Why do they automatically cut off my sideburns?

What that barber gave you is sidewalls, not a sideburn. Military and ex military men get that cut.

I have to tell my barber to remove them entirely as they creep down in the month between cuts and sideburns are not in style.

Say, “Buzz cut, number three on top and number two on the sides.” Optionally, while looking at yourself in the mirror and pointing an index finger at the height above which you don’t want your sideburns cut, you could add, “And could you keep the sideburns right about here?”

Which is the best time to have them.

Sparky you aren’t the only one. I had the same problem, as well as the “how do I describe what I want” problem until I settled on a regular barber. No more misunderstandings.

Then things were peachy until Joe Mauer came along.

I remember that they had to cut my sideburns when I was playing in this low budget movie. I mean, I hated it. They never even payed me for the role and they made me cut my sideburns there on the set.

A good barber/stylist doesn’t assume you want to be in “style.” If you haven’t shaved off your sideburns, but have otherwise shaved properly (even if you have carry a beard there’s the neck beard) they should assume you want them. Sure, they can say “This would look better without sideburns; can I shave them off?” Sure they can trim them down (something that is a little harder to do on your own.)

Also, sideburns allow wider faces to look more narrow. The same people who want to shave off my sideburns always want to give me too short of hair for my face. I’m not balding yet, but I have a high forehead and don’t want to look like I am.

Not quite worth its own thread: Yesterday I was lunching at a Japanese place near my office and was distracted by a professionally-dressed IT type at a nearby table who had elected to shave his entire head - except for half-inch strips of ginger sideburns which ran neatly from the the top to bottom of each ear.

It looked like this. I didn’t know this was a thing, now. Hysterical.