So, why do you have a beard?

[Slothead56]

In 66 years I’ve never had a beard or anything beard related. I get 5 or 6 days in and look homeless. Not a good look on me.

Both my sons have beards. My younger guy keeps it neat and short. The older one vacillates between neat and trim and long and wooly.

I always feel like I should give it a go one time but I can never get past that first week….

[blackie51]

I had a beard for 35 years and, when I shaved it off, the only person who said anything to me was my daughter, and all she said was "oh, you shaved".

On the other hand, I'm 71 and to date have never once shaved my moustache.

Tom

[Silurian]

The last time I was clean shaven was about 20 years age. I keep my beard very short, not much longer than what used to be called "designer stubble".

Over the years I've had it longer, sometimes a goatee. I've never gone down the Billy Gibbons route though.

[Steve DeRosa]

Had a set of Neil Young-style sideburns during my last two years of high school - shaved them off when I caught crap, let them grow back again a few times, shaved them off, grew them back, kept them after I graduated...

After my sophomore year of college I let them morph into an Abe Lincoln-style beard - lasted all of a month, until one of my thankfully-casual dates told me (in an herbally-enhanced moment) that I'd make a really cool Amish...

Been clean-shaven for the last 50 years...

[westview]

When I was in my 20"s I had to shave everyday to avoid that 5 o'clock shadow.
After a while, I decided to switch from a razor blade to an electric shaver.
But, for some reason the electric shaver caused irritation and a rash.

So my choice was a razor everyday or a beard. Went with the beard.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by westview

When I was in my 20"s I had to shave everyday to avoid that 5 o'clock shadow.

It's interesting how that look has become cool among the twenty and thirty somethings. On TV, reporters now stand resplendent before us with their 'shadow,' all decked out in tight-fitting little suits that can barely contain their midriffs and open-necked shirts that reinforce the look that they did not actually go to bed last night!

Fashion is weird!

[buddyhu]

Had a full beard from my early 20’s until my late 30’s, primarily because it looks OK and was easy and painless. Then shifted to a mustache only, then a goatee until my early fifties. Last decade plus, a mustache and a soul patch.

As my dark beard shifted to salt and pepper grey to mostly grey, more facial hair made me look a lot older.

One of these days I might shave of the mustache and see what is underneath. But less shaving is better, as far as I am concerned.

[Dave in Olympia]

I have a bit of a weak chin, so I like the way I look with one. The women in my life have seemed to like it just fine, as well.

[mr. beaumont]

I hate shaving and have quite sensitive facial skin, particularly on my chin. Therefore I've had at least a goateesince I was 18 (would have done one sooner had my high school allowed facial hair)

I keep my chin covered now because...l might have more than 1 of em now

[Methos1979]

Once I got out of the Navy, I grew my beard back. Mostly because I hate shaving. I keep it short, which I like. Like fingernails, once it gets to a certain length the feeling (and look) of it drive me crazy until I trim it up. My kids only know me as having a beard. They have never seen me clean shaven. I should shave it off someday to just horrify them.

There's a trend these days for young guys, mostly blue collar maintenance worker types, to grow these big, bushy, full, unkempt beards. They look stupid to me. The factory I worked at up until recently was suddenly inundated with young, flannel shirt wearing, baseball cap covered men - all of them with big bushy full beards. Looked like a lumberjack festival.

My wife much prefers the beard. My son sports a short beard, like mine. My son-in-law sports a beard that he usually keeps fairly short although he's one of those guys who's hair is thick and grows fast so it gets much longer than mine before he beats it back into submission. He shaved it off completely once and was ordered to grow it back immediately by his wife/my daughter.

[ewalling]

A side-note mentioned by me and others has been trouble-and-strife response.

In my case, as I said, my wife has been gently pressing me towards shaving the beard off, but I notice that others' wives have been more positive. I seem to remember an ex once saying to me words to the effect of 'Don't you dare!' when I mentioned the possibility of growing one. Different strokes, I guess.

[Brucebubs]

Had a moustache as soon as I could grow a decent one.

Had a goatee for 22 years but gave up shaving the goat tracks during pandemic lockdown, gone the full beard now.

[Pura Vida]

I've never had a fully grown in beard, mustache, or goatee, but as I tell others, my facial hair is a sign of how well (or poorly) I have my life together. When I am in control, I will keep up with shaving. But when life gets too stressful, shaving is one of the first things that gets neglected and usually lasts until either (1.) I get things back under control or (2.) the itchiness becomes too much.

Currently, I'm about 2-3 weeks since my last shave (things have been particularly stressful recently), and it's getting to the point that I can't take it. Tonight may be the night, for me.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

There's a trend these days for young guys, mostly blue collar maintenance worker types, to grow these big, bushy, full, unkempt beards. They look stupid to me. The factory I worked at up until recently was suddenly inundated with young, flannel shirt wearing, baseball cap covered men - all of them with big bushy full beards. Looked like a lumberjack festival.

There's a hipster thing of combining a full untrimmed bushy beard with a very neat carefully-groomed haircut.

I think it looks stupid but on the other hand you can immediately tell if somebody's a hipster.

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

There's a hipster thing of combining a full untrimmed bushy beard with a very neat well-groomed haircut.

I think it looks stupid but on the other hand you can immediately tell if somebody's a hipster.

My guys are definitely NOT hipster. Their untrimmed, unkempt beards are matched by every other aspect of their being. So, at least they are authentic. I've seen that hipster look and I agree with your assessment - stupid. But I don't think I'm their target 'audience'. I'm sure they don't care what I think.