French Cut or French Crop

Jeremy Piven - Photo: Everett Collection/Shutterstock

Q: What is a French cut?

A: Actually, this is another of the situations where hairstyle terms can mean different things depending on where you live. It can even vary from salon to salon, as many salons develop their own terms for hairstyles. However, there are two common references to the term "French Cut" or "French Crop".

The first use of the term "French Cut" was in the Elizabethan period of history and referred to a style of grooming men's facial hair. The "French cut" beard was mid-length and cut to frame the face and kept rounded with slimmer lines in the mustaches.

Later use of the term "French Crop" referred to a variant of the "Caesar Crop" in which the hair is cut short on the back and sides, and slightly longer on top. Combed forward over the forehead, the key difference in the "Caesar" and "French Crop" styles is the length to which the bangs are kept - the "French Crop" typically has longer bangs.

Caption: Actor Jeremy Piven, who is sporting a Caesar/French Crop haircut.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Men's hairstyles

How to cut hair

Clipper cutting techniques

Dressing up men's hair