# Gentlemen and Ladies: Let's talk men's facial hair styles. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103 "2005-09-17T14:15:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/21 "2005-09-18T01:06:51Z")
I’ve had a full beard with mustache for the last 28 years…my sons don’t remember me without it, but they can remember when it was black rather than white 🙂 The only parts that I shave are the neck, along my cheek to keep a very distinct border, along the uppermost part of my upper lip to maintain that border, and just under the corners of my mouth…but I leave the bit in the center under my lower lip the same length as the rest of my beard. On occasion, I let my mustache grow so that I can point it out like a proper Czar. But it has to be kept polished and trimmedn no longer than an inch, and at least 1/2 inch long to maintain thickness…no stray whiskers, please (my requirement). I keep it only 'cause my wife likes it. And it does keep me warmer in the winter and avoids sunburn in the summer. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/22 "2005-09-18T01:24:33Z")
I love my man’s beard as long as he keeps it reasonably short. He didn’t trim it at all during our three-week trip to Europe, and he was looking like a caveman by the end. I can’t say that I like the look of facial hair on all men, but his beard looks so _good_ on him. And it’s fun to touch. And it _tickles_. Ok, great, I miss him now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/23 "2005-09-18T03:34:50Z")
Ahhh well. Turning gray in the beard. The very first white hair I got grew out of the birthmark that’s on my chin. I cut it off, of course. Then it grew back…and brought a few pals along as well. For many years I had the much-loathed skunk stripes. Two very distinct white rows of hair down my beard, left and right of center. Still have em but there’s so much gray in there that they are not as noticeable. At some point, the gray will totally take over. I DID try Grecian For Beards. :rolleyes: It was amusing. When I applied the goopy stuff, I looked like a GI Joe doll in the mirror. Perfectly brown area where the beard should be. It lasted less than three days before white started to appear again. I didn’t try it again. Much. 😃 **FCM**? I was under the impression that I was your sweetie. Thanks for just busting my heart up like a serving platter made of fine wedgewood china that’s hurled off a second floor balcony. Thanks. ( And, tell Mr. FCM I said hi ! ) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/24 "2005-09-18T13:04:24Z")
I’ve had a moustache since 1969 when I let it grow to come as close to the edge of Army appearance regulations with out actually passing over the line as possible. As nice dark Grenadier job extending to, but not beyond, the edges of the mouth and not concealing the upper lip. At first it was black. Then a few red hairs appeared. In about 1980 some grey hairs began to appear. By the Millennium it and all the hair on my head had gone completely grey. Im stuck with it now. My children have never known me without the ‘stache. My wife has gotten use to it. I’ve learned to live with it. The rest of the world can just put up with it. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/25 "2005-09-18T13:18:19Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > **FCM**? I was under the impression that I was your sweetie. Thanks for just busting my heart up like a serving platter made of fine wedgewood china that’s hurled off a second floor balcony. Thanks. ( And, tell Mr. FCM I said hi ! ) > > 😛 Well, you’re my _on-line_ sweetie, that’s what you are! I wouldn’t hurl you off my second floor balcony, even if I had one. Silly man… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Aguecheek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/26 "2005-09-19T06:51:40Z")
Normally a Van Dyke or a full beard that traces along my jaw line (neck/cheeks shaved). Naturally, I look hip. Currently, I’m sportin’ a moustache for the play I’m in. I look like an 80s porn star. And I feel like a weenie. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/27 "2005-09-19T15:31:05Z")
I have a full beard (have had it on and off for 20 years). I keep it short. For an experiment, I tried a goatee for 2 days and looked like a fashion-follower dweeb, so I let the rest grow back. I hate goatees now, every idiot who never had a beard grew one when they got trendy (especially baseball players - egads!) Anyone able to put a finger on when the goatee thing started and who started it? Its time to end it - like the mullet. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/28 "2005-09-20T02:19:09Z")
> [@Aguecheek](#): > > Normally a Van Dyke or a full beard that traces along my jaw line (neck/cheeks shaved). Naturally, I look hip. > > Currently, I’m sportin’ a moustache for the play I’m in. I look like an 80s porn star. And I feel like a weenie. It could be worse, you know. You could _look_ like a porn star’s weenie. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/29 "2005-09-20T02:28:16Z")
I’ve had a goatee going for some time, and it’s now two inches long. I occationally trim the sides, because if I don’t it gets all uneven and kind of forked. Now, sometimes forked is good, but I like to be able to decide when. The rest of my fce I keep clean. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/30 "2005-09-20T02:57:24Z")
I’ve got the goatee, minus the mustache. For some reason, I just can’t grow the connecting lines on the sides of my mouth, and I think I look silly without them. So I just have the chin hair. It’s good in that it makes my face look longer and thinner, and kind of hides my minor double chin. Besides, without it I look like I’m 15. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/31 "2005-09-20T03:20:40Z")
