I tried to grow the standard mustache and goatee a few years ago, but I couldn’t get them to connect on the sides of my mouth, and the hair on my upper lip irritated the hell out of me. So now I have one of those thin strips that starts at the bottom lip, goes down an inch or two, then gets wide and covers the whole chin, AKA a real goatee. I accidentally had my trimmers set to 1 instead of 9 a few months ago, so I shaved the rest off completely. I looked 16 instead of 26. I hated it, and immediately grew it back out.
Incidentally, almost everyone who’s commented on it has told me I look a lot better with it than without it. Anyone who’s hated the way it looks on me but hasn’t commented has been duly ignored.
I’d still go for a full beard. They’re less maintenance and less… hmm… affected (though the less maintenance is why I prefer them- I shave a couple of times, drag the trimmer over my face, and that’s that. Your face would probably look good with one of those beards that’s slim along the jawline and fuller at the jowls.
As for trimmers, there really isn’t a lot of difference. The more expensive ones I’ve bought tended to have a few more accessories (like moustache combs and attachments) that I never used anyway. As long as it’s adjustable then get a cheap one. If it breaks after a few months then toss it and get another one and you’re still ahead of the hounds.
Oh, let’s not even get started on the terminology. I’ve had one for about six years, settled on what I have four years ago, and I STILL don’t know what kind it is. I think the terms are changing too, and Van Dyke used to mean something more specific.
My husband will be getting all his hair cut off next Saturday. His hair, at the moment, is quite long. Almost down to his butt.
He’s getting something called a ‘flat top’ (which he says is a ‘military’ type thing, although, I have NO idea).
He turned his beard into a goatee this past Sunday evening.
I’m stressing over this change.
I suppose I’ll live, though.
It is, after all, his hair.
