I have seen recent news articles noting that beards have enjoyed increasing popularity lately. I couldn’t help but notice that in most of these articles, the author expresses some bewilderment about the bearded resurgence and seems to hope that it cannot be more than a passing fad. Apparently, they would be happy to see all of these new beards vanish as quickly as possible. Rejecting the legitimacy of wearing a beard almost seems to be an automatic response!
There’s nothing bad or wrong about wearing a well-groomed beard. It’s basically the same as maintaining well-groomed hair on the scalp. Why the automatic frowning on beards? Just a conditioned response? Some re-conditioning is in order. Do your part to stir up the men’s fashion writers. Grow a beard and keep it!
Althought I’m not surprised with the general concensus on beards, I shudder to imagine what it would be like if EVERYONE grew a beard. No doubt some would do it to fit in, and others to impress whichever women are on top of all the latest fads. I fear the beard may one day become common, and nothing more than a fashion trend. To me the beard is a way of life. Those who grow a full beard seem to view the world and their place in it in a different light. Dare I say, not all are worthy of the beard?
Hi!
I find this blog and webpage and just love it, I grow my beard now and wont cut it!!! Never. So many great beard on this site. Keep up the good work with men’s fashion.
Cheers!!
The beard is back, long live the beard
The Times article made it sound as if all the New York fashion editors and menswear designers, and half the models, are bearded. (At least one of the models has a true Grizzly Man beard, strawberry blond, with tresses down to his shoulders, rather radical, see the ad in a recent Rolling Stone.) Long hair gives way to ultra-short hair, which gives way to shaved heads, all in flight from the sneered-at goatee (accoutrement of the proletariat), and it seems inevitable that the full beard is the only next-avenue-of-recourse. Joseph Alexander is doubtless right in his comment about the instability of fads, which militate against the essence of the bearded man–that essence being commitment, constancy, and indifference to fads. Next year, the mullet might return, who knows, but those who tried a beard out of curiosity and commit to it will swell our ranks. So let beards increase! The year after next, the true-blue beards will triumph over the faddists.
In response to Joseph, I wouldn’t mind seeing the beard becoming a more and more common sight. After all, that’s a big part of the beards.org mission. I would maintain, however, that the beard itself should not be just a fashion trend. Hair on the scalp is not a fashion trend. Hair styles, however, will always vary according to fashion cycles. Similarly, beard styles could vary according to trend as well. But the beard itself should withstand all manner of trendiness, or lack thereof.
I also think that Joseph is onto something when he suggests that perhaps not all are worthy of the beard. I fully agree that beards are not for everyone. But those who are suited for growing beards should be encouraged to do so and their beard-growing efforts should be deserving of support.
I just decided to grow my goatee into a beard and I’m really excited, and worried, about how good it will look.
At any rate, beards are unpopular with the self-proclaimed intellectuals of journalism because a beard is a blatant symbol of males. Males are treated as backwards and irrelevant today in popular culture as opposed to women who are presented as ideal. Just watch any sitcom: which parent is the fat slob? The man! Which parent is the ignorant oaf? The man! Also notice how effeminate men, i.e. metrosexuals, are presented in a much more positive light than a traditional male. Even in schools, boys are encouraged to display as few male characterists as possible.
In short, since beards are genetically a male and non-sexual thing they are considered bad.
I find amusing, annoying and ego-fulfilling that growing my beard to never before seen lengths has created compliment after compliment. When my profile was first created, most comments were negative with the positive been few and far between. Now, it seems every conversation I have seems to end with the other person saying, “Cool beard, by the way!”
As a librarian at a major academic library, comments about my beard have proved to be a source of amusement for co-workers. Case in point:
A patron walks, assumingly seeking help. However, the moment they see me, the first thing out of their mouth is a comment about my beard. Cool beard! How long did it take you to grow it? It is only afterwards that the original reason for appearing in the library pops back in their head (by then we’ve already had a five minute conversation about beard growth).
This is ego-fulfilling and a great confidence builder . . .
In my teens and twenties, I wanted to grow a beard badly, but didn’t have the follicles for it, at the time. This was always a source of embarassment for me and so I assumed, throughout my thirties and most of my forties, that I’d never be able to grow a beard. Then, when I was 49, my wife suggested I grow a mustache, so I did and I was quite surprised, not only at how much better I looked with facial hair, but, also, how much thicker and longer it was than I had ever expected it to be. I guess I was a “late bloomer.” I’ve since added a goatee and have had a mustache and goatee for almost five years, now. Since growing a mustache and goatee, I’ve felt more confidence in my masculinity than I felt before. It has definitely been a boost to my male ego and I now feel more like part of the “club.” Before, I was a squeaky-clean shaven somewhat fair haired guy who people used to tease about what appeared to them (and me) to be a light or non-existent beard. Some women would ask me if I shaved every day and when I’d say I did, they’d ask why. Once I grew a mustache, which took a while to fill in, people were quite surprised. Some even thought it was a fake! The thing about blondes, though, is that we have more hairs per square inch than anyone else, so while my darker whiskers grew out first, it was a while longer before all the blond hairs filled in the rest. I have an interesting mix of color, including dark brown, golden blond and gray, which makes me look more mature and distinguished.
