When you say "not too short," your barber hears something completely different than what you mean. You're thinking about how your hair looked last time and not wanting to lose more than that. Your barber is thinking in guard numbers, inches, and ratios they learned in training. The two don't connect unless someone bridges the gap.
"Not too short" means nothing specific to a barber. It's not a measurement. It's not a style. It's a feeling, and feelings don't translate into cuts.
Here's what's actually happening when you say it, what your barber needs to hear instead, and how to get the cut you actually want every single time.
Why "Not Too Short" Doesn't Work
Every barber has a different internal reference point for "short." A barber who mostly cuts buzz cuts thinks 2 inches on top is long. A barber who mostly cuts longer styles thinks 2 inches is short. When you say "not too short" without giving them a fixed reference, they're guessing based on their own baseline.
The same problem happens with "a little off" or "just a trim." These phrases feel clear in your head but they're completely subjective. A little off to you might be half an inch. To your barber it might be a quarter inch. That difference is noticeable.
Your barber isn't trying to cut it too short. They genuinely don't know what "too short" means to you unless you tell them specifically.
What Barbers Actually Think in
When a barber looks at your hair, they're measuring in three ways.
Guard numbers: Clippers come with numbered guards. A 1 guard is about 3mm (roughly an eighth of an inch). A 2 is 6mm. A 3 is about 9mm. A 4 is 12mm. When a barber decides how short to go on your sides, they're picking a guard number. If you say "not too short" they have to guess which number you mean.
Inches on top: The length on top of your head is measured in inches. One inch is roughly the length of your thumb from the tip to the first knuckle. Two inches is double that. When your barber decides how much to take off the top, they're thinking in inches.
Ratios between top and sides: A good cut has a relationship between how long the top is and how short the sides are. A 3:1 ratio means the top is three times longer than the sides. This ratio determines how your cut looks overall. "Not too short" doesn't tell your barber anything about the ratio you want.
What to Say Instead
Here's how to actually communicate what you want. You don't need to know the technical terms. You just need to give your barber a fixed reference point.
Show them last time. If you have photos of a previous cut you liked, show them on your phone. This is the single most effective thing you can do. Your barber can see exactly what worked and replicate it. Most guys don't think to do this.
Point to where you want the length. Hold your finger at the length you want on top. One finger above your forehead for shorter, two fingers for medium, three for longer. It takes two seconds and removes all ambiguity.
Tell them what you don't want changed. Instead of "not too short," try "keep the top the same length as last time and just clean up the sides." This tells your barber exactly what to preserve and what to adjust.
Reference another cut you've seen. If you saw someone with a cut you liked, describe it or show a photo. Even saying "I want something like that guy in that movie" gives your barber a direction to work with.
Say how much you want removed. "Take half an inch off" is specific. "Just a little" is not. If you're not sure how much half an inch is, hold up your thumbnail. That's roughly half an inch.
The Specific Numbers That Help
Here's a quick reference for common lengths so you can actually communicate in terms your barber understands.
Sides and back (clipper guards):Guard 1 is very short, almost skin. Guard 2 is short but not skin. Guard 3 is the most common "short but visible" length. Guard 4 is noticeably longer, a medium short. Guard 5 and above starts getting into longer territory.
Top of head (inches):Half an inch is very short on top. One inch is a standard short cut. Two inches gives you styling room and texture. Three inches is where you start having real movement and volume. Four inches or more is longer hair territory.
The ratio that matters:If your sides are a 2 guard and your top is 2 inches, that's a high contrast fade. If your sides are a 4 guard and your top is 2 inches, that's a lower, more subtle taper. The ratio between these two numbers determines the overall look more than either number alone.
Why Your Cut Looks Different Than Last Time
Even if you go to the same barber and say the exact same things, your cut can look different for a few reasons.
Your hair grew in differently. Hair doesn't grow back identically every time. Some patches grow faster, some grow thicker. Your barber is working with different raw material each visit.
You're not remembering it accurately. Memory is unreliable. The cut you loved "last time" might have actually been two visits ago, or it might have looked great because of the lighting in the shop or because you styled it perfectly that one morning.
The starting point changed. If you waited longer between cuts, there's more hair to remove and the shape is harder to recreate. If you got a cut somewhere else in between, the foundation your barber is working from is different.
This is why photos matter. A photo of exactly what you liked removes all the guesswork and memory problems.
The Conversation That Actually Works
Here's how to handle it next time you sit down.
If you have a photo of a cut you liked, show it first. Say "I want something close to this." Let your barber assess whether that's achievable with your current hair and suggest adjustments if needed.
If you don't have a photo, describe what you want preserved. "The top stays about this length" while pointing. "The sides can go shorter but not skin." "Keep the neckline how it was last time."
If you genuinely don't know what you want, say that. "I'm not sure, what do you think would work?" is a completely valid thing to tell your barber. They see hair all day. They know what works on different face shapes and hair textures. Let them guide you and then tell them if you want adjustments next time.
The worst thing you can do is say "not too short," get a cut you don't love, and then not say anything. Your barber can't learn your preferences if you don't communicate them.
What Barbers Wish You'd Say
Talk to any barber long enough and they'll tell you the same thing. They'd rather you say too much than too little. Overly specific instructions are easy to work with. Vague ones are impossible.
They'd rather you show a photo than describe it in words. They'd rather you point at your hair than estimate lengths out loud. They'd rather you tell them what you didn't like about your last cut than just say "make it better."
Your barber wants to give you a cut you love. They're not trying to make you look bad or cut too short on purpose. They just need enough information to work with, and "not too short" isn't enough.
Give them something specific and they'll nail it every time.
Book your appointment today and come prepared. A photo on your phone, a finger pointing at the length you want, or even just a clear idea of what you want to keep and what you want changed. We'll handle the rest and make sure you leave looking exactly how you wanted.
