The “black man and haircuts” thread on this page got me wondering how complex guy’s haircuts are. Mine is as simple as you can get: I just tell the barber cut everything with a 2 (name of the guard they use), lose the sideburns. Not only do I not request a certain style, I don’t even know the names of styles (minus obvious ones like buzz cut or mullet). So how much guidance do you give your barber, and how particular are you about your hair style? Does whether you go to a barber or a hairstylist make a difference?
My barber is my wife, and I tell her to do whatever she wants. 
What she wants is a pretty basic parted on the side, fairly short hair style. Not fancy at all. It takes her about 5 minutes.
I usually tell the barber: “short everywhere – front, sides and back”. I think I’ve also said “over the ears” or “above the ears” if I let it grow long enough, but I haven’t had to do that since I’ve been married.
Sometimes I have to tell the barber I want it even shorter, but with my current favourite barber I get my preferred length without any further input.
Huh? Fancy? What? Well, I grew out of the “drink lots of liquor, grab a pair of scissors and start cutting.” That’s pretty fancy. Unless you’re talking about nose-hairs – I give them a French bob pretty often.
I just tell whoever’s on point to leave it longer on top, don’t be afraid of the thinning shears, and do what you think looks good. They’re (supposedly) the experts, and I’m not, so I’m weighing flattering their ego against having a really dorky cut.
Men and kind of tatty-looking Gen-X rocker chicks have done the best handiwork in my experience. ETA Yeah, I’m white and not that picky as long as they don’t fuck with my sideburns. Oh, that was intentional above – didn’t want to be crude and say “handwork.” You might get the wrong idea – or is it???
My standard directions are “Clipper cut on the sides and back with a number 4. Blend on top so it is neat but still combable and square the back.” That is all I need to say and it is pretty standard men’s cut.
Back with a number 5, everything else a number 4. Rounded neckline (as round as I can get it with a second mirror to look at my own back of my neck).
Pretty simple, I think.
Mine is very fancy. I get it both high and tight.
The whole head, scalp and beard, gets shaved with a #2 trimmer, and the neck and cheeks get shaved clean. Hard to get simpler than that.
I have thin straight blonde hair that I’m hating to see go. My instruction is basically ‘above the ears, square in back’. Nothing fancy. I have a widening bald spot where my cowlick used to be, and receded hair line, so I need to do something about this that doesn’t involve a combover (straight back), which is what I currently do.
I buzz my own my hair then let it grow out all shaggy. Then repeat 
Self administered #1 trimmer cut all over once every 3 weeks. Every couple of months or so my I’ll ask Mrs Bilbo to tidy up the back of the neck and around the ears.
You’re not saying a straight-back do, maybe with some pomade or whatever, is a combover, are you? Not to get all metro on you, but I’m mildly curious – I have lots of hair (you like that, towhead? hah!), but definitely receding at the temples. I’m thinking combover is more like a Dick van Patten thing. Might have to reconsider my options.
Not quite a Jack Nicholson full-recession, but going in that direction. Don’t ask my age. I’m…29. OK, I guess that went full metro, but still a serious question.
I shave my head.
This is basically what I do as well; I cut it with clippers (never went to a barber) once every 3 months, so it varies between about 1/2 inch and 2 inches.
Nature has taken care of “cutting” most of my hair already. I have the stereotypical bald man’s fringe left, which does not look good if it gets too long. Whenever I start getting too shaggy I mow the entire lawn with a clipper sans guard, essentially leaving me with stubble (think Curly Howard, but with a hairline way farther back than his.)
So… not fancy at all.
1/16" clipper every week to keep it neat and even. Shave in the shower and I’m pretty good at keeping the neckline straight with my razor.
So pretty non-fancy, I’d say.
Don’t know the number of the clipper but it basically “Real short on the sides and back, little longer on top.”
No.2 on the back & sides, about 1/2 the length it is now on top.
Yes to removing sideburns. Don’t really care whether the back is shaped or tapered. No gel.
Chop and block. Cheap and quick. Every nine months or so.
And don’t touch my eyebrows! (I could play Dennis Healey on tv.)
I’ve stopped getting haircuts. I’ll trim it myself slightly if it is covering my eyes. I always hated having no idea what kind of instruction to give the barbers, and I’m just kind of curious what I naturally look like absent any cultural influence (I quit shaving too).