A crew cut is a type of haircut in which the hair is cut very short. The term was most likely coined to describe the haircut worn by members of the Yale rowing crew.

The crew cut was adopted by the United States armed forces during World War 2, and became a civilian fashion for men during the early 1950s. The cut was felt to be "clean-cut, athletic, and patriotic". [1] By the mid 1960s the crewcut was generally seen as a mark of conservative politicial opinions, as opposed to the longer hair styles favored by those less trusting of the government.

Notable crew cut wearers include G.I. Joe, Duke Nukem, and Lee Harvey Oswald.

External link

• A brief description of the terms history in the Yale Alumni Magazine