It’s All About That … Face
What makes a man manly?
You know. Besides the obvious.
Some say it’s facial hair.
William Shakespeare wrote that “he that hath no beard is less than a man.” Naturally, Shakespeare had a beard.
Others believe smooth sailing is the way to go. We surveyed women and found that many prefer a clean-shaven face when kissing. Whatever.
Many men – and women – prefer facial hair, and various styles have been in and out of fashion for hundreds of years. Especially the last hundred, as you can see here.
From William Howard Taft’s handlebar to Abe Lincoln’s chin curtain, men of all ages have fiddled with facial hair.
And today, it’s more popular than ever. Facial hair is a defining factor for approximately 40% of North American men in creating their individual style or look. The numbers are similar in other countries.
What’s the best look? Hard to say. There are so many. We’ve seen blogs that highlight more than 20 beards as the top beard styles for men this year. That’s kind of a bit much, so we condensed it here for you.
Here are a few of our favorites; some new, some iconic:
- Pencil-Thin Mustache. A super-thin strip of hair that outlines the upper lip. A certain modern-day crooner even wrote a song about it. And nobody wears one better than oddball movie directors and private eyes. Very mysterious.
- Short-Boxed Beard. It’s a full-beard with neatly trimmed lines. Quite appropriate for almost any work setting. Many of the many Ryan’s in Hollywood look good in one. Could be a Ryan requirement.
- The Balbo. A beard without sideburns, and a trimmed, floating mustache. Good for bolstering a narrow chin. A surprising number of men who have starred as super heroes have been known to sport one.
- The Anchor. A pointed beard that traces the jawline, and is paired with a mustache. Very nautical; hence the name. Can be tricky to master, so kudos for trying.
- The Chin Strip. A vertical line of hair in the center of the chin. Basically, it’s a long, narrow soul patch. Loved by some; reviled by some more. Not to be confused with the “chin strap” style. Some call it a facial thong. But we would never.
So many styles. And so little time to try them all.
What’s your facial hair go-to?