So, a beard can be a real confidence builder for a man. Grow your beard!
I HATE beards!! I have yet to see a guy who looks better with a beard than without. The beards get grey and they look twice as old. And this unshaven, just got out of bed look, is even worse. Unkempt is the word for all beards and unshaven faces. Hair belongs on heads and if you can’t grow hair on your head, you still look better than a guy who needs a shave.
No, it does NOT make you look manly. It makes you looks like a slob.
Whoo!!! “Marilynn Manson” you must be some kind of radical feminist, with way too much estrogen flowing through your veins. Stop with the hate already, We love you even when you cut your hair as short as a mans and refuse to dress like a lady. It is women like you that make me want to grow my beard out to new lengths. Thanks for your continued support.
God didn’t invent the razor. Man did. You go guys! Beards rule…
That’s right, God did not invent the razor. I wonder though … was it a man that invented the razor or Marilynn.
God created man in His immage. The Bible talks about God’s beard. Maybe God should have put a beard on Marilynn … maybe she has “beard envy.” HAHAHA!!!
Growing a beard gives you the power to perform miracles.
Marilynn just hates men and their beards are just one more thing for her to be bitter about. Radical fems see masculinity as a threat to their world dominance. They can’t settle for equality, they want it all.
Thanks for your support Mary Cinnamon. We love ya.
Beard me.
Wow! Marilynn doesn’t like beards… as so many others.
but it seems that loads of women think the same. i never thought it could be a radical-feminist reaction. loads of girls in my class at university don’t like beards, or they only like them when David Beckham has one.
anyway, there is one thing I’ve always wanted to know: if beard is after all a manly character, why do some women don’t like it?
3 cheers for beards!!!!!!!!
Spanish guy, I believe that a lot of the dislike comes from cultural conditioning. Today, many females are rejecting the old brainwashing and realizing that they do like beards after all.
I wonder if rejection of the beard is not another way people, consciously or not, reject God by rejecting the “immage of God.”
“Let Us create man in our immage … “
Aldon, please be more careful when quoting and using religious texts. You took that one out of its immediate context and completely changed its meaning. The very same passage continues, “. . . . Male and female he created them . . . .” This passage thoroughly and unmistakably treats women and girls as just as much a reflection of God’s image as men and boys.
Steve,
Good point. That’s an example of why I don’t put blanket pro-beard statements on the site such as, “Be a man. Grow a beard.” Yeah, stuff like that sounds cool and tough, but I would not make such a statement because I know that not all men are physically capable of growing a beard. I am always sensitive to that. I would never put someone down for the lack of being able to grow a beard. As I mentioned in http://blog.beards.org/2007/11/27/the-gift-of-a-beard/ , the beard is like a gift and not everyone receives the same gifts.
It was not my intention to slight those of the fairer sex nor those men that can not grow a beard.
I put the ” … ” in the quote to show that there was more there. I realize that both sexes are created in His immage.
The Bible speaks of the “beard” of God and I was questioning if God’s having a beard was not why so many people hate beards. But, I guess that by that thought process that some could hate smooth faces because they too were created in God’s immage.
I will try to do a better proof read from now on so as to not offend anyone. I know that I frequently come across as being something that I am not. I’m really not all that nasty.
I agree, but we could say things like “If you can, you must grow a beard”, or “Take up the responsability” or “Why do you fight against part of yourself?”
And some phrases of the Bible taken out of their context can lead to confussion.
Happy Christmas!!!
beards are funny…i dont think they’ll ever gain in popularity…..before you cut me off, keep in mind that that article was probably from a localized point. Probably a major city. And although i would love every male capable of growing a berd to grow one, it’d take the “eliteness”, the part of this special “club” feeling away from those who chose to do so.
On the bearded scale I’m a youngster. I’m a senior in high school, and although i lack beard growth on my cheeks ( i could be better), i’ve kept a beard for the majority of this (school) year, only shaving twice to make my parents happy ( both for pictures). But both times all the girls in my life (friends) think i look better with a beard. And that is all i have to say about that Marilynn Masten ….
Like most of the people interviewed for this website, the positive comments outweigh the negative comments.
Alessandro,
Thanks for sharing your views! I think that beards have made gains in popularity. I expect that they will continue to steadily do so, although the pace may not be dramatic. Your point about the “eliteness” or the feeling of being in a special club is a good one. I think that aspect will not be disappearing soon.
Congratulations on your beard! I’m glad to hear that the experience has been positive. Keep growing.
I think that it is very interesting that people get so fired up about whether to grow a beard, or not. I currently have a beard, and in the past have supported a goatee, and side burns. I have also been clean-shaven. I typically grow beards during the winter months, but choose to clean shave in the summer. It is very true that even the slightest amount of facial hair helps in keeping your face warm. I fully understand that a clean shave is nice from time to time, and that some women don’t like the feel of a guy when he has a beard. One final note, I really do hope that the popularity of beards continues to grow, but also would like to see an increase popularity of chest hair. Not sure if there has been a scientific link to the ability to grow a beard and grow chest hair, but I would think that one is usually not without the other.
