So what do you think abut soulpatches - the small patch of beard some guys grow just below their lower lip? And, if you feel strongly one way or the other, why? Are these things still considered “hip” in some circles, or are they on their way out?
I tend to lean pretty strongly towards the “stupid” side. I can imagine that on a very limited number of people - say jazz musicians or artists - they might look cool. But on the vast majority of guys I see wearing them, they simply look as tho the wearer wishes to appear cool.
And they seem to require effort to maintain that far exceeds the result. If a guy has a well-maintained goatee or stache or something, well, it isn’t my cup of tea, but I guess I can understand it. But to make a point of shaving carefully every day just to retain the appearance of a dirty chin? I don’t get it.
On middle-aged suburban dads, they are simply pitiful.
I’ve never been too keen on the idea of facial hair in general. With the occasional exception of some Indiana-Jones-style stubble, which can be nice, and the few-and-far-between artist/jazz musician goatee, I cast my vote for the chronically clean shaven. However, on a continuum, I’d rank the average soul patch as more visually and tactile-ly pleasing than other forms of facial hair grooming. Next would be the goatee (except in cases of aforementioned exception), then the beard, and last mustaches (which are the only thing I have found to be able to dramatically reduce the sex appeal of Jonathan Rhys Meyers. I mean, has anyone ever said, “eh, he’s pretty good looking, but damn, his mustache makes him look soooo hawt?”) Extreme facial hair variations (like the thing ancient Egyptians seem to have grown out from the chin, and Father-time length beards, etc) I would have to rank on a case-by-case basis to determine their dimensional level of unattractiveness.
To me, the soul patch seemed like a way for post-pubescent males to advertise the fact that they are physically capable of growing facial hair, and presumably, all the secondary sex characteristics that go along with it are in tact. In older men, it kind of strikes me as a form of denial that they are old, i.e., at an age where it would no longer be necessary to make such an advertisement. So, like, thanks for the heads up, but still probably won’t be partaking, at least not until it’s shaved off.
There are some guys that the look really works on, and some that look silly with it.
I’ve never gone along with the idea that certain hairstyles (facial or otherwise) are “in” and others are “out.” They just work better on some folks than they do on others.
Caveat: There are very few people that can pull off some of those looks.
Stupid. In general, most guys I see with one are the frat boy, popped collar and assorted accoutrement type of guys that just scream “douche!” Some men can pull it off, and pull it off well, but most should leave it alone. Not a fan.
I’m cool with it if you can pull it off. Not many can. It’s all in the complete package - clothing, hair, how you carry yourself.
Me, no problem. I’m a jazz musician. Sported one for a long time when I was more concerned with pimping my ‘hep cat’ appearance. Now that I’m a little more established and settled down, I said screw it and went with the full beard.
I’m into it. But I was an “alternateen” and grew up staring at various posters of Pearl Jam on my walls…so I like guys who look like those guys, in the 90s.
I see them now on our business managers and marketing teams. When managers adopt something in an attempt to be “corporate-edgy”, then the trend is officially passe.
I couldn’t give a fuck less what fashion style is in or out. Some styles look better on certain people and some people have a face that allows them to always look good.
A soulpatch takes a specific type of person to look good on.
Looks good on Joe Hachem in my opinion and looks like shit on Howie Mandel. Possibly the lighting or tone of skin. shrugs
Somewhat relatedly, Frank Zappa is the only man with a mustache who I can think of that looks cooler for it. (Except for my grandpa, but that was only because his made him look disturbingly like Saddam Husein. This, in turn, was cool because of the family photos where he’s, like, in an intertube or whatever and it looks like I’m hanging out with Saddam Huesien in the Lazy River at Geagua Lake).
But I suppose that’s getting away from soulpatches and way too into mustaches…I apologize for the digression.
As a general rule my personal preference is against facial hair which appears “overly groomed.” Kinda prefer that guys not make quite so obvious the amount of time and effort they put into grooming.
But what I intended in my OP is the guy who has no facial hair other than a small patch immediately below their lower lip.
I think it is easier to carry off if it is in addition to a stache, goatee, burns, whatever.
Silly by itself. My pals once grew them as part of a cottonball contest (that’s what I call them) but shaved them as soon as it was established that they all participated.
Sported one for a long time when I was more concerned with pimping my ‘hep cat’ appearance. Now that I’m a little more established and settled down, I said screw it and went with the full beard.