--- title: "Ivy League" date: 2026-11-15 published: 2026-11-13 author: "" --- # Ivy League [Home](/) / [Men’s hairstyles](/mens-hairstyles/) / Ivy League# Ivy League A crew cut left long enough on top to part and comb to the side. BuzzSide partingLonger frontEvery 3 to 4 weeks An Ivy League haircut is a short men’s cut with tapered sides, usually a grade 2 or 3, and a top left about 3 to 5cm long at the front, getting shorter towards the crown, so it can be combed into a side parting. It is essentially a crew cut with enough length at the front to part. Also called the Princeton or the Harvard clip, it is one of the neatest, least fussy cuts among [the classic men’s hairstyles we cover](/mens-hairstyles/). ![Man with an Ivy League cut, a longer front combed to the side over short tapered sides, front view](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/ivy-league-haircut-front-photo.jpg)Front ![Profile of an Ivy League cut, the longer front combed to the side over short tapered sides](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/ivy-league-haircut-profile-photo.jpg)Profile The same cut from the front and in profile. ## At a glance Also calledPrinceton cut, Harvard clip SidesA grade 2 to 3, tapered at the neck Top3 to 5cm at the front, shorter towards the crown PartingOn the side, natural UpkeepEvery 3 to 4 weeks Best onOval, square and round faces Avoid ifYou want volume or a lot of styling options Popularised byRyan Gosling (his go-to sleek version), Harry Kane (a choppier take) Upkeep**2 / 5** Every 3 to 4 weeks Styling effort**2 / 5** A comb and a little cream Length needed**2 / 5** 3cm or so on top ## £5 off your first delivery A fresh cut looks sharpest with a clean neckline. A sharp blade keeps it that way between visits, without the razor burn a blunt one leaves. *This page has a form, which is not reproduced here. Use the page itself to fill it in.* £5 off your first subscription or VIP order – one per customer, unsubscribe with 1 click ## How to ask your barber 1. **Ask for an Ivy League**A crew cut long enough on top to part. 2. **Give the side grade**A grade 2 or 3, tapered at the neck. 3. **Say the top length**About 3 to 5cm at the front, getting shorter towards the crown. 4. **Say where you part it**Left or right, natural rather than shaved. ## The variations The same cut, worn differently. What changes is the length, where the short part starts and how the top is styled. **Classic Ivy League** Scissor top, clipper sides Neat and smart. **Short Ivy League** 3cm at the front Closer to a crew cut. **Ivy League with a fade** Faded sides More modern. **Textured Ivy League** Roughed up Less formal. **Hard part Ivy League** Parting shaved in More defined. ## Will it work with your hair? Hair type decides how a cut sits and how fast it loses its shape. The table below is the short version. Straight Ideal Parts and lies flat easily. Wavy Ideal Waves add a little body. Curly Works Keep it short so it holds the parting. Coily Works Works short and neat. Thick Ideal Thin the top so it combs across. Fine or thinning Ideal Short and tidy, so thin hair looks deliberate. ## Will it suit your face? Where a cut adds height and where it takes width away decides how it sits with your face shape. Hair type matters more, but this is the short version. Oval Ideal Balanced proportions, so the cut itself decides. Round Ideal A short top with a little height at the front suits a round face. Square Ideal A neat parting suits a defined jaw. Oblong Works Keep the top fairly flat rather than lifted. Heart Ideal A side parting breaks up a broad forehead. Diamond Works A parting with some fullness on top works. ## Beard styles that go with it Hair and beard are one outline. These keep the proportions right with this cut. [![Clean-shaven man with short fair hair in a light blue shirt, smooth cheeks, chin and top lip, three-quarter view](/wp-content/uploads/beard-styles/photos/clean-shaven-beard-style-three-quarter-photo.jpg) **Clean shaven**The traditional, tidy pairing.](/beard-styles/clean-shaven/) [![Man in a grey jumper with designer stubble, an even short growth across the cheeks, jaw, chin and top lip, front view](/wp-content/uploads/beard-styles/photos/stubble-beard-style-front-photo.jpg) **Stubble**A little growth relaxes it.](/beard-styles/stubble/) [![Man in a navy suit and white shirt with a corporate beard, short, neatly trimmed and kept full on the cheeks and jaw, three-quarter view](/wp-content/uploads/beard-styles/photos/corporate-beard-beard-style-three-quarter-photo.jpg) **Corporate beard**A short, neat beard keeps it smart.](/beard-styles/corporate-beard/) ## What an Ivy League haircut is Three things define it. The back and sides are short and tapered, getting gradually shorter towards the neck and ears. The top is graded, longest at the front hairline and shorter at the crown. And the front is long enough to take a side parting and be combed across, rather than standing up. ![Profile of an Ivy League cut: short tapered sides and a longer front combed over to the side](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/ivy-league-side-part-side-view.jpg) That front-to-back grading matters. It is what lets the fringe sweep to one side while the crown lies flat, so nothing sticks up at the back. Get the top cut to one length and the parting will not sit properly. The name comes from the American Ivy League universities, where it was a common student haircut in the middle of the last century. It has been a standard smart short cut on both sides of the Atlantic ever since. ## Ivy League vs crew cut The two are the same shape at different lengths. A [crew cut](/mens-hairstyles/crew-cut/) keeps the top at about 1 to 3cm. It is too short to part, so the front is pushed up or brushed forward. It reads as sporty and practical. An Ivy League leaves the front at 3 to 5cm, enough to part and comb across. The sides and the grading are the same. The extra centimetre or two turns a practical cut into a smart one. That makes it easy to move between them. Let the top of a crew cut grow for a month or two and you have an Ivy League. Take an Ivy League shorter and you are back