How does growing a beard change your style of dress?

[mack11211]

Dear Folks:

Earlier this year, after many years cleanshaven, I grew a beard.

My previous beard, in the 90s, was smaller – more of a goatee really – and dark.

The current beard is larger and mostly gray. The bit of hair on my head is clipped down to a fraction of an inch.

This has greatly changed my appearance, and inclined me to change my style of dress. I want my collar points longer and my stands higher, my knots larger and my lapels wider. One thing has not caused another; they're just moving in tandem.

I know beards are fashionable now, but they can also be stylish. And a grey or grayish beard strongly suggests something – I’m just not sure what!

So, if you have grown a beard, especially a substantial grey beard, how did it change your style?

Alternately, what does it suggest about the man who wears one?

Here are two stylish mature beards: Prince Michael of Kent and Kevin Stewart, a/k/a "Professor Badass."

Prince Michael:

Before (and before he got the collar right)



After:



More


Kevin Stewart:

Before:



After:



More

 

[Blackhood]

Personally I find that clothes need more texture to keep up. A man with a full beard in a mohair suit looks like a wild man tamed for society, whereas a bearded man in tweed or leather looks professorial or rebellious (respectively).

Something about that matted face-weave needs to be mirrored in the clothing, else the man simply looks to contrasting with his clothes.

 

[Renton]



Personally I find that clothes need more texture to keep up. A man with a full beard in a mohair suit looks like a wild man tamed for society, whereas a bearded man in tweed or leather looks professorial or rebellious (respectively).
Something about that matted face-weave needs to be mirrored in the clothing, else the man simply looks to contrasting with his clothes.

I haven't really considered it before now, but that makes good sense.

 

[blue collar]



Personally I find that clothes need more texture to keep up. A man with a full beard in a mohair suit looks like a wild man tamed for society, whereas a bearded man in tweed or leather looks professorial or rebellious (respectively).
Something about that matted face-weave needs to be mirrored in the clothing, else the man simply looks to contrasting with his clothes.

Exactly!

No need to keep this thread open.

 

[DerekS]

guys with bears always look like theyre thinking about something.

if anyone can name what show that came from, ill send you a beer via email. or a pic of a beer.

 

[thinman]



Personally I find that clothes need more texture to keep up. A man with a full beard in a mohair suit looks like a wild man tamed for society, whereas a bearded man in tweed or leather looks professorial or rebellious (respectively).
Something about that matted face-weave needs to be mirrored in the clothing, else the man simply looks to contrasting with his clothes.

I grew a beard in 2007, several years after joining the forum, but I've honestly never thought of it, perhaps because I think the beard is now a permanent fixture and I won't need to consider how to dress without it. The idea of wearing more highly textured clothing makes a lot of sense in hindsight, and perhaps explains my love of textured clothing. My textured clothing complements my textured face!

FWIW, I have been told that I look younger with the beard, though that doesn't affect the way I dress.

 

[UncleCozy]

That Kevin just looks like a tramp with a beard (sans one - more of a douche). My beard is in place mainly due to habit and comfort. Not shaving it saves quite some time, a trimmer and some scissors 2-3 times a week is all that it takes to keep it in line.

 

[Tropicalist]

Most fundamentally a beard will change the shape of the face and change the tonal balance of the face. Bigger collar, larger knot and larger lapel will all help to balance. In my case with the beard i can wear higher contrast clothing and thicker glasses look much better with the beard etc. Not sure I agree with the point about texture. The more facial hair you have the more traditional the rest of the wardrobe needs to be

 

[Ianiceman]

Those photos just support my personal belief that it's very rare for a beard to improve the way a man looks. On this board I can only think of TTO who really looks good with his and dresses in accordance. I struggle to think of anyone else on here (or IRL) with face fungus who wouldn't experience a marked improvement with a clean shave. Sugarbutch looks decades younger since he shaved. I really cannot stand this trend for lads in their twenties to use electric clippers for that eternally unshaven but not quite a beard look.
What would Cary grant Do?
What would James Bond do?
What would Noel Coward do?
What would my old man do?

 

[Gus]

I grow a short, mostly grey close trimmed 3-4 day length beard every few weeks and keep it for a few weeks. My wife loves it. I get positive comments from artsy, fashion types. It probably makes me look older but also more relaxed or casual in a good way. In the super casual Bay Area, some grey face fuzz and a suit or sport jacket seems to be a good balance. The same seems to apply in NYC.

 

[MyOtherLife]

The only thing I know conclusively about beards is that most women don't enjoy kissing bearded men.
Some gents can actually look better with a beard....











...and some don't......




It can affect how the clothes look on you. I would like to see photos of the OPs beard before I contribute suggestions.

 

[b1os]

 

[Klobber]

Beards like this would require a complete rethink of ones sartorial direction.

 

[poissa]

Over the past 3.5 years my face grew whiskers in an ode to spaghetti westerns and an Indian at the Getty Villa in SoCal with a ridiculous handlebar moustache. This Sunday, I gave what remained a shave. For two of these years I worked in a a large corporation. I gave no consideration to the texture of my attire - the time was spent acquiring staples. Leading into no shave movember I let the full beard continue its course through May.

The organization that employed me is casual- jeans all summer, polos most of the season, with only upper management wearing suits, and very few of the 20 somethings. I fall in the latter category. A leader, in my own right, so having suits, not wearing jeans, serves as a counterpoint to the beard. Bringing texture, straying from the conservative business dress might not sit well with the executives I approached. For example, I suggested changing our soap. The soap in our facilities and pantries contains triclosan - a pestiscide - and is a microbial. Anti-bacterial soaps are found to be no more effective at reducing the spread of illness than regular handsoap (Center for Disease Control). Anti-bacterial soap also has been found to affect those with chronic disease by making the suspectible for illness (Dr. Aiello). There is a hard benefit associated with changing soap and keeping the working population healthy. Long story short, my gut says, going in full beard and with texture would not be appopriate. Context matters in all situations.

I can positively state, the winter is when the benefits of shaving compared to the vanity of being clean shaven come into question. Not sure what's happening with the face in the near future. I will bear in mind terrorists have taken the beard away for certain people. At least controlling my weight is easy. Looking back, loading up on more texture - earlier than I otherwise would is interesting for casual wear.

 

[SpooPoker]

Why hasn't in stitches posted here yet?