Beards Are Back Never Went Away

2008_02_my_beard_2.jpg

From the Sunday Tribune: more men are dropping the razors and freeing their inner caveman. Citing celebrities such as George Clooney, who wore one in Syriana, men are finding it easier to let their facial hair grow out. TIME magazine, in an article on the latest beard "revolution", called the increased prevalence of beards "an act of rebellion" and that the men growing them are "trying to prove they are no corporate slave."

Having worn a beard without a care as to whether or not they're in style, we gotta call bullshit on this. We wear a beard because, well, we can. We're not fans of the goatee or the Van Dyke; if you're gonna grow some whiskers on your face, go the full ten yards. Also, unlike the unwashed Devendra Banhart acolytes in the Tribune's accompanying video, we keep our beard neat and trimmed, with the edges shaped and none of that Kyle Orton neck fluff. As we've gotten older, we've noticed the gray in our beard outpacing that in our hair, but we don't mind. We're not afraid of a little aging, and it makes the beard look more distinguished.

Email This Entry


Comments (21) [rss]

Beards are just anothet hipster accessory...just like tight jeans,ironic t-shirts,scarves,and hi-top Nikes.

It's a fad. As soon as someone on MTV says "Beards aren't cool anymore" I'm sure more people will start shaving their skinny,coked-out looking faces again.

Fuck that, my face-buddy hides a double chin and makes my jaw look square.

Trend or not, I see myself with a beard for a while.

God, I guess my gripe with the beard thing is that it does seem a little like people are doing it to do something off the norm -- but what I hate is that people, being such social creatures, all rebel in exactly the same way. So it's like bearded dudes are all unique snowflakes. Ahem.

I like my beard as it is multi-colored. Doesn't work in a professional environment though, so it is clean shaving for me.

besides, beards are easy to manage. I don't see how the joys of not having to shave should be considered hipster.

Man, you can't do anything without being accused of being a trend-following hipster. Maybe I just have a beard because I don't like to get razor burn and it's so low maintenance. But I guess since you guys say bearded people are lemmings trying to "rebel"(as if that even makes sense), it must be true. And last time I turned on MTV, Kurt Loder was still rocking the smooth face.

Anyway, Matty hit the nail on the head, especially with "the joys of not having to shave."

Also, a scarf in Chicago is a hipster accessory now?

On a 4°f day, a beard is a very VERY good thing.

Razor burn?

Try a better shave gel and a Gilette Mach 5 Turbo...razor burn will be a thing of the past....now go shave you stinky hippy(ster)!!

I just shaved my beard last week... That must mean I got in on the ground floor of the clean face trend.

This is one of the funnier posts, especially now that Joey the Clown discovered Chicagoist as a way to pass time in Federal Lockdown.

p.s I also keep it clean like a washing machinee

Wow, this is old news. I've been on the beard thing for at least 3 years now. I think Lost might have had a little to do with it, but it's also just really great not having to shave. And honestly I don't think most corporate environments care that much anymore, as long as you keep it neat.

There is nothing wrong with a man that wears a scruffy face very well.

Bring on the chin pubes.

I have had a beard since I turned 30 (4 years ago). It suits me, it looks good, it keeps me warm in the winter and my boyfriend likes it. In the summer it usually goes away but I definitely would not call it a "hipster fad"

JayDeeMv2 sounds like the type of guy that even after a week of trying his "beard" looks like 6 scraggly patchy chin pubes. Jealous much?

I've had a beard for 14 years. It doesn't matter whether or not it's trendy. It only matters that you develop grooming skills to maintain a well-kept beard. It helps if you are hirsute enough to grow said fur in respectable measures. Nothing is more silly than seeing a grown man try to rock the too-scraggly-to-cover-my-jaw beard (yes, Johnny Depp, this includes you).

I've heard that another rising hipster fashion is abstaining from deodorant. Thankfully, I cannot verify this. Rest assured, this is the kind of trend that will not be commercialized.

People that have the biggest problem with beards are the ones that can't grow ones themselves. Not women, but guys that have facial hair that looks like a putting green during a drought. Having a nice thick, even growth sure does beat the vacant lot look.

Ok Gordon...I am a bit jealous.Seems like I can only grow a soul patch for some reason.I'm 27 and can't get a beard to fill in for the life of me...

Ok Gordon...I am a bit jealous.Seems like I can only grow a soul patch for some reason.I'm 27 and can't get a beard to fill in for the life of me...

Well, at least one of the posters here admits to being in his mid 30s, and I suspect others are in their 20s.

Yet we are seriously discussing whether facial hair is cool, and what the presence and/or absence of facial hair may or may not mean in terms of social status?

Dear buddha.

Didn't you people graduate high school a while ago?

(Then again, I can't grow hair like Grizzly Adams, so I am likely disgruntled.)

I loathe facial hair. Some people who don't shave on a daily basis just look like they have a dead possum on their face. Beards work for people who keep them well groomed and fashionable; they tend to work less for those that regard not shaving as a hungover, lazy excuse.

Then again no one can give you better advice than your partner. If she (or he) enjoys the feeling or rough sandpaper against their thighs then go with it. My wife gets hot for a smooth face.

The only person who should have a beard is Fidel Castro and any body in the bible

Matilda?

Why are you such a whiny little bitch? Every comment you post is so negative.It's the internet...enjoy it.Don't take things so seriously.

And please don't get me started on your ramblings on the bike laws and how "irresponsible" every cyclist in the city is.I couldn't find a way to respond because your position on the matter was ridiculous.Wishing that people would get run over was a bit unsettling.

Ride a bike in the city for a little while and report back to us.I can guarantee you'd be thinking alot differently about cyclists.

Post a comment (Comment Policy)

Tips

About Chicagoist

Chicagoist is a website about Chicago. More

Editor: Marcus Gilmer
Publisher: Gothamist

Contribute

Latest Tip:

KOI ... pet fish you can really pet !
[more]

Latest Photo:

Recent Comments

Subscribe

Use an RSS reader to stay up to date with the latest news and posts from Chicagoist.

All Our RSS