Wil Wheaton and Seth Green rock them. Nerds, check.
Savas Abadsidis talks to men about the way growing – or not growing – a beard defines manhood in their lives.
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This is a story about beards. And no, not the euphemistic term used by gay men for the women they use as their cover if they’re closeted. The bristly, haven’t shaved in a while kind.
My mom loves to tell this story; I’m two and a half years old, sitting at the kitchen, just eating breakfast cereal and minding my own business when my dad comes in freshly shaved and showered. This was the very early ‘80s, and I had never seen my father without a beard before. It didn’t go well. After about an hour or so my mom was finally able to talk me into unlocking the bathroom door, and, though I was skeptical, convince me that maybe my dad hadn’t been kidnapped and replaced by an imposter. Over the years my dad would periodically change his facial hair configuration — sometimes a beard, sometimes clean shaven — but if he didn’t at least have a mustache, it never felt quite right. Like my dad was wearing the wrong man’s face. I never had much interest in facial hair for myself — after growing one sad/thin mustache right after graduating high school I vowed to remain clean-shaven thereafter. But after my dad died in 2005, something changed in me. Now I will periodically change my facial hair configuration—sometimes a beard, sometimes clean shaven — but I don’t have at least have a mustache, it never feels quite right, like I’m wearing the wrong man’s face. Brenden, writer, Los Angeles
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Reggie Watts and Baron Davis rock them. Hip black dudes, check.
Beards. Everyone has one, or in the absence thereof are making a statement. Recently a number of articles have suggested we’ve reached peak beard, or that the “trend is over.” That’s if one chooses to see this as simply a trend. Let me declare what many already know: 2013 was a landmark year for men’s facial hair. From flamboyant beards to the proliferation of “old-fashioned” shops, evidence of the trend abounds, embracing groups as diverse as the Boston Red Sox, the men of Movember, and the Robertsons of Duck Dynasty. In dens of hipsterdom, one can hardly throw a PBR without hitting a waxed moustache. And the online craft marketplace Etsy now sells a limitless variety of wares imprinted with images of mustaches and beards. This is not the first time in recent memory that American men have sprouted facial hair in great numbers. The 1960s bristled with sideburns and beards — pared down (see the current season of Mad Men), in the 1970s, to the decade’s iconic mustache. But one characteristic distinguishes this revival from previous ones: Today’s facial-hair enthusiasts share an affection for the ornate practices of the 1800s—the exuberant beards and ostentatious moustaches, as well as the elegance and “manliness” of the shops where those styles were cultivated. And also for a care of the beard not seen in previous times. Often when observing trends, I look to a corollary rise in commercial home care products to determine its longevity. This one is no different and the advent and rise of these products is almost certainly a good indicator of its sustainability.
My father is a kibbutznik — salt of the earth. He is the kind of guy who always has his hands in the dirt and his heart on his sleeve. He is a man of substance, a man of character and a man comfortable in skin. He is the man I aspire to reflect. For the entirety of my childhood he had less than half a head of black hair but a full fire-red beard. One day, when I was no older than 8 or 9, he returned from a trip abroad where he had shaved his beard off in impulse. I barely recognized him at the airport and wailed at top of my lungs at the change. He grew it back and never made that mistake again. I share the red beard genetics with my father and as soon as nature would allow, grew out my own fire-red beard. These days, the beard is has equal parts red and grey, but is no less meaningful to me. It is outward facing reflection of the pride and honor I feel on the inside. Yosi, Activist, Washington, DC
One of the more interesting product developments that’s arisen in beardom has been the vitamin supplement VitaBeard, that contributes to their care. VitaBeard has been on the market for a few years now, and I spoke to Chris Johnson of Do Vitamins that markets the product about what makes this innovative and why are they popular. Have there been, I wondered, historically, a blend of vitamins that have been known to enhance beards? Johnson explained, “People often point to the B vitamins, including Biotin, as the ‘hair vitamins.’ But there are many other vitamins, minerals and herbs that are essential for hair growth and quality, including beard growth. Just like the hair on your head, the hair that grows from your face requires optimum nutrition to grow and look its best. We created VitaBeard as a convenient way for men to ensure they are getting the nutrition they need to grow the best beard they can.“
Brian Wilson and Sergio Ramos rock them. Sport superstars, check.
Perhaps because I’ve never been able to grow any, I’ve always been fascinated by facial hair. Despite my ethnic background (Greek and Eastern European Jew), even in my late 30s, a week without shaving simply makes my face look dirty. Ironically my sisters possess more arm and facial hair than I do. Moustaches, I still associate with porn stars and child molesters (unless they’re the old-timey twisty ones). And beards, well they fascinate me because they can run the gamut from crazed mad men terrorist to loveable most trust worthy fireman (see Santa Claus). In my exploration of the beard, what’s really grabbed me are the stories. So many men, have intimate relationships and surprisingly emotional stories attached to their facial follicles. Boston based writer w writer Scott Heim, put it thusly, “I’ve always thought men with beards were more intriguing, distinguished, and just plain attractive than men without. When I was a kid, I had a mom who was a huge record and 8-track-tape collector — all types of music — and I remember being so fascinated with all the musicians who wore beards: from country stars like Eddie Rabbit and Kenny Rogers, to R&B singers like Marvin Gaye and Barry White, to 70s rock dreamboats like Cat Stevens, ELO’s Jeff Lynne, and (best of all) Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac.” Those were my earliest memories.” He continues, “While I always liked men with beards, I never really thought of growing one myself until I was halfway deep into my forties, which is sort of a shame, considering that even twenty or even ten years ago, it would have been full-on ginger. Today it’s just a dull reddish-brown with the occasional stray strand of gray, but nevertheless, I find it funny how it gets me noticed by people who never would have looked at me twice before. Some of the people closest to me still say they hate it, but I don’t plan to shave anytime soon. Oh, and it’s funniest to me how the beard seems to attract a lot of babies–it’s like it has hypnotizing powers to anyone 12 months old or younger. They stare as though I’m 1975 Lindsay Buckingham or something. I only wish I could be that cool or play guitar that well.” After talking to all these men, I have come to two conclusions: One, I curse the hair gods that prevent me from growing one and two, peak beard be damned, I think they’re here to stay.
