All posts by Steven Wilson

retro beards

Going Retro: Discover Amazing RETRO Beards

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Looking BACK. Growing FORWARD.

Awesome beards from the past can inspire present and future awesome beards. All About BEARDS is proud to announce the launch of our RETRO Beards feature! We will take an in-depth look back at all sorts of magnificent beards from the past with an emphasis on beards from the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century.

The early days of widespread photography were in the nineteenth century, a century which could be considered the glory days of epic beard growing. Beards were abundant and bold. These men did not hesitate to grow massive beards and mustaches in every imaginable style, from the common classics to creative and unconventional styles.

This incredible golden age of beard growing quickly faded away after the turn of the century, especially after 1910. In our lifetimes we have not seen such prolific beard growth. But we could. And we should! Let’s do it!

Discover amazing Retro Beards at All About BEARDS, featured beard image 2
This is a preview of some of the beards you will see in RETRO Beards here on All About BEARDS. Photos: All About BEARDS collection. Click on image to view larger.

RETRO Beards on All About BEARDS will present beards from the past on a regular basis to honor them and for these beards to inspire you and others to grow your beards freely without holding back. Even if you are not ready to go all out, we still want to inspire you to grow whatever beard you are comfortable with for starters!

RETRO Beards: from well-known to unknown

RETRO Beards will include well-known bearded men from the past along with not-so-well-known men as well as unidentified men, whose stories have been lost to history. We want to showcase and honor these legendary beard growers from all walks of life whether they are famous or unknown. As more of these bygone beards are added to the site, they will be gathered into a dedicated gallery of antique beards.

RETRO Beards: a preview

To get started, let’s take a quick look at a prominent beard grower from the past.

George Foster Peabody

Discover amazing Retro Beards at All About BEARDS such as the beard of prominent banker George Foster Peabody
George Foster Peabody: investment banker and philanthropist, well-known full beard grower. Photo: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-DIG-ggbain-12567]. Click on image to view larger.

George Foster Peabody (1852-1938) was born in Columbus, Georgia USA. Impoverished by the US Civil War, Peabody’s family relocated to Brooklyn, New York by the time George was in his early teens.

George started working in Brooklyn as a young teenager. Eventually he got involved in investment banking. Peabody became a partner in a New York investment banking firm where he was known for managing the firm’s investments in railroad construction.

George also turned his attention to philanthropic support for education. He served as a board member for multiple educational institutions and as treasurer for others. He supplied funds for new buildings and educational programs at these institutions.

Peabody was awarded honorary degrees from Harvard University, Washington and Lee University, and the University of Georgia. In honor of Peabody’s service to the University of Georgia, the university’s journalism school established the prestigious Peabody Awards in his name.

All about the BEARD

Beard type: full beard including large walrus mustache
Beard characteristics:

  • the large walrus-style mustache is a prominent feature
  • the beard’s cheek line is relatively high but is not at the full natural height in this photo
  • neck line is left natural, which was a common practice in this era

Remarks: George F. Peabody’s full beard was a striking, trademark feature of his appearance. Photos show him with his beard at various ages all the way through to old age. His big full beard with natural neck line, walrus mustache, and high and sometimes natural cheek line was accepted as a professional appearance for a prominent New York investment banker and philanthropist.

About his beard’s cheek line, I’ve seen it higher in other photos. In the photo above, the cheek line has been lowered a bit and runs almost horizontally from the mustache to the sideburns. Other photos reveal the cheek line joining the mustache just a tad higher up and running from there along an upward angle to reach the sideburns.

How to grow your beard like George’s beard: Keep in mind that George was blessed with abundant beard growth. Not every beard will have the same look. That’s a reminder that every beard is unique, no two are alike. Knowing this, you can try growing your own version of George’s beard and see how it turns out. You may be pleasantly surprised.

The steps are pretty simple.

  • let all of your facial hair grow: beard and mustache
  • let both neck and cheek lines grow naturally
  • allow the beard plenty of growing time to achieve the desired volume similar to George’s beard
  • continue to allow the cheek line to grow naturally, or trim it down sparingly
  • allow the mustache to grow to “walrus” proportions as you like

Need more beard-growing info to get started? See our guide on how to grow a beard.

The power of RETRO Beards

Retro beards: Look BACK. Grow FORWARD! featured beard image
Photo: All About BEARDS collection. Click on image to view larger.

Why bother looking at beards from so long ago? There are many reasons.