to a crew cut. The Ivy League is also a shorter, more structured cousin of the [side part](/mens-hairstyles/side-part/). A side part usually has a longer top of even length. The Ivy League’s graded top is what keeps it short and tidy. ## Who an Ivy League suits **Straight hair** is ideal. It holds a parting with no effort and the taper shows clearly. ![Man in a blue Oxford shirt with an Ivy League cut, the front combed to the side, in a barbershop](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/ivy-league-side-part-barbershop.jpg) **Wavy hair** gives it a slightly looser, more relaxed look. Use a cream rather than pomade so the wave stays soft. **Thick hair** works well but can look bulky on top. Ask the barber to thin the top so it lies flat. **Curly hair** is possible with a little extra length on top and a softer taper at the sides. The parting will be softer than on straight hair. **Fine or thinning hair** suits it better than most cuts. The short length makes thin hair look fuller, and combing the fringe across covers a slight recession at the temples. If thinning is more advanced, the [haircuts for balding men](/mens-hairstyles/haircuts-for-balding-men/) page has more options. **Face shape** is rarely a problem. The modest height suits oval, square and round faces. On a long face, keep the top flat and the sides a touch fuller. It is also about as safe as haircuts get for work and school. If you want a cut that will not attract comment anywhere, this is one. ## How to ask a UK barber for an Ivy League Some barbers know it by name, some do not, so describe it as well. - **Ask for an Ivy League,** or “a long crew cut with a side parting”. - **The sides.** “A grade 2 on the sides, tapered at the neck.” Ask for a grade 3 (9mm) for a softer look. For a more modern version, ask for a fade from a grade 0.5 or 1 around the ears instead. Keep the taper soft if you want it to look classic. - **The top.** “About 4cm at the front, shorter towards the crown, long enough to part.” Say how much to take off if you are not sure about centimetres. - **The parting.** Tell them which side. A natural parting is standard. A shaved-in hard part is an option, but it needs redoing at most cuts. - **The neckline.** Ask for it tapered rather than squared off. It grows out more gracefully. Bring a side-on photo if you have one. It shows the grading on top better than a front view. ## Styling an Ivy League It is a two-minute job. 1. **Start with damp hair.** Towel dried. 2. **Add a small amount of product.** A light cream or matte paste for a natural finish, or a little pomade for a neater, slightly shiny look. Work it in from the back forward. 3. **Set the parting.** Run the end of a comb along your parting line from the front hairline back. 4. **Comb the front across.** Sweep the fringe to one side and slightly back. Comb the shorter side down. 5. **Dry it in place.** Let it air dry, or use a hair dryer on low heat in the direction it is combed. Lift the front slightly with your fingers if you want a little height. On a lazy day it can be towel dried and pushed into place with the fingers, and it will still look tidy. ## Upkeep and how often to cut Every three to four weeks. The tapered sides are what keep it looking sharp, and they are the first part to go fuzzy. A faded version or a hard part needs doing every two to three weeks. At each cut the barber should tidy the sides and neckline, keep the top graded and trim the fringe back to parting length. If the top gets much longer than 5cm, the cut stops being an Ivy League and starts drifting towards a side part. ## Variations - **Classic Ivy League.** Scissor-cut top, clipper sides tapered from a grade 2. Neat and smart. - **Short Ivy League.** About 3cm at the front. Closer to a crew cut, even less styling. - **Ivy League with a fade.** Faded sides for more contrast. More modern, more upkeep. - **Textured Ivy League.** Matte product, roughed up with the fingers. Less formal. - **Hard part Ivy League.** The parting shaved in. More defined. It grows out cleanly. Let the top keep going and you have a side part, then a longer [short back and sides](/mens-hairstyles/short-back-and-sides/). For the rest of the family, see the [classic haircuts](/mens-hairstyles/classic-haircuts/) collection. ## Questions we get asked What is an Ivy League haircut?A short haircut with tapered sides and a top about 3 to 5cm long at the front, getting shorter towards the crown, worn with a side parting. It is a crew cut left long enough at the front to part and comb across. What is the difference between an Ivy League and a crew cut?Length on top. A crew cut keeps the top at about 1 to 3cm, too short to part. An Ivy League leaves 3 to 5cm at the front so it can be combed into a side parting. The sides and the front-to-back grading are the same. What grade are the sides on an Ivy League?Usually a grade 2 (6mm), tapered at the neck. A grade 3 (9mm) gives a softer look. For a more modern version, a fade from a grade 0.5 or 1 around the ears. Is an Ivy League haircut the same as a Princeton or Harvard clip?Yes. Princeton cut and Harvard clip are other names for the same haircut. Barbers use them more or less interchangeably. Does an Ivy League suit thinning hair?Usually, yes. The short length makes thin hair look fuller, and combing the fringe across covers a slight recession at the temples. Avoid a hard part over a thin area. How often should I get an Ivy League cut?Every three to four weeks to keep the taper sharp. If the sides are faded, every two to three weeks. ## Other short clipper cuts Close relatives, and how they differ. [Buzz CutAll over](/mens-hairstyles/buzz-cut/)[Crew CutLonger front](/mens-hairstyles/crew-cut/)[Flat TopHigh fade](/mens-hairstyles/flat-top/)[High and TightShort top](/mens-hairstyles/high-and-tight/) ## Browse by what matters to you The same directory, cut a different way. [Classic Men’s HaircutsBarbershop standards that have outlasted every trend.](/mens-hairstyles/classic-haircuts/) [All 29 hairstylesThe full directory](/mens-hairstyles/) [Five-blade razor subscriptionFor a clean neckline between cuts. Five-blade refills from £10](/)