Semi Short Haircuts for Guys: The Perfect Middle Ground

Semi-short haircuts offer the perfect balance between short and medium styles, giving you a polished look while allowing for some styling versatility. For guys between 20-25, these cuts can enhance your personal style while requiring minimal maintenance.

What Is a Semi-Short Haircut?

Semi-short haircuts typically feature hair that falls between short and medium length. For reference, short hair is about 1-2 inches at the front, semi-short ranges from 3-4 inches, medium length is around 6-7 inches, and anything longer is considered long hair. Semi-short styles offer more versatility than shorter cuts while remaining manageable and professional, giving you enough length to create some texture and movement while keeping maintenance relatively simple.

Transitioning from Short to Semi-Short

Growing out a short haircut takes patience. Here’s how to make the journey smoother:

1. Start by letting the top grow while maintaining shorter sides with regular trims
2. Use styling products like texture paste or lightweight pomade to control awkward growth phases
3. Schedule maintenance cuts every 4-6 weeks to shape the hair as it grows
4. Consider a shorter semi-short style first, then gradually grow into longer options

5 Stylish Semi-Short Haircuts

1. Textured Crop

This contemporary style features a slightly longer top with textured, choppy layers and short, faded sides. The fringe can be worn forward or styled with some product for a messier look. Perfect for guys with straight to wavy hair who want a low-maintenance but stylish option.

Textured crop work exceptionally well with messy styling techniques that showcase your natural texture, allowing you to embrace waves, curls, or natural volume without extensive styling time.

2. Modern Quiff

This contemporary interpretation of the classic quiff features 3-4 inches of length on top with noticeably shorter, tapered sides, creating a bold contrast. The front is styled upward and back with significant volume, while the length allows for versatile styling options. This semi-short cut maintains a clean professional appearance for work settings but can be styled with more dramatic height and texture for social occasions.

3. Short Sides with Curly Top

For guys with curly hair, keeping the sides short with a fade while allowing 2-3 inches of natural curls on top creates a balanced, stylish look. This cut embraces natural texture while keeping everything neat and controlled.

4. Modern Side Part

A contemporary take on a classic style that adds volume and texture to the traditional side part. Normally, the hair is kept at 1-2 inches on top for a regular short haircut. But for a semi-short haircut, we will leave the front about 3-4 inches longer, with a clean part and shorter, tapered sides. This versatile cut works well with straight to slightly wavy hair and can be styled with a matte product for a textured, effortless finish while maintaining a professional appearance.

5. Modern Textured French Crop

A contemporary take on the classic French crop featuring 3-4 inches of length on top with a defined fringe that’s cut straight across the forehead. The longer top length allows for rich texture and movement, while the sides are kept noticeably shorter with a clean fade. This European-inspired cut creates a bold structural contrast that frames the face. It works well with natural texture and can be styled with minimal product for an effortless look or with matte styling paste for more definition and separation.

Each of these semi-short styles masterfully balances shorter and medium lengths, providing a polished, professional appearance while offering enough length to showcase your personal style. The 3-4 inch top length creates room for texture and movement, while the shorter sides ensure a clean, structured look that’s both contemporary and versatile for various occasions.