  • These beards from the past can be powerful sources of inspiration for potential new beard growers to start growing beards of their own.
  • Once you see the tremendous variety of these beards from the past, you can adopt a whole new outlook on beard growing and possibilities that you wouldn’t have imagined.
  • Whether you are a new or current beard grower, you may be inspired to model your beard after one of these RETRO Beards.
  • Even if you’re not interested in duplicating the look of a specific retro beard, just seeing the variety of beard styles and features may spark new ideas to apply to your current beard style.
  • Looking back at these RETRO Beards, is a fascinating opportunity to see what kinds of amazing beards were produced during a period when seemingly men were free to grow their beards in whatever size, shape, or style that they wanted. They grew their beards without holding back!
  • Seeing these beard-growing ancestors and the beards they produced gives an opportunity to pause and contemplate what their lives may have been like in those days.

All About BEARDS invites you to stay tuned and stay with us as our parade of RETRO Beards begins.

Even with beards today enjoying much greater acceptance and prevalence, a lot of beard-growing reluctance remains. We should have a lot more beard growers! And beard growers should grow without holding back!

Let’s learn from these bearded men, beard pioneers, who grew before us. They left us a legacy of powerful beard growing. Let’s harness the power of RETRO Beards and embrace the freedom to grow our beards however we like! Look BACK. Grow FORWARD!

Post header photo credits: Background image: Canyonlands National Park, Utah by All About BEARDS. RETRO Beards portraits: All About BEARDS collection.

about beards.org

All About BEARDS For Twenty-nine Years

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The world’s first website dedicated to promoting beards

All About BEARDS was the first website exclusively devoted to all aspects of beards. The site was launched to raise awareness, acceptance, and appreciation of beards. It is just as important that All About BEARDS was also created to be a place where anyone interested in beards and growing a beard could find helpful information about beards along with encouragement and inspiration.

The main message of All About BEARDS was to say to the world that beards are worthy of appreciation, and it is natural for potential beard growers to be curious about beards and seek information about beards.

Right from the start, All About BEARDS proclaimed that beards deserve respect, acceptance, and even admiration. The site set out to change hearts and minds about beards to reduce widespread anti-beard bias. All About BEARDS encouraged all men to boldly grow their beards, leaving all doubt and hesitation behind while dismissing the outcry from anti-beard naysayers. All About BEARDS‘ never-ending campaign to encourage and inspire more men to grow their beards is based on the bedrock principle that the more men there are with beards, the more common beards become. And the more common beards become, greater beard acceptance follows.

Before I started All About Beards, there was something called The Beard and Moustache Page. It resided on a web server at the University of East Anglia in England. Online searches as of today’s date do not show any trace of the existence of The Beard and Moustache Page.

The Beard and Moustache Page was strictly a web forum. It was a page with a running stream of users’ questions, answers, and related discussions about beards and mustaches. It wasn’t a full-fledged website dedicated to beards. Even its name clearly called it a page, not a site.

All About BEARDS was the first standalone website dedicated to being all about beards.

The Beard and Moustache Page is long, long gone and barely remembered at all. Meanwhile, All About BEARDS is still here and still dedicated to its mission to:

  • promote beards and beard growing
  • educate people about beards and be a resource for beard information
  • encourage beard appreciation and acceptance
  • work to reduce anti-beard bias
  • encourage and inspire men everywhere to grow their beards as they please

All About BEARDS also holds the title of “world’s longest-running beard website”. And it’s been helping men grow more and better beards, worldwide, since January 17, 1996.

San José, California: home of All About BEARDS

All About BEARDS: established 1996, San José, California
Birthplace of All About BEARDS: On January 17, 1996, All About BEARDS was launched onto the Worldwide Web from south San José, California. Seen here is a view of San José from a hiking trail in the Santa Teresa County Park. Communications Hill is on the left side of the image. Adobe headquarters is just to the left of the gray All About BEARDS circle. Today All About BEARDS is still based in San José as well as Tulsa, Oklahoma. Photo by All About BEARDS. Click on image to view larger.

All About BEARDS sprouted from San José’s Blossom Valley, making its debut on the web on January 17, 1996. The little site was launched on a big mission: to make the world more beard-friendly. It was a tall order. Beards were far less prevalent and far less accepted in 1996 than they are now or even the last couple of decades.

The site’s been named All About BEARDS from the first day, January 17, 1996. Its first home was on America Online (AOL) user webspace at the address members.aol.com/beardguy/. Soon after the site had been established there, I looked into registering a domain specifically for the site. I looked at the beards.org domain and it had not yet been taken. But then I hesitated and didn’t register it immediately. Soon, someone else picked it up.

