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1. 
   Wash your hair, then apply pomade or sea salt spray for texture. Styling a classic mid drop fade is pretty easy, as this is a relatively low-maintenance style. For your everyday look, simply wash your hair and either towel-dry or blow-dry it until it’s partially damp. Then, run some pomade or wax through your hair to tousle it and add a bit of texture. Or, spritz your hair with sea salt spray and scrunch it with your fingers to create texture and waves.

   • For some extra volume, blow-dry your hair at an upward angle after applying your styling product.

Section 4 of 6:

Maintaining a Mid Drop Fade

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1. 
   Get your hair trimmed every 4 to 6 weeks. To keep your hair looking neat and tidy, professional hair stylist Janet Miranda recommends getting your hair cut every month to month and a half. Or, simply schedule an appointment with your barber whenever your hair starts to look like it's losing its shape.
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Section 5 of 6:

Mid Drop Fade Hairstyles

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   Textured mid drop fade With this style, you keep the hair on top of your head longer and add layers to create lots of texture and movement. So, this is a great style if you want to rock the messy, tousled look.

   • Style your hair with a bit of pomade or clay, or spritz it with sea salt spray to add some more texture and waves.
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   Mid drop fade with messy fringe The mid drop fade looks great with messy fringe, which helps give you a trendy textured and tousled look. Just ask your barber to keep your hair a little longer towards the front of your head so they can cut a layered, choppy fringe that hangs over your forehead.

   • Let your barber know where you want your fringe to hit on your forehead. Opt for a low fringe that touches your brows, a mid-length fringe that hits the middle of your forehead, or a high fringe.
   • Style your hair with pomade or clay to tousle your fringe for extra texture or to smooth it out into your preferred style (quiff, slick back, etc.).
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   Cropped mid drop fade The cropped look is super popular right now, and looks great paired with a mid drop fade. Either go with a textured crop, which features short, choppy hair and a messy fringe, or a French crop, which features a short, sleek cut and straight fringe.

   • Use pomade or clay to help maintain either of the crop’s signature styles. Tousle your hair with styling product if you get a textured crop, or smooth down your hair if you get a French crop.
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   Mid drop fade with dreads If you have dreads, the mid drop fade is a great way to emphasize the style. The fade creates a crisp contrast between the sides and back of your head and the volume on top, giving you a bold and sharp look that’s super on trend.

   • Styling your dreadlocks is pretty easy. After you wash and condition your hair, hair stylist Amber Rose just says to apply a styling product with a gel base. This helps moisturize your hair and smooth down any frizz.
   • Celebrity hair stylist Noël Reid-Killings recommends washing your locks every 2 to 3 weeks and retwisting them every 6 to 8 weeks.
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   Mid drop fade with afro Adding a mid drop fade to your afro is a great way to create a sharp and defined style. It blends the volume of your afro with the clean, shaved sides of your head, giving you a sculpted look. Simply talk to your barber about how high you want your afro to be so they can cut your hair to your desired length.

   • To style, moisturize your hair with a bit of water and apply a leave-in conditioner or shea butter. Then, brush your hair with a wide-tooth comb.
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   Mid drop fade with faux hawk A mid drop fade complements a faux hawk super well, as this edgy style already involves keeping your hair longer on top and trimmed short on the sides to mimic the look of a mohawk. The fade helps emphasize the volume on top and creates an even more dramatic and bold look.

   • Style a faux hawk by applying a bit of mousse or styling cream and brushing your hair upward with your hands.
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   Mid drop fade with mullet The mullet has made a huge comeback in recent years, and looks ultra trendy paired with a mid drop fade. With this style, you add a short, messy fringe, cut the hair short on the top of your head, and maintain a longer length at the back of your head. The faded sides draw attention to the unique style, making this look really stand out!

   • To style, use pomade, mousse, or sea salt spray to add texture and volume to your hair.
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   Mid drop fade with quiff or pompadour Voluminous styles look especially great with a mid drop fade, creating a sharp and defined contrast between the clean-cut sides and top of your head. With the quiff or pompadour, just ask your barber to keep your hair longer on top so you can achieve either style.

   • To style a quiff, master hair stylist Frankie Sanderson says to dampen your hair and apply a bit of mousse or gel. Then, use a hair dryer to blow your hair upwards, using your fingers to shape it how you like. Apply some clay or wax for extra finish and hold.
   • To style a pompadour, professional barber Jacob Joseph says to start with damp hair. Then, use a round brush and a hair dryer to create a lot of volume at the front. Apply some pomade and use a comb to sweep your hair back.
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   Mid drop fade buzz cut If you prefer a shorter hairstyle, the buzz cut mid drop fade is a great option. As Sanderson explains, this cut is a clean, low-maintenance style where your hair is shaved to a short length all over. Then, the hair is gradually faded along the sides, which gives you a crisp and neat look.

   • Since the buzz cut is a very short style, it doesn’t really need any styling at all. However, if your hair is long enough, you can use pomade to add a bit of texture.
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    Mid drop fade with a side part Adding a side part to your hair makes your mid drop fade look even sharper and cleaner, giving you a classy and polished look. Simply use a comb to create a neat part on whichever side of your head that you prefer. Then, brush your hair to either side.

    • To style, Sanderson recommends applying a light pomade to your damp hair and then blow-drying your hair in the direction of the part.
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    Slicked back mid drop fade For a super polished and neat look, opt for the slick back. Simply ask your barber to keep your hair long on top so you can brush your hair back to achieve this voluminous and classy style.

    • Style a slick back by running pomade or gel through your hair. Then, brush all of your hair back with a comb.
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Section 6 of 6:

Other Fade Styles

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1. If you’re not into the mid drop fade, there are plenty of styles to choose from. Fades are some of the most popular hairstyles for men, and there are a lot of different variations that give you a different look. If you’re not sure which type best suits you, talk to your barber at your next hair appointment. Here are some other popular fade styles you may want to try:

   • Low fade: This is a subtler fade than the mid fade. It starts at or below the ears and has a more gradual taper from the top of the head to the sides.
     • You can also opt for a low drop fade.
   • High fade: This is a bolder fade than the mid fade. It starts well above the ears and creates a more dramatic taper that leaves most of the sides of your head bare.
     • You can also opt for a high drop fade.
   • Skin fade/Bald fade: This is a very bold type of fade, where the hair on the sides of your head is gradually shaved down to the skin, which creates a sharp contrast.
     • You can get a high, mid, or low skin fade.
   • Burst fade: With this type of fade, only the hair around your ears is gradually shaved down, creating a curved, C-like shape.
     • You can get a high, mid, or low burst fade.
   • Taper fade: This refers to gradually shortening the hair from the top to the sides and ending in a smooth fade out along the neck. It’s generally a more subtle type of fade.
     • You can get a high, mid, or low taper fade.
   • Shadow fade: This is another subtle type of fade, where the hair is gradually trimmed shorter along the sides and ends in stubble rather than bare skin.
     • You can get a high, mid, or low shadow fade.
   • Temple fade: This type of fade is centered around the temple and doesn’t extend past the ear. However, you can ask your barber to fade out the back of your neck a bit, if you prefer.
     • You can get a high, mid, or low temple fade.

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