Neal Brennan and Louis CK rock them. Super hot comedians, check.
I had an uncle who had the first beard I remember — he is the black sheep of my mom’s family, albeit the lovable black sheep — and when he was younger, he came complete with a motorcycle and a big full dark beard. This was back in the 70s, and beards were in one of their heydays, as I think of it. He still has the beard — a sort of Whitman beard gone wild — and when he recently was hospitalized for a heart attack, I remember his daughters wanted to shave him while he was under anesthesia. My mom stopped them, saying, “If you do that, he’ll have another heart attack when he wakes up.” The beard was trimmed but stayed. And I think while my mom never liked it, she recognized that it was a source of strength — which is how I’ve come to think of mine. I just like my beard. And being half-Korean, half-Scottish, my beard grows in a reddish brown, with two little silver stripes as I get older, that I call my badger stripes, on each side of my chin. As my hair has thinned, I joke that it lets me have some style beyond my fade haircut — I can let the beard get wooly or keep it super trim, I can change the shape, I can oil it so its soft or let it get rough. And the badger stripes, well, that’s just an unexpected bonus of growing older. -Alexander, Novelist, New York City and Austin
It is really much effective.
Please note: I’ve had a full beard since my discharge from the Army: While in college, I was looking for a part-time job, to help pay my way through school. After one job interview, the woman interviewing me offered the job- with one stipulation. I had to shave off my beard. I politely said, ‘No thank you.’ and got up to leave. She became a little irritated, asking if I was turning down the job because of my beard. If replied in the affirmative. She made a face and said,”Its just hair.” As I was leaving, my response was this:… Read more »
Thanks!
But Bill–the point of this was that I found that it does, and I would argue that women who say that are lying.
What women are saying – nay, demanding – is that they not be put in anyone’s box based on how they look. Call it “lookism”, “fat shaming”, “slut shaming” or whatever, women are saying, “Enough is enough”. Women are saying, “This is misogyny”. And you know what? The women are right! But as with so many things in this age of entitlement feminism, there’s a gross double standard at play…and nowhere is that more evident than here, on GMP. Here, on a site ostensibly for men, but where both the editor in chief and the executive editor are women, it’s… Read more »
Someone can’t grow a beard. It’s okay son, it isn’t that serious… Simmer it down. Whatever you or anyone else thinks, the way we look does send cues and signals to everyone around us. This isn’t “shaming” or “labeling”, this is basic human psychology. We automatically attempt (read: subconciously) to create an initial judgement or reaction based on whatever data we are presented with, in this case, a person’s physical appearance. Beards do have an effect on the human psyche. Take a look at the research, the same faces with and without facial hair generate completely different reactions. This isn’t… Read more »
I’m a writer Lars–w/out making up stuff like this, I’d be outta business! 😛
If you go onto Jezebel or any feminist site expressly for women, you’d NEVER see an article that says that a woman’s look has anything to do with the definition of her femininity.
Why is it OK to do that to men here?
This is just one more example of GMP’s misandry.
I’ve had a beard sine was 16. It’s simply who I am and it’s who my wife married. There was only one time during our almost 40 years of marriage that I shaved it off. My kids were in grade school and when I went to pick them up, even though I was calling out my sons name, he walked past me. When my daughter saw me, she broke down and cried. My wife on the other hand, looked at me, gave me a wonderful kiss and then said it was the last one until I grew it back. She… Read more »
Man – I don’t get the fuzz. It’s just a choice, like the colour of your glasses or the shirts you wear. Do what feels nice and right for you, change as you go along. But why make a big, philosophical question of it?
It’s interesting how beards and men’s facial hair follows fashions and trends over the years. As far as the current trend is concerned, one of my theories is that a lot of men are growing beards not just for aesthetic purposes but also as a way of expressing their masculinity in a benign and non-threatening way. I’ve no doubt that sociologists could wax lyrical about that for hours!
regarding the origins of the current trend. i see similarities between western european aristocratic officers suddenly sporting the full beard in their portraits during the 19th century crimean war (before this, in the mid 19th the beard in the west is primarily associated with ruffians, unkempt lower order men, or rabblesrousing democratic demagogues), and the beard returning to men’s face during the campaigns in afghanistan post 9/11. the inhabitants of the crimea and afghanistan wore facial hair and saw men without it as boys, hence the western troops had to sport the beard to be respected. the high esteem the… Read more »