I was disappointed but accepted that I let it get away. Quite a bit later on, the beards. org domain was put up for auction on eBay in August 2004. By that time, the domain had already changed ownership a few times. I won the eBay auction for the domain. I don’t remember how much I paid. I don’t think it cost me very much.

With the beards.org domain in hand, I quietly started preparations for moving All About BEARDS to beards.org. I don’t know why I took so long. But I launched All About BEARDS at its new home on beards.org on January 20, 2005. And the site has been here ever since, interchangeably known as All About BEARDS or simply beards.org.

All About BEARDS 2025

All About BEARDS will be looking back and growing forward in 2025.
In 2025 All About BEARDS will be looking back and growing forward. Background image is of a scene from All About BEARDS’ hometown of San José, California. In this view, an Amtrak California passenger train passes by the Alviso Slough Trail, accessed from the nearby Alviso Marina County Park. Photo by All About BEARDS. Click on image to view larger.

Watch for some new surprises on All About BEARDS in 2025. We will be looking back and growing forward.

Let all men be free to grow their beards as they wish

All About BEARDS 2025: May all men grow their beards freely.
May all men around the world grow their beards freely and abundantly. That’s what All About BEARDS has been striving for since January 17, 1996. Let’s all grow! Click on image to view larger.

All About BEARDS‘ key mission is to help pave the way for men everywhere to be free to grow their beards as they see fit. No man should feel shy, reluctant, or not at liberty to grow his beard if he wants to. All About BEARDS is here to help him out, to encourage him, to inspire him, and to make it easier for him to truly experience the Joy of Beard.

Ready to start? Let’s grow!

Happy 2025 to everyone.

beard life

All About BEARDS: goodbye to you, 2024

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It’s the end of 2024. Goodbye to 2024.

Leave it behind and go forward.

All About Beards: Goodbye to you, 2024. Featured beard image 002.
Leave 2024 behind. Face the future with courage and optimism, no matter what. Click on image to view larger.

Reflect on what you’ve experienced and learned.

Focus now on what’s most important to you.

Do your best every day as we move forward through the new year.

In addition to everything else, let’s encourage more and more men to grow their beards.

Let’s encourage everyone to grow their beards boldly. No shyness, No hesitation. Just grow bold and strong.

Send off 2024 with this classic song:

Goodbye to you, 2024. Goodbye.

growing a beard

Start growing your beard now! No-Shave November 2024

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Here’s what you need to know about No-Shave November.

  • It’s one of the best times of the year to start growing your first beard.
  • No-Shave November’s larger purpose is to raise awareness of and support for men’s health issues.

Scroll on down for more information to help you make the most of No-Shave November 2024.

Start growing your beard now! No-Shave November 2024: Chris, featured beard image 2
Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

It’s the perfect opportunity to grow a new beard.

Start bearding today! If you’ve always wanted to grow a beard but have been hesitant about it, wait no more. You can stop shaving and start beard-growing today while you’re doing it for a great cause.

No-Shave November gives you instant justification for finally trying out growing your beard. No-Shave November also means that you are not alone in your new beard-growing pursuit. Others you know may be participating in No-Shave November as well. Plus, you should encourage everyone you know to join you as fellow new beard-growers for No-Shave November. Challenge each other to join in and to stay with it.

And when November ends, consider staying with your new beard growth by letting it continue to grow through December and beyond. After all, why let your new beard-growing effort go to waste after only one month?

Be sure to visit our guide on how to grow a beard to help you grow your beard the right way.

Start growing your beard now! No-Shave November 2024: Chris, featured beard image 3
Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

Grow your beard and help improve men’s health.

No-Shave November aims to put the spotlight on men’s health issues, especially prostate cancer and mental health. You are encouraged to make sure that you are taking care of your own health as well as motivating others to do the same. No-Shave November is also a good time to consider supporting charities that benefit men’s health issues.

Whether you can grow a beard or not, you can participate in No-Shave November’s men’s health efforts. Check out our detailed guide on No-Shave November and men’s health for more information.

Start growing your beard now! No-Shave November 2024: Chris, featured beard image 4
Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

Get bearded and get healthy!

What could be better? Helping others to do the same.

Happy No-Shave November 2024. Welcome, new beard growers! Enjoy your beard journey.

beard life

Let’s grow the definition of beard as a verb

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We beard growers, beard advocates, and beard fans ought to make the word beard‘s meaning as a verb work better for us!

