What's with all the beards?

[Rogar]

I've remarked to myself more than once recently about all the males with beards, but thinking it might be a small sample size or some sort of demographic for my area. The NYT today actually had an article documenting the trend. Its noticeable as a political trend, like Patel, Cruz, JD, and Mamdani. The dirty face look has been replaced with beards? The author of the article claimed some speculation that it's a around a discourse of manliness, the manosphere and an expression of testosterone (the author is female if it matters). I suspect it's far more innocuous and just a trend, but it does seem like they are an expression of personality. I see the nicely trimmed salt and pepper Van Dykes and Goatees on styling seniors, the closely trimmed J.D. style on trendy young people, and the bushy outback look among the craft brewery workers, followers and that type.

It's odd, as they look hot, uncomfortable, and if I were a different gender, unpleasant to kiss. And they accumulate some foodstuffs and hide smiles and frowns.

I'm also thinking that yoga pants on women are on the way out as a fashion trend for women, thank goodness.

[iris lilies]

Hasnt the beard thing been around for quite a while? I mean the ones especially noticeable, the lumberjack beards.

[Rogar]

They have probably been around since the Vikings, cavemen, and Abe Lincoln. I'm just thinking it's much more frequent recently. Maybe not, but the NYT knows.

[Alan]

I think it's a fashion trend that will eventually run its course. When I was young a very large contingent of men wore a mustache and that seemed to eventually go out of style at some point before beards came back into fashion.

I spent the first 20 years or so of my adult life in uniform where facial hair was prohibited outside a neatly maintained mustache and sideburns which did not grow below the lowest outer, exterior opening of the ear. I spent the next 25 or so years in a business environment where facial hair, including mustache, was considered gauche so my mustache went away, never to return.

When I retired 7 years ago I found myself for the first time neither forbidden by regulation or convention from growing facial hair so I celebrated by putting my razor away and becoming the wild child I always knew myself to be. But, that got old after a while and I recently went back to shaving, although only on a somewhat regular basis.

[iris lilies]

I think it's a fashion trend that will eventually run its course. When I was young a very large contingent of men wore a mustache and that seemed to eventually go out of style at some point before beards came back into fashion.

I spent the first 20 years or so of my adult life in uniform where facial hair was prohibited outside a neatly maintained mustache and sideburns which did not grow below the lowest outer, exterior opening of the ear. I spent the next 25 or so years in a business environment where facial hair, including mustache, was considered gauche so my mustache went away, never to return.

When I retired 7 years ago I found myself for the first time neither forbidden by regulation or convention from growing facial hair so I celebrated by putting my razor away and becoming the wild child I always knew myself to be. But, that got old after a while and I recently went back to shaving, although only on a somewhat regular basis.

there’s nothing wrong with some stubble.

actually, that was a huge fashion just a few years ago, carefully cultivated two day stubble

[bae]

I’ve had a moustache since I was 14, and a full beard since I was 17. Shaving causes my skin to suffer terribly, so I avoid it as much as I can.

I have had to shave the entire face multiple times for the state fire academy, they have a zero facial hair policy. My dog barked at me when I came out from removing it the first time.

For regular fire duty, I have a template to shave and trim things to so that I pass the fit test for my breathing gear and my masks, which requires daily attention to get a proper seal. I also keep a shaving kit in my gear in case the whole thing needs to come off in extended incidents.

[Rogar]

I had a moustache for a few years while in my 20's and it did seem like an expression of personality at the time. Facial hair has just seemed like a nuisance ever since. I have times when I make shaving a bit of a ritual, with a vintage doubled edged razor, shaving bowl, soap, and brush. It leaves a clean feeling, at least from my perspective. I think the J.D. Vance style of light facial hair is the most common I see in young people. Could be it's a city thing and not reached other places.

[bae]

Most of the time I shave the old-school way, straight razor, soap, badger bristle brush. I find I can avoid much of the skin trouble in the regions I shave/trim using this. Disposable or electric razors are a disaster for me. “Safety” razors with old-school double-sided razor blades and a quality razor can work decently for me.

I don’t quite grok the “stubble” look. Do, or don’t do, as Yoda would say.

[iris lilies]

6513

Our local boy Jon Hamm knows how to rock this look, the “ barely there” beard.

I have noticed it, now that you mention it Roger, on the Prince of Wales as well as on JD Vance.

[pinkytoe]

I think many young men in general are just more concerned with their looks these days. Mostly tidier and not ZZ Top style. I have always thought Victorian era beards and mustaches fascinating and manly, I suppose. Giant swoopy walrus kind of things.

[bae]

I have always thought Victorian era beards and mustaches fascinating and manly, I suppose. Giant swoopy walrus kind of things.

There was a period where the state fire academy allowed moustaches, but not beards. I grew The Most Maximal Moustache Possible as a science project before showing up. Had to use wax to shape it and tuck it into the allowable space. Pretty fun, and very silly looking. I mean, extended, the tails were like a foot long. I could make all sorts of complex shapes with it.

https://wpcdn.us-east-1.vip.tn-cloud.net/www.sactownmag.com/content/uploads/data-import/964522d6/MustaucheBeardCompetition-SactownMagazine.jpg

[rosarugosa]

I find bare-faced the most kissable, followed by beard and/or mustache, but stubble feels like kissing sandpaper. DH shaves pretty regularly, so he must like being kissed by me.

[Rogar]

The NYT article for whatever it might be worth. Sort of a typical NYT view of things. I can't imagine Sam Elliot without his mustache be that's certainly nothing new and an expression of personality. Mike Johnson must shave very often.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/fashion/hair-facial-beard-mustache.html?

[frugal-one]

There was a period where the state fire academy allowed moustaches, but not beards. I grew The Most Maximal Moustache Possible as a science project before showing up. Had to use wax to shape it and tuck it into the allowable space. Pretty fun, and very silly looking. I mean, extended, the tails were like a foot long. I could make all sorts of complex shapes with it.

https://wpcdn.us-east-1.vip.tn-cloud.net/www.sactownmag.com/content/uploads/data-import/964522d6/MustaucheBeardCompetition-SactownMagazine.jpg

Were you at the Anacortes market on Saturday? I saw a guy who resembled this sans mustache or beard.

[KayLR]

I blame Travis Kelce aka the future Mr. Taylor Swift.

[Klunick]

My oldest who is 24 has had a beard since he was a Senior in high school. In fact, the last photo of him without a beard is his HS graduation photo that was taken the summer before school started. He keeps it short and well-groomed and I think he looks very handsome with it.

[pinkytoe]

SIL had a massive dark beard with a shiny shaved head which always looked incongruous to me. I think he recently trimmed up the beard