You’ve got a lot to think about every time you sit down in a barber’s chair. From general length and style, to texture, sideburns and so on, there are more than a few details you need to iron out before your appointment (and then communicate to the man or woman wielding the scissors) to ensure that you walk away rocking exactly the style you want. With all those balls in the air, though, it makes sense that an element or two might go unconsidered, forcing you to game-time the decision as to how you want them handled. Among the choices most often overlooked: what to do with your neckline.

Out of sight and likewise forgotten, the hair at the nape of the neck can make or break an otherwise solid haircut. Choose the wrong way to go, and even the sharpest ‘do can lose its edge right quick. So, to get you all the information you need to come an informed conclusion, we reached out to a few trusted barbers to talk about the back of your head.

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By Stephen J. Praetorius

According to Chris Cessna, of Blind Barber in Los Angeles, you’ve got three choices when it comes to necklines. They are: blocked (or squared), rounded, and tapered. “Squared or blocked necklines are cut straight across the neck,” notes Chris, whereas, “A rounded neckline does the same minus the corners. Last but not least, a tapered neckline follows the natural hairline of the neck and gradually gets shorter. These three options are used on every haircut. It's up to you and the person cutting your hair to talk about which one works best with your cut and face shape.”

Which Should You Choose?

When it comes to deciding what neckline is right for you, there are two factors you need to assess. The first of which is how long you plan on going before your next appointment, because certain options age better between cuts. “Any neckline with a hard line, like those that are squared or rounded, will show growth faster,” says Shorty Maniace, master barber at San Francisco’s J.P. Kempt Barber Social, “That’s why I personally prefer tapered styles. I feel that they grow out better.”

Your second concern should be the size of your neck. “Do you have a large neck?” asks Shorty. “If so you might want to go more with the squared look. On the other hand, if you have a smaller neck, you might want to go with the round look.” Why, you ask? “The reason for that is that a squared look will make your neck look smaller, whereas a round look will show off a little more skin to the sides, making it appear that your neck’s a little larger.”

That said, in the end it’s all a matter of personal preference. “All styles can be professional,” Shorty says, “as long as they’re done right.”

How Can You Keep A Clean Neckline Between Haircuts?

So you figured out how you like your neckline, and not want to keep it looking it’s best between snips by doing a little D.I.Y. barbering? Well, don’t. “Leave your neck alone,” Shorty stresses, “and let a pro handle it. At a good barber shop, you can slip in and have somebody clean up your neck in between haircuts. Trying to do it at home yourself is just going to mess it up and make it harder for your barber down the line. Plus, you’ll probably end up looking like a dork.”

And you don’t want that, now do you?

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