Words are important. Let’s leverage the power of the word beard.

To beard or not to beard?

How is the word beard used as a verb in English? Common dictionary definitions of beard as a verb include:

  • to boldly confront, oppose, or defy
  • to furnish or supply with a beard

An older definition of beard as a verb is:

  • to grab, pull, or even pluck a man’s beard

The above definitions for beard as a verb are not commonly used today. How about we add another definition of beard as a verb?

Let's grow the definition of beard as a verb. Beard image 3. Beard: Chris.
Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

Let’s adopt this additional definition:

beard
verb
to grow one’s beard

This applies to both new beard growers in their initial stages of the beard growing process as well as to those who continue to grow their established beards.

Examples of usage:

  • Oh, look. Johnny is bearding. (Johnny is growing his beard.)
  • Chris is an expert at bearding. (Chris is an expert at beard growing.)
  • I am going to beard starting next weekend. (I am going to start growing my beard next weekend.)
  • Scott beards in a big way. (Scott grows his beard in a big way.)
Let's grow the definition of beard as a verb. Beard image 2. Beard: Chris.
Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

Why use the word beard this way?

Here are some reasons:

  • It’s quicker.
  • It’s easier to say.
  • It’s kind of fun and cool.
  • Beard enthusiasts should own some of our beard terminology.
  • It emphasizes that growing our beards is something that we do.
  • It’s already in use to a limited extent. Let’s spread the word!

Is it really too much to keep saying “he’s growing his beard” that it needs to be shortened to “he’s bearding”? No. It’s not. We can and should use both “he is growing his beard” and “he’s bearding”. The shorter form is novel and more convenient while the longer form is more conventional.

A form of using the word beard to mean “to grow one’s beard” has already been in use for a number of years. Phrases such as “beard up” and “beard on” are imperatives essentially based on the “to grow one’s beard” definition. These phrases are ways of saying “grow your beard” or “keep growing your beard”. We should expand on this usage even further.

Let's grow the definition of beard as a verb. Beard image 4. Beard: Chris.
Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

You beard. I beard. Let’s all beard!

Language is always evolving. How can we add a new definition of beard as a verb? The way to do it is to just start using it. Widely adopted changes in the usage of language are what bring about changes to the language itself.

Whenever you can, say “he’s bearding” instead of “he’s growing his beard”. Or say “you really should beard” instead of “you really should grow your beard”.

Treasure your beard. Enjoy your beard. Enjoy the whole beard experience. Beard: it’s something that we do.

Beard up. Beard on. Beard forever. Let’s do this! Spread the word. Start using this additional meaning of the word beard today. Use it freely and regularly!

Happy bearding!

beard life

Love the Special Power of Changing Up Your Beard

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Your beard gives you a special power. It’s the power to change your appearance in a big way. This can lead to new discoveries and personal development for you as well as various effects on others.

You experienced this when you grew your beard for the first time. Keep in mind that you can multiply this power by changing up your beard whenever you like.

An underappreciated aspect of the Joy of Beard is the option to change up your beard in a variety of ways. This can bring about unexpected positive results. You should consider trying it, even if you are skeptical.

A man’s ability to grow a beard is a special gift, a privilege you might say. Boys cannot grow a beard. They can only dream of someday becoming a man who grows his beard. But not all men are even blessed with the ability to grow a beard. It really is a gift.

Those who are fortunate to be enabled for beard growing should embrace and even love the privilege. They should grow their beards with wholehearted joy.

The power of changing up your beard. Big beard: Barry. Photo 1.
The power of changing up your beard. Short beard: Barry. Photo 2.

Above: Barry with a big beard looks completely different from Barry with a short beard. Click or tap on either image to view larger.

The power to change your appearance

When you first grew a beard and abandoned the tedious task of shaving, you revealed your true face. You may have settled on a particular beard style and have stayed with it. If you’re happy with your beard as it is, you may believe that there is no need to even think about changing it. That’s an understandable position to take. But consider stretching out of your comfort zone to try something different with your beard. You may unexpectedly find that you like the new state of your beard even better. This could happen even when trying out a beard style that you may not care for. This happened to me. That’s a story for another post.

Keep in mind that changing up your beard does not mean that you are permanently giving up your current beard style. You can always go back. But it can happen that you decide to stay with the new beard for a long run.

