# Does wearing a beard become sexy at a certain age? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 7, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337 "2010-06-07T20:41:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/1 "2010-06-07T20:41:40Z")
I had never worn a beard prior to a year ago. I was always the clean-shavened one. Occasionally, while camping or on a long backpacking endeavor I’d grow a little beard, but I’d always shave it the instant I got home. About a year ago I grew a beard, I have sandy blond hair and my beard came in blond with a little red and brown in there. I trim it so it’s not unwieldy and it looks kept but not “man-scaped” or manicured. The reaction I have gotten since wearing it has been overwhelmingly positive, especially from women over the age of 30. I’m in 30’s and had never thought about having a beard, but now that I do, I recognize that there is a bit of attention happening [not that I am complaining - plus I have a wonderful SO] and it is happening with such frequency I can only blame it on the beard. But it would seem the ones who really like it are all over 30…what gives? Women, any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/2 "2010-06-07T20:46:39Z")
I use OkCupid and many women my age (around 20) mention that they love beards. I don’t think it’s an age thing. People, well, women anyway, seem to prefer me with a beard than without one. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/3 "2010-06-07T20:51:12Z")
Beard are hot, hot, hot. I convinced my husband to go for it about a year ago, and now it is in nice and lush, contrasting his bald head, yess! Before that, he had a goatee which I found very played-out; it aged him, somehow. But the full beard. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/4 "2010-06-07T21:15:08Z")
I like a beard on my husband; he grows it out in the winter and shaves in the summer. Yay, variety! Beards can be great. Not all guys can pull it off, but when it works it’s good. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/5 "2010-06-07T21:21:40Z")
I _love_ beards. My god, they are hot. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/6 "2010-06-07T21:36:41Z")
Beards are sexy at any age. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/7 "2010-06-07T21:38:33Z")
Alas, mine just does not fill in… (take a look at my profile. My attempt at a [Van Dyke](http://www.yeeeeee.com/wp-content/2008/05/beardtypes1.jpg). [second row, second column] That is as full as it gets.) ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/8 "2010-06-07T21:47:54Z")
Yeah, unfortunately some guys can’t grow a full beard, I actually never thought I could…but that seems to be because I never tried as my beard is perfectly full. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/9 "2010-06-07T21:55:07Z")
Beards are sexy at any age provided they are fully developed, and in a style that flatters the face. Many men are improved by wearing one. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/10 "2010-06-08T01:10:52Z")
It depends entirely on the man and the beard. ---
**Author:** ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/11 "2010-06-08T01:31:07Z")
I’ll get back to you in 3 years when I turn 30, but right now I think there are a lot more men with beards than there are men who can pull them off. I think they’re only an improvement if the guy has a weak chin. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/12 "2010-06-08T02:27:44Z")
I had a beard for a short time; it wasn’t tht bad. If I grew it out now, it would be all salt-and-pepper, which does not match my hair. So I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/13 "2010-06-08T02:29:57Z")
. Teenaged girls with beards are HOT! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/14 "2010-06-08T02:38:57Z")
I’ll be the contrarian – completely prefer clean-shaven, no beard, no mustache. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/15 "2010-06-08T02:44:02Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Beards are sexy at any age provided they are fully developed, and in a style that flatters the face. Many men are improved by wearing one. There’s got to be a good, biting quote in there somewhere, a Dorothy Parkerism or something from Oscar Wilde… ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/16 "2010-06-08T04:17:23Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’ll be the contrarian – completely prefer clean-shaven, no beard, no mustache. I’ll join you. I dislike facial hair strongly. My husband had a goatee when we started dating… one day he asked me if I preferred that or clean-shaven. I said clean-shaven and he shaved it off that day. It made me so happy! ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/17 "2010-06-08T06:05:28Z")
Bald guys often look better with beards. With a full head of hair, it can go either way. I like my boyfriend with a goatee. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/18 "2010-06-08T06:15:35Z")
It depends on the man and obviously the woman. For the most part I really dislike facial hair. A goatee can look good on the right man, but beards are generally icky IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/19 "2010-06-08T06:17:52Z")
Aesthetics aside, I hate the feeling of facial hair when kissing :X ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337/20 "2010-06-08T09:15:33Z")
I think Mr. Levins has a sexy “weekend” look when he goes without shaving for a week or two; he’s never pushed it beyond that so I don’t know if I’d like it, but I doubt it. Full-fledged beards are a bit much for me; if I can’t see your skin through the growth, it’s too long. Makes me think of John Ritter and that ilk. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-wearing-a-beard-become-sexy-at-a-certain-age/542337.md?page=2)