Workwear, facial hair, and culture

A couple years ago it was not overly common to see models with facial hair on store's web sites. But in the last year the practice has become commonplace. Some stores have even attempted to get ahead of the trend by using full mountain man beards, as is the case with Tres Bien.

It would seem the workwear trend is influencing more than just apparel. What does Tres Bein's model choice say about what the shop believes their customers desire? Are we supposed to view this guy as bad ass and authentic since he purposely looks like a bum who is neither an elitist city dweller, nor a middle class worker bee living in the suburbs. Discuss.

Tres Bien Shop


South Willard


Context


Brigade


Need Supply


Tobi

It looks beyond awful, in my opinion. I remember receiving a J. Crew catalog in the mail a few months ago featuring some Caucasian guy in a khaki suit with this full-blown beard, shoulder-length hair, rocking the entire scraggly street-bum look hard. I threw the catalog in the trash after seeing that. Nothing wrong with a bit of facial hair if you can pull it off, but when it's overdone and just gives off the haven't-shaved-in-six-months-I-live-in-a-cardboard-box-and-spend-my-panhandling-money-on-workwear vibe, it's seriously terrible.

Maybe trying to appeal to the more common man?
Most people I know personally who wear WWM and the like could never hope to transform from a waifish Asian to rugged Ainu.

Oh yeah, and I think it looks good if it's something like a clean beard rather than a few patches here and there.
But then one might argue that facial hair won't always come in perfectly and that a clean trim detracts from the authenticity of the aesthetic. Oh well.

I really ******* hate this whole workwear fad.

I don't necessarily mind workwear. What I dislike is when someone tries to copy a whole look from top to bottom because it's "in". I wear clothes that look good and try to stay stylish. I don't go out of my way to dress in workwear or any other specific look because it's trendy. Mix it up people.

Having said that, the guy in the first picture looks like he should be kept 100 yards minimum from any schoolyard.

^^whoever that is in your avatar pic is ******* banging..damn..

carry on...

Wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.

As I've mentioned before, there's homage, and then there's wearing a costume. Incorporating workwear and workwear inspired styles into your own style is one thing, completely aping a look is no different than cosplay, or even those steampunk kids. The steampunk kids are at least trying to apply some sense of "neo-victorian" edge to modern looks (to varying degrees of success). Full blown mountain man as done by modern "style"? ******* poseurs. Having grown up "working class", it's really weird seeing kids wearing the clothes my dad, uncles, and aunts were wearing to work in as fashion, but I suppose the same can be said about incorporating military uniforms into daily wear, so I don't oppose it. Hell, I used to wear Red Wings because I liked my feet and didn't want to get them smashed by heavy machinery. I didn't care about how they looked with sno-seal, salt lines, or whatever because they were WORK boots.

Oh, and facial hair? It's sexy. I grow my beard, because I'm Asian and I can. Most asians can't. HA!

BB1 on your advice I decided to take the polar opposite of this trend and I've given myself a chemotherapy regime

I now have no hair at all, no lashes / brows / taint hair etc

Originally Posted by Razele

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BB1 on your advice I decided to take the polar opposite of this trend and I've given myself a chemotherapy regime I now have no hair at all, no lashes / brows / taint hair etc
Dude. taint hair is just a mustache for your asshole!

Having a beard was great 6 years ago. Now it's embarrassing.

I hate people putting anything 'heritage' under the umbrella of 'work wear'. It's a good, masculine trend that is sadly despised by effete goths in $800 hoodies with silly asymmetrical zips.

It becomes tiresome when people try too hard to achieve the look. I've always worn "workwear" (been in flannel since before grunge) because it's comfortable and a contrast to my 9 to 5 suit and tie routine (not to mention I like to "work" in it). As far as beards go, they're too damn itchy. If I happen to get scruffy, it's, quite frankly, because I've been too lazy to shave.

only the first guy looks "mountain man" in anyway, rest is just generic hipster facial hair. you are really overthinking the workwear=beards relation.

Originally Posted by SuperBobo

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only the first guy looks "mountain man" in anyway, rest is just generic hipster facial hair. you are really overthinking the workwear=beards relation.
+1 I refer to the hipster threak when i say that hipster identity/fashion of a collage of flattened (stealing from fuuma) signifiers that retain only a sliver of their original meaning. Beards are one of those things: they're not workwear, they're just part of that empty assemblage of "cool." Just like how PBR isn't a working-class beer anymore.

Or better yet, what does BB1's choice to start this thread say about what he wants? His place within and interaction with the forum? The fashion world at large? What kind of assumptions might BB1 be making about beards? Does he expect that we view him as some sort of purveyor of authenticity and legitimacy in fashion and style?

Originally Posted by GraphicNovelty

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+1 I refer to the hipster threak when i say that hipster identity/fashion of a collage of flattened (stealing from fuuma) signifiers that retain only a sliver of their original meaning. Beards are one of those things: they're not workwear, they're just part of that empty assemblage of "cool." Just like how PBR isn't a working-class beer anymore.
+2, this threak is marsupialed, belongs in DT or MC.