Some ways to change up your beard:

  • Grow your beard bigger and longer. Perhaps even go for a “yeard”, that is, letting your beard grow without trimming for a full year.
  • Reduce your beard to a shorter one or even a stubble beard.
  • Do the unthinkable and shave off your beard just for the pleasure of re-growing it.
  • Color your beard.
  • Switch beard style types:
    • Go from a goatee to a full beard or do the opposite.
    • Try out an uncommon beard style such as a chin curtain.
    • Create your own beard design.

You have the power. Use it!

The power of changing up your beard. Big beard at work: Barry. Photo 3.
Big beard Barry at work! Click on image to view larger.

The power to change your self-image and attitude

Changing up your beard changes how you see yourself. A change to your beard may surprise you. The new look may please you way more than you could have expected. Then it happens.

When you look in the mirror and the way your beard looks makes you happy, that is a most awesome feeling. There is true power in that.

Loving the way your beard looks is not a matter of vanity. It’s recognition of the joy that comes from the gift of being able to grow a beard and the many options that it brings. You know it when you look at your beard in the mirror and cannot keep from smiling!

The power of beard happiness strengthens your confidence and instills a positive attitude. You can be inspired to achieve more, to achieve greatness. You can be inspired to help others and do other things that make you a better man.

Changing up your beard can lead you to the power of “beard happiness”. Trying out different changes to your beard can lead you to the beard that makes you feel that happiness and power. You don’t have to make a permanent change. You may end up returning to the way you originally had your beard. But you’ll go back there with a new appreciation. Or you may find a beard style that you like much better and never go back to your original beard style.

The power of changing up your beard. Short beard: Barry. Note the perfectly shaped neckline. Photo 5.
Short beard Barry out on a casual hike on a nature trail. Take note of his perfectly shaped neckline. Click on image to view larger.

Beard power from the heart

A friend recently shared how he feels about changing up one’s beard:

Growing your beard and changing up your beard whenever you like demonstrates pride in who you are. It reflects what’s in your heart.

First, it’s a gift to yourself to grow and change up your beard. It’s fulfilling the promise of the gift of beard that you’ve been given. What you do with your beard shows how you care for yourself and seek change and improvement.

Second, your beard and its changing form is an expression of love to share with others by letting them see it. They can see the change in the beard and the change in you. Giving to others, sharing with others enhances yourself and helps others. It’s a circle of virtue.

Your beard is part of who you are and what you can accomplish.

We really mean it when we say that the beard is a gift. It is. And it is up to you to make the most of your gift of beard by using it to enhance yourself and accomplish more. Your beard in all its forms strengthens you by lifting your spirit and hopes, leading you to achieve more for yourself and others.

The power of changing up your beard. Short beard: Scott.
The power of changing up your beard. Bigger beard: Scott.
The power of changing up your beard. Even Bigger beard: Scott.

Above: Scott appears with three beard sizes: short, bigger, and even bigger. Big difference! Click or tap on any image to view larger.

How often should you change up your beard?

Change up your beard whenever you feel like it. It could be frequently. It could be rarely. Just be open to trying it when the time feels right. You never know where it will lead you. Follow your heart. Do your best always. Love the special power of changing up your beard.

Enjoy and treasure the whole beard experience.

The power of changing up your beard. Behold his even bigger beard: Scott.
Scott changed up his short beard and achieved this clearly majestic beard! Click on image to view larger.
beard life

Sacrifice Your Beard for a Wedding? Don’t Automatically Surrender!

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Should you sacrifice your beard for a wedding or some other special occasion? Proceed with caution. Keep an open mind and focus on preserving and nurturing your relationship with the person requesting that you get rid of your beard. Be understanding, flexible, and willing to bend, if necessary, for the sake of family ties.

Is someone pressuring you to shave your beard for a wedding? Would it happen to be the bride-to-be? There have been many cases in which brides-to-be have asked members of the wedding party to divest themselves of their beards. Each situation is unique and should be carefully evaluated in the context of the interpersonal relationships. However, do not allow intimidation to send you immediately to the razor without exploring your options!

Should you shave your beard for a wedding? Featured beard image 2: Barry.
Classic full beard: Barry. Click on image to view larger.

What’s the deal with the “no beards in my wedding” requirement?

Just about any man can be vulnerable to wedding beard-removal pressure. Targets may include any or all of the following:

  • groom
  • groomsmen
  • best man
  • father of the bride
  • father of the groom
  • other relatives of either the bride or the groom

Of course, a bride’s wedding day is her big day. She dreams of it all being perfect. That’s understandable. Keep in mind how important this is to her.

