What is the Edgar Haircut and Why is it So Popular?

The “Edgar haircut”, also known as the “Cuh cut”, has explosively grown from a regional viral meme into one of the hottest men’s hairstyles nationwide. With its close-cropped sides, textured top, and tapered nape, it manages to be both edgy and clean-cut.

A Signature Style is Born

The origins of this distinctive haircut can be traced back to 2021 in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. A local song titled “Cuh 956” showed a young Latino performer with a tapered cut singing a repetitive hook of “Cuh…Cuh…Cuh”. The video blew up on social media, and fans began referring to the guy’s hair as the “Cuh cut”. His name turned out to be Edgar, hence the dual moniker.

“It probably started more as a joke about his hair,” says Ezekiel Trevino, a Brownsville barber. “But then people realized it actually looked good.”

Why So Trendy Among Teens?

The Edgar/Cuh has exploded from a niche regional thing into one of the most sought-after cuts for teenage guys across Texas and beyond.

“Honestly, more than 75% of my clients are ‘cuhs’ now,” says Eybard Hernandez, a barber in Harlingen. “All the kids from 8 to 17 want this style.”

So what makes it so popular? Hernandez and others cite a few appealing factors:

  • It’s fresh and edgy, not your average tapered cut
  • Textured top hair has a “just rolled out of bed” vibe
  • Still neat enough for school dress codes
  • Easy to style by just using your hands

For busy teens, that last point is key. 16-year-old Angel Gonzalez says with a laugh:

“I just wake up like this. I don’t even use products or anything.”

Key Elements that Define the Style

While individuals add their own flair, some core elements identify the quintessential Edgar:

Clean Fade on the Sides/Back

  • A fade haircut starts very short at the bottom, gradually increasing in length up the sides and back of the head
  • Creates a clean, sharp profile
  • Usually a #1-2 clipper guard length at shortest point

Textured Length on Top

  • About 2-4 inches of hair on top
  • Cut to add texture and body
  • Piecy and voluminous, not flat
  • Fringed front can drape across forehead

Tapered Nape

  • Hair at nape cleanly transitions from shorter to longer
  • Creates a nice contoured shape
  • Key part that distinguishes the Edgar from a basic fade cut

“It’s not exactly a fade or undercut,” explains Trevino. “That taper and added length gives it its signature messy look.”

Cultural Symbol of Latino Youth

The Edgar/Cuh has been proudly adopted by Latino youth as “a style by us and for us”. It originated locally in the heavily Hispanic Rio Grande Valley, combining American fade cuts with Latino cultural flair.

“It’s more like a Valley thing, like a 956 style,” Hernandez states.

As such, it has started transcending into fashion runways and pop culture as a symbol of the growing influence of Hispanic American style.

[[SQ]]”I think it shows we don’t have to conform to white American standards of hair and fashion,**” says 17-year-old Edgar cut enthusiast Julio R. from Harlingen. **”We set our own trends that embrace our culture. This cut definitely reflects that.”[[EQ]]

Easy Styling for the Win

While famed for its artfully undone look, the Edgar/Cuh is designed to be low-maintenance in styling once cut properly. This makes it even more appealing to its teen demographic.

A quick style routine commonly involves:

  • Apply a dime-size dab of matte wax or clay to add pliable hold and texture
  • Use your fingers to loosely sweep locks across the forehead and tease the fringe
  • Scrunch top layers with hands for added volume and disheveled effect
  • Air dry; no need to meticulously blow dry or precision comb
  • Run hands through freely throughout the day as needed

“I don’t even use products most days,” says Angel. “Just shake my head and mess it up a bit after showering. So fast and easy.”

Hottest Men’s Cut Nationwide

The days of this being仅 a Rio Grande Valley phenomenon have long passed. Barbers like Trevino in cities such as Houston and San Antonio report skyrocketing demand now for the Edgar among male clients of all backgrounds.

“I’d say at least 50% of guys getting cuts nowadays want some version of this,” he estimates. “It has definitely gone massively widespread.”

On a national scale, top salons and stylists from New York to LA have touted the Edgar cut in 2023 as:

  • Allure Magazine: #4 hottest men’s cut this year
  • MensHealth.com: “The evolution of the fade cut”
  • Celebrity stylist Rico Venecia: “My inspiration for Zac Efron’s latest look”

Girls Love the Edgar Too

And it’s not just an obsession among boys and young men. Many girls and women are also fans of the style, says Hernandez:

_“Clients’ girlfriends and sisters often come by to show me pics saying ‘Do his hair like THIS!’” _

Something about that textured volume up top and sharp faded sides just gives off a confident masculinity that females apparently dig. Hey, can’t argue with those results!

So as men’s salons enter 2024, expect to keep seeing the Edgar cut dominate barber chairs and fashion media.