While today’s modern man is investing more time and money in their apparel, the staples remain the same. On a daily basis, we combine pants, shirts, jackets, and shoes for a smart, functional, even professional look. Now days, men have another accessory. It has been right under their nose all this time: the beard.
A decade ago, the Age of the Metrosexual allowed men to smell good, tailor their clothes, and pay top dollar for a haircut. Men felt like pampering themselves, and the world responded in a positive way. Now men buy beard oil, use fine tooth combs, and twist their mustaches to achieve the perfect curlicue. Growing a beard is not just a byproduct of a two-week vacation anymore. According to Salon SO Barbershop and Salon, “The beard is a symbol of masculinity, trend-consciousness, and power.” Now there are options.
Workplace attitudes have become relaxed, and a well-groomed beard can earn serious respect in a boardroom. Stephen Mihm wrote for NYTimes.com in November 2014, “These men didn’t view themselves as conformists, much less corporate drones, but as rugged individualists who single-handedly built vast business empires. Their beards became part of their larger-than-life brand.” He is referring to some of the most influential and famous businesses professionals in American history, like Andrew Carnegie and William Henry Vanderbilt.
Smart businessmen know that looking top-notch means staying up-to-date with trends without appearing trendy. A great professional beard is the Scruff. A medium Scruff Beard can serve to define a weak jawline and balance out a short, cropped haircut. The Scruff Beard happens with three to five days of growing, while only trimming around the lips and neck.
Undoubtedly celebrity influence and media play a major role in the way men groom. Melissa Magsaysay wrote for LaTimes.com in September of 2015 about the recent Emmy Awards and certain noticeable beard trends taking shape. “We’re not talking about well-maintained beards and mustaches. Instead the look fell somewhere between a 5’ o’clock shadow and full-on scraggle and can be classified as simply unruly scruff.” No one blames Tony Hale for donning a cool beard when he won his award for Best Supporting Actor for Veep, and no one has ever faulted Brad Pitt when he pulls off the Ducktail Beard on the red carpet. The Ducktail Beard takes shape with a slightly longer and pointed chin, full mustache, and sides. Robert Downy Jr. has made the Balbo Beard famous. The Balbo features a mustache disconnected to the lower chin beard. It is a slightly more refined version of the dated goatee.
The fashion model or hipster ideal looks like the Bandholz or Garibaldi. Both are very long in the chin and can easily go awry if not managed well. The main difference between the two is the length of mustache. The Bandholz Beard has a long mustache that grows into the rest of the beard while the Garibaldi keeps the mustache clipped shorter.
These killer beard styles are just the beginning of every man’s facial hair adventure. Let the natural hair patterns dictate the type of beard and wear it with confidence.