But why should a man’s beard be targeted for removal? Who else gets pressured to make such a major change to their physical appearance for a wedding?

Well, it’s not really a fair request to begin with. Don’t dismiss it out of hand. But don’t immediately give up, either. Exploring your options could be a learning and growth opportunity for all involved. Focus on building your relationship with the beard-removal requester. That is likely more important than the potential temporary loss of a beard.

Should you shave your beard for a wedding? Featured beard image 3: Barry.
Classic full beard: Barry. Click on image to view larger.

Wedding photos with or without beards?

Frequently, the “problem” isn’t with the man being bearded at the wedding. Many times, the problem is that the requester does not want beards in the wedding photos.

The “no-beard” rule may be applied with seemingly random standards. How about the case of the groom being permitted his beard, but the rest of the men in the wedding party must be beard-free? Often, you cannot make it make sense.

Wedding photos are intended to capture the event and the people who take part. Consider the case of a man who is normally bearded, with the beard being a well-established part of his appearance and identity. If he shaves his beard specifically for the wedding, his beardless appearance in the wedding photos represent a temporary artificial representation of himself. He will not appear in the photos in the way that people have known him. He may not even be recognizable to those who know him.

Another thing is that perhaps it’s important to the man that he appear in the photos with his beard. When he and others look at the photos years later, they will see the unfamiliar beardless face instead of the regular bearded face they know and love.

For the man who gave up his beard for the wedding, it may seem strange to see himself in photos without his beard. He may not like that his beard was missing from his appearance at the event. That’s not a big deal. But it can feel funny. I have felt something similar when seeing myself in a photo of a special event before I was able to grow a beard. I look at the photo and think, “Gee. I wish I could have been bearded in this photo.” Again, it’s not anything major. It’s just kind of an unexpected feeling.

Should you shave your beard for a wedding? Featured beard image 4: Barry.
Classic full beard: Barry. Click on image to view larger.

Respect the feelings of the one requesting “no beards”

Yes, it’s not really fair to ask a man to shave his beard for a wedding or some other special occasion. However, always keep in mind that for the person making this request, it’s their very special day. Don’t take a hardline approach. Handle with genuine care and respect.

Have a lighthearted conversation with the requester to make your feelings known. Gently see if you can win acceptance of your beard for the event. If the delicate negotiation succeeds, then great! Problem solved…you hope.

Should you shave your beard for a wedding? Featured beard image 5: Barry.
Classic full beard: Barry. Click on image to view larger.

If gentle negotiation fails

If the requester cannot be gently persuaded to drop the beard-shaving requirement, stay calm and cool. At this point it all comes down to preserving the relationship or not. If you want to preserve the relationship, you’ll have to step up and agree to shave. Yes, it’s not fair. Yes, you do not want to lose your beard, even for a short time. But make the person happy and agree to get rid of your beard for the big day. It’s an investment in the future happiness of your relationship.

Should you shave your beard for a wedding? Featured beard image 6: Barry.
Classic full beard: Barry. Click on image to view larger.

Here’s the upside to sacrificing your beard for the wedding

Despite the unfairness of being pressured to change your appearance in a big way that others are not, you’ve taken an important step to protect your relationship with the requester. Don’t resent having gotten rid of your beard. Again, view it as an investment.

You may be justified in feeling that sacrificing your beard for a wedding was unfair. You may feel that giving in will only embolden the requester to continue similar behavior in the future. That may be. But if there were ever a time to let it slide, this would be it.

The big bonus is that after it’s all over, you are free to grow again. Enjoy the pleasure of growing and experiencing the glorious and triumphant return of your beloved beard! You deserve it.

beard life

Your beard is important

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Your beard is important and so are you!

Chris and I came across an intriguing sticker that someone had slapped onto a structural column. We were doing a photo shoot for beards.org that day in the summer heat. We took one photo of Chris and the sticker, which you see as the featured image at the top of this post.

The thought-provoking message of the “YOU ARE IMPORTANT” sticker got me to thinking that if you are important, well your beard is important, too.

A beard’s importance

Your beard is important. Chris featured beard image 1.
Grow your beard proudly and with purpose. Your beard is important and so are you. Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

How can a beard be important? Cynics may say that it’s ridiculous, that a beard is just hair. Well, it is made of hair. But it’s much more than that. While people may not come right out and say it, they put a lot of importance on hair. Otherwise, why do men and women spend so much on haircuts, hair styling, hair coloring, and hair products each year? Simply put, the care and styling of one’s hair is an important part of maintaining one’s image. Both men and women put a great deal of importance on looking their best. For a man, his beard is an important part of looking his best.

