Okay, so I'm going to get a haircut soon. Yay me! I can post a more recent picture of my hair if need be, but I want to get it short. Typical guy cut, short on the sides and back, long on the top. 

I want clippers to be used and I've got no clue what they can do. Numbers? Length? What?   

Some assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! 

A number 3 is a good length to start with on the sides and back.

Generally speaking the comb numbers mean:
#1 cuts hair to a length of one-eighth of an inch from the scalp
#2 leaves hair at one-fourth of an inch in length
#3 cuts hair to three-eighths of an inch
#4 leaves hair at half an inch from the head
#5 and 6 are usually used for special tapering procedures on the hair
#7 cuts hair to three-fourths of an inch
#8 cuts it to one inch
For a guide, when I joined the Navy guys got a #2 and chicks if they chose could have a #4. I currently get a short back and sides #1 and blend the top - but when I first started cutting my hair I started with a #3 or 4 and gradually just got shorter! I recently tried the 'velcro' haircut (#1 all over by accident), I felt naked with nothing on top to play with! Start long - you can always go shorter, but you can't glue it back on 
Hope this helps...

I don't think it would work with your face. . . you have a pretty round face.

I cut my own hair, not super short but short enough. I use a #7 round the back and sides, #3 on the sideburns and temples (have to be careful to make it blend into the hair cut with #7) and on the top I just cut it freehand with scissors so its slightly longer.

I usually use a #3 but i just went down to a #2

Thanks for all the responses guys! This helps alot and now I should just have to worry about my nerves and parents. 

@SilverFang: I get that alot, especially when I asked if I should cut my hair short in the first place. I went out and did that, things came out fine. Now I'd just be going shorter by using these clippers. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that my hair was pretty short, would using clippers be such a big change as to damage what male appearance I have? 

Let me know because I totally flip out when my hair atm looks the slightest bit feminine. I can't stand looking like a girl. 

I went from this:

To this:

Then finally this:


If that helps at all. And my current avatar is it about a week before now.

Honestly your hair looks really good right now in my opinion (judging by your avatar)

I've got a round face too, and getting short on the sides, longer on top helped.  It really squares you out.  For round faces, you have to have short hair on the sides, or else you're just adding additional volume and making your face rounder.  You also should have relatively short hair on top, and comb it up, not down over your forehead.  Combing it down reduces the length of your face, making it seem wider, whereas combing it up makes your face appear longer!  Sorry to ramble, I just love chatting up the ladies who cut my hair.

As far as what I've done, I've gotten a 3 on the sides with a 5 on top, a 4 on the sides with a 6 on the top, a 4 on the sides with an 8 on top... really, just choose something between 2 and 5 for the sides, and between 5 and 8 for the top, and you can't go wrong.  The variation among the different lengths is negligible (or at least, it was for me!)

Edited for photographic evidence, I believe this was either a 3 and a 5 or a 3 and a 6:

sorry for the poor quality!

@Quicksand: Wow, thanks alot for the info. You really helped me out. 

@Carson: I know, right? I liked my hair when it looked that way. I have a weed for hair. That was the length about a week ago and my hair is nearly a half inch longer. Doesn't sound like much, but the look is much different. 

I am concerned about you, Quicksand.
A yellow complexion may be indicative of hepatitis.
On the other hand, you appear happy and healthy.

Quote from: No-Name on January 30, 2010, 09:44:32 AM

That looks great. If you got it really short though (like my haircut) I just don't think it would work for you. But hey, hair grows out and there's only one way to find out.

I think the haircut in photo 3 (SilverFang's pick) looks great on you. It's masculine and works well with your face and doesn't feminize. I'd stick with a cut close to that.