The only kind of facial hair I don’t like, no matter what, is that little daub of fuzz under the lower lip. I don’t even like the name: ‘soul patch’ bleh. My dad had a beard for all but a month of my life (I didn’t know who that beardless guy was and didn’t talk to him for nearly a week). I loved my dad, who had a beard, so I tend to automatically like guys with beards. Only as friends though, not romantically, because that would be creepy. > [@QuickSilver](#): > > It looks better than it feels. 🆒 > > In all fairness, it’s tollerable for an unscheduled kiss but probably not for a long evening of nookie. Well that’s no good! Off with the stubble, but your reward is a much higher probability of smooches, from me at least. Wait, that didn’t come out quite right, it was a sort of universal ‘you’. Oh what the heck-- how _you_ doin’? Too bad there’s no leering smilie. ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/32 "2005-09-20T03:25:28Z")
I love men with facial hair! I have a very vivid memory of seeing a man with the most byoooootiful head of hair–deep red, long, thick, with amazing matching beard. The beard went down to his belt. It was incredibly thick and just a little wavy, not crazy-curly like some beards get. If I’d been just a little older, I definitely would have tried to get to know him better. I make my boyfriend wear a goatee, even though he doesn’t really like it. I think it makes him even more devastatingly attractive. One of the reasons I went out with the boyfriend before that was because of his well-groomed facial hair. I do think that fuzzy caterpillars and fussy little barely-there lines look stupid, but a nicely-shaped goatee will definitely get my attention. Did I mention I love men with facial hair? ---
**Author:** ![theLaughingMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@theLaughingMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theLaughingMan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/33 "2005-09-20T03:37:15Z")
Nothing currently, I perfer to keep clean-shaven look. Once in awhile I’ll do a soul-patch, tried the goatee for about two weeks, simply couldn’t get used to it, felt like my face was always dirty. Tangent: Why do some facial hair styles get locked into a time period? I really like the mustache with little strip below it. You know, the _civil war era_ 'stache. Arg! I would sport this all the time if it was not so, uh, civil war-ish. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/34 "2005-09-20T04:33:59Z")
Muttonchops and a moustache. [Evidence](http://shell.ihug.co.nz/~macspon/ag4.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Aguecheek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/35 "2005-09-20T15:04:55Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > It could be worse, you know. You could _look_ like a porn star’s weenie. > > 🙂 Heh. ‘Have I seen you around before…? I could swear you look like…someone I know.’ ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/36 "2005-09-21T20:39:07Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > and kind of hides my minor double chin. Besides, without it I look like I’m 15. **Word !!!** I’m sorry. Too subtle? 😃 –strokes beard thoughtfully-- So, **Giant\_Spongess** , how _you_ doin’ ? ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/37 "2005-09-22T05:25:16Z")
I trim my beard and mo with a #3 and shave the neck once a week, and that’s all I’m prepared to do. I’ve been lucky enough to have a succession of SOs who liked that, in fact the last two threatened to leave me if I ever shaved it off. When I was 19 it was long and scraggly, but the hippy chicks of the time seemed to like that too. Lucky lucky me. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/38 "2005-09-23T02:12:07Z")
Would that be the # 3 on the open-ended [Wahl Clipper Professional Scale](http://www.worldwidebeautystore.com/shopping/hair-clippers/1055.jpg) ? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/39 "2005-09-23T02:48:41Z")
I have a full beard which I trim to a 4 about once a week. (Due to laziness it’s often less often than that, but by day 9 it’s bushy enough that I appear to have crabapples in my cheeks.) Before that I occasionally had a goatee or sideburns (and once a mustache on its own for two weeks – I looked like one of the extras in a 1974 cop show). More often cleanshaven than not, but I rarely went six months without a change of some kind. I started the beard shortly after my dad shaved the mustasche he’d worn since before I was born. That was about five and a half years ago. Every couple months I think about getting rid of it again, not forever, but just so I can mix things up like I used to. But my wife likes it, and I do think it looks pretty good. Plus, it took **so** long to come in, I know that if I get rid of it that, if I decide to grow it back (which I will eventually), it’ll take months before it looks good again. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103/40 "2005-09-23T03:03:12Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > Muttonchops and a moustache. > > [Evidence](http://shell.ihug.co.nz/~macspon/ag4.jpg). Heh… me and my friends have always called that a “Lemmy” (after Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead) As for me, well I’m clean-shaven and have been for something like 4 years. I had a goatee from about 2000-2002, but decided I was looking kind of dorky at some point and got rid of it. The funny thing is, shaving completely every day is much less trouble than having to manage facial hair. With a clean shave, I only have to worry about keeping my sideburns even, while with a goatee, I have to worry about many more areas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentlemen-and-ladies-lets-talk-mens-facial-hair-styles/322103.md?page=3)