For a man, some may think that his beard is just an optional feature of his appearance. However, his beard is one of a man’s most powerful options because of how dramatically it can change his appearance. The ability to change a man’s appearance so significantly gives the beard a great deal of importance.

Growing a beard, especially for the first time, can require courage. For many, it takes a lot of courage. It also takes dedication. A man can learn a lot about himself by experiencing the beard-growing process. The self-knowledge a man gains by growing his beard can provide an important boost to his confidence and self-esteem. It’s not just growing a beard. It often is a life-changing adventure.

The boost a beard brings to a man’s confidence and self-esteem also builds courage, dedication, perseverance, and other qualities that can lead a man to become a better man. And a better man can do greater things for himself, for others, and for the world. You never know how much impact a good, bearded man can have.

Live free and bearded

Your beard is important. Chris featured beard image 5.
Exercise your freedom to grow your beard. It’s important! Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

For many men, growing a beard represents freedom. This is especially common among men after leaving military service. Having been subjected to compulsory shaving while serving, growing a beard after military service gives a sweet sense of freedom. Few things are more prized than freedom. When your beard represents your freedom, that’s important.

Grow your beard and grow stronger

Your beard affects how you see yourself. If seeing your beard in the mirror brings a smile to your face and makes you feel happy, that is like a magical source of strength and energy. If you believe that your beard greatly enhances your appearance, it fortifies your confidence and makes you feel better about yourself. If your beard makes you feel better about yourself, you have more power to do better in all your endeavors. And that’s important.

Your beard is a one-of-a-kind gift

Your beard is unique in the world. Your beard is yours alone. It adds to your uniqueness. Recognizing how unique you are as a bearded man is important. There are things that only you can contribute to others and to the world. Your beard enhances that.

Your beard is an important part of you. You can deny your beard by keeping it shaved off. Or you can more naturally and fully express yourself by growing your beard. Your beard can be an important part of expressing your true identity. If you were blessed with the ability to grow a beard, think about that. It’s there for a reason. Don’t deny your beard. Don’t shave it. Share your important gift of beard with the world. Let it grow!

Be a beard hero

Your beard is important. Chris featured beard image 2.
Grow your beard proudly. It’s important. And you are important, too. Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

Your beard is important to others, too. Without even knowing it, you may be serving as a beard role model or even a beard hero to others. For someone wanting to grow a beard for the first time, seeing you as a strong, successful, established beard grower may give them the confidence to get through the beard-growing process. For those who waver and are about to run for the razor, the sight or even just the memory of your beard may be all it takes to encourage them to stay with it and continue growing their new beard.

You and your beard surely serve as an inspiration to others. You and your beard may provide a powerful vision of a hardy, masculine, bearded future to a young boy or teen who dreams of growing a beard like yours when he grows up. Do not underestimate the importance of this!

Further, your beard may inspire relatives, friends, or strangers to grow their beards. This really happens, often without your knowledge. Your beard is also important to non-beard growers, both people you know as well as complete strangers. Your children may adore their father’s beard. Your beard may make you seem extra special to nieces and nephews and other relatives along with friends, neighbors, colleagues, and other acquaintances.

The chance sighting of you and your beard in public may bring smiles to countless strangers. Your beard’s splendor is a marvel of nature that commands the attention and admiration of many.

You can never know how much your beard has affected others.

You are important

Of course you are more than just your beard. You are important, too.

As a bearded man, you have an opportunity to help advance beard acceptance and appreciation. By being bearded, you are a living advertisement for beards. You are a beard representative to everyone you see.

Your beard is important. Chris featured beard image 4.
Your beard is important and so are you. Live strong. Live bearded and be your best authentic self. Beard: Chris. Click on image to view larger.

I encourage all bearded men to invest in themselves. Leverage your bearded confidence and strength to be your best. As more and more men grow beards, more people get to know us. The more that bearded men present themselves as strong, honorable role models, the more they erode stereotypical anti-beard bias. This helps to elevate the general perception of bearded men, which leads to greater acceptance of beards and greater appreciation. While beards on men are more common nowadays and are far more accepted than they have been in ages, anti-beard bias still exists. The more beards are accepted and appreciated, the more freedom all men will have to grow their beards as they see fit.