I just wanted to say . . . Guys who have facial hair are sooooo hott! I don’t care what Marilynn says, there’s just something about a guy with facial hair. My boyfriend has a goatee and I love it! I hate it when he shaves it off, cause he looks so good with it. It’s like Beatrice puts it in Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing,” He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man.” So, if you can grow it, you should. There are a lot of women who like facial hair. Trust me.
Samantha, many of us appreciate your message of encouragement! Could we ask you and the like-minded girls and women you know to spread some good news about male beardedness to the rest of your half of the species?
I agree with Samantha and would love to help spread the news! I will never date a non bearded man again!
Beards are Gods way of saying he chose Man to lead the human race. Who is the King of the jungle? The lion with the mane. Who is the cock of the walk? The peacock with the best feathers. Who got a lot of chicks? Jim Morrison in his late 20s.
It’s evolutionary religion people… sign up.
Hey everyone, I would just like to agree with Samantha and Michelle… beards are one of the sexiest things a guy can wear. I think that all guys look better with a beard than without. Right now I’m trying to get my boyfriend to grow a beard.
Also, Marilynn is very wrong on the part that beards make a man look like a slob, because most men who have beards take very good care of it, and most beards can have a lot of shape and style to them. They just define the face better!
There are a lot of pros and cons with the beard. Many guys, for example have weak chins and would you rather be a chinless wonder of no? Of course it makes you look older and in our youth obsessed culture this can be a negative but in other cultures where age and wisdom are equated, of course that would be consistent with the image. Anyway, like anything else if you wear it long enough it merely becomes just another aspect of your persona and those familiar with you usually just accept it.
I have recently grown a beard and written about why I love it in the article, My Buddy: My Beard. Is it making a comeback? I don’t know, but I plan to keep mine.
Beards. Just re-reading old stuff. Gentlemen, I still don’t like beards nor the unshaven look. You guys sure didn’t read me right: I’m as feminine as they make them, don’t care for women’s rights, prefer women’s clothing. I love perfume, make-up, and for 86 years I have enjoyed being a girl Perhaps my dislike of beards comes from my age as when I was young only OLD, OLD men had beards. Just happy I never was the type of lady who could easily grow a beard..
I think some beards look unsightly while others look fantastic. A nicely trimmed beard (not long) and one that has care taken of it requires more time than just shaving each day. A beard also seems to say something about the character of a man as cosmetics do for some women. Personally i think a beard has a reason to be there or else why would it just grow? It keeps the face warm in Winter and protects it from the ultra-violet rays (skin cancer) in Summer. I agree that we have the option to have or not to have as is our want. Women seem to agree there as some adore a beard and some hate it
Long live Democracy!.
Have to say, one of my life’s goals was the grow a beard. Many of history’s greatest people have sported a beard. Many attributes and characteristics can be associated with a beard.
With that, I have grown a beard, and joined the community. Long live the beard. And Marilyn, you sound like one of these Gen Y’rs.
i have had a beard since i was 15 (currently 25) and i know people who can verify that for me. it does seem that it is coming back, but for the wrong reasons.
i am the type of person who will keep a thin beard during summer so i don’t die and let it grow thick in winter mainly because i’m outdoors a lot in the winter.
some people i see grow beards and they look as if they went to the costume shop and attached it to their face or they look really awkward.
just grow it for yourself and not for a fashion trend. be true to your beard. playoff beards are okay in hockey season. or grow a season beard. be hardcore!
beards are cool
Hey all. Just gotta drop a couple of quick comments. I personally love wearing a beard! I’ve started trying to grow a goatee in highschool, wore one throughout college/university, and now have a full beard. So I’ve worn a “beard” of some kind for well over a decade.
There have been times when I was younger that for work reasons I was forced to go beardless. Thankfully these times were very few and far between. When I was without my beard, I didn’t feel like myself. I don’t like the shape of my chin, so the beard helps to define it. I feel that I look better, and I feel more confident, when I wear a beard. I really couldn’t care less if people dislike my beard.
Not only that, but many important historical figures wore beards, which, as a historian, makes me want to wear one for scholarly purposes, as well. Some of my favourite historical figures were beard wearers. Karl Marx, for example, had one of the most epic beards of all time! And his majesty King George V had probably the most stylish beard I’ve ever seen. I aspire to have a beard like the one George wore.
Finally, in the era in which we now live, in which men and women are equal, and the feminists have taken almost all of the things from men that only men used to be able to do, the beard is one of the few true symbols of masculinity that we have left. So, I say to all you men, wear your beard with pride. Let the world know that you’re proud to be a man, and proud that you can grow a beard! Wearing a beard is one of the few things the feminists CAN’T take away from men… though I’m sure they’ll try to find a way.
uhhhh! Marilynn Masten you are the only one that dislike beards.My girlfriend and friends like my new look.Don’t pretend to see the second coming of Jesus Christ without a beard cuz he will come with facial and body hair,jaja just kidding.
If you don’t like a man with a beard i understand take in mind that is completely natural is in our genes.