A man in a black shirt with a high and tight haircut.

How to Do a High & Tight

What is a High & Tight?

Looking to sharpen your look? Follow along with Casey Gilbert’s step-by-step tutorial on how to do the High & Tight haircut using your Wahl clippers at home. The High & Tight haircut features a shaved back and sides, while the top is blended or faded into longer hair. It was a popular military hairstyle for men. Even more popular today – go on, make it happen. You got this!

How to Do a High & Tight Step-by-Step

1. Begin with Damp Hair

Shower up or dampen your hair with a spray bottle. Comb your hair down so it is lying straight, facing the same direction.

A man in a black shirt dampening and combing his hair as he looks in a mirror.

2. Start at the Back

Section of the head infographic: Section 1: back of the neck. Section 2: under the rim of the head. Section 3: the rim of the head. Section 4: the top of the head.

Using your Wahl hair clipper, attach guard #1 (1/8") or #2 (1/4") and buzz the back of the neck and under the rim of the head. (Sections 1 and 2. See infographic above.) At this length, using upward rocking motions, start from the bottom and work your way up.

Guide Comb Math: The smaller the number of the guide comb (or guard), the shorter the cut. The larger the number, the longer the hair will be.

A man using a Wahl hair clipper to trim the back and side of his head.

3. Take it to the Top

Use guard #5 (5/8") or #6 (3/4") to clip the hair on the top of the head (section 4). You can dampen your hair with a spray bottle again here if you wish.

A close up of a man using a Wahl clipper to cut the top of his head.

4. Next: Blend

Blend into the rim of the head (section 3) using the #2 guard (1/4") or the #3 guard (3/8")

A man using a Wahl hair clipper to cut the side of his head.

5. Touch up

Use the inverted clipper technique to touch up the area around the ears and the back of the neck. And you’re done – finish off your look with a fingertip-sized amount of product to keep your High & Tight looking sharp and smelling great!