By being your best as a bearded man, you help yourself. You also help your family, friends, and others. Your beard is important and so are you. Never forget that. Live bearded always and prosper.

growing a beard

Share your gift of beard.

2 Comments

Being able to grow a beard is a gift, a blessing. Recognize and embrace the gift of beard. It’s a gift that brings many benefits to you and to others. Don’t disregard or discard the gift of beard by keeping it shaved off. Grow your beard and share the gift of beard with the world.

Share your gift of beard. Beard: Sean. Featured beard image 2.
Sharing his gift of beard: Sean. Click on image to view larger.

Got beard? Grow your beard!

Not all men are blessed with the ability to grow a beard. If your facial hair follicles are pumping out genuine beard hair, nature has you already growing a beard. Listen to nature’s message and stop shaving your beard growth off. Your beard is unstoppable awesomeness. Why fight nature? Let your beard grow and flourish. Your beard is a blessing to share for all to see. Your beard regularly will be admired and appreciated by others whether you know it or not.

Share your gift of beard. Beard: Sean. Featured beard image 3.
Sharing his gift of beard: Sean. Click on image to view larger.

Be more authentic. Grow your beard.

People appreciate authenticity. Your bare, shaved face is not your authentic look. It’s a contrived appearance achieved only through the drudgery of regular shaving. Further, you’re not hiding your “real face” by growing your beard. You are revealing your true face by growing your beard. Without your beard, your face is missing an important part of you.

Embrace authenticity. It’s a great asset. Show off your authentic and true face by growing your beard.

Share your gift of beard. Beard: Sean. Featured beard image 4.
Sharing his gift of beard: Sean. Click on image to view larger.

Embrace your uniqueness. Grow your beard.

Every beard is a unique creation in nature. No two beards are exactly alike, not even among identical twins (but those can be close!).

Your gift of beard is uniquely yours. Don’t prevent its rightful presence in the world. It’s a key feature of your own uniqueness. There is a reason why beards have long been associated with rugged individualists.

Share your gift of beard. Beard: Sean. Featured beard image 5.
Sharing his gift of beard: Sean. Click on image to view larger.

Boost self-knowledge, personal growth, and confidence. Grow your beard.

Growing your beard often turns out to be a journey of self-discovery and learning. Growing your beard takes discipline and often requires courage and dedication. This process builds confidence along with strength of character. Your beard can make you feel better about yourself, which also gives you a boost.

You will see yourself in new ways, not just in physical appearance but also in attitude and outlook. All of these changes can help transform you into a better, stronger person. Change and improve your life. Grow and share your gift of beard.

Share your gift of beard. Beard: Sean. Featured beard image 6.
Sharing his gift of beard: Sean. Click on image to view larger.

Inspire others. Grow your beard.

Sharing your gift of beard simply by making your beard visible to the world can inspire others. Your beard may inspire awe in children who have never seen a beard before and view it as a thing of mystery and wonder. Your beard may inspire a young boy or teen to dream of one day having the power to grow a beard like yours. Those who are unable to grow beards may admire your beard and appreciate that you have grown your beard for all to see.

Your gift of beard likely will serve as a call to adventure for potential new beard growers. They may see your beard and be so impressed that they are inspired to grow their own beards to also share with the world. You never know how many lives your beard may change!

Share your gift of beard. Beard: Sean. Featured beard image 7.
Sharing his gift of beard: Sean. Click on image to view larger.

Make the world a better place for beards. Grow your beard.

Sharing your gift of beard with the world makes the world a more beard-friendly place, which is a friendlier place for all. Don’t deny nature. Grow your beard for all to see!

beard

Your beard is unstoppable awesomeness.

4 Comments

You can’t stop your beard. Let it grow. Let it flow.

You can shave it. But you can’t stop it. It grows and grows and grows. Why keep cutting it off? Don’t deny your beard. Let it grow and flow. Your beard is awesomeness that’s too powerful to keep inside. Let it out for the world to see.

Look at the photo above, at the top of this article. It’s clear that the beard is a majestic wonder of nature. The beard is a force of nature. Unstoppable! Stop shaving!

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Why shave when you can grow your beard? Don’t deny your beard’s awesomeness. Beard: Mack. Click on image to view larger.

There’s nothing like having a beard.

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Beard: too awesome. Beard: Mack. Click on image to view larger.

Having a beard is like displaying the grandeur of Niagara Falls on your face. It’s just too awesome.

Let your beard grow and flow. Let it cascade in glorious splendor from your face. You have greatness in you. Show it off. Enjoy your bearded awesomeness!