I have to say I'm not a fan. Hugging, or worse, kissing a man with a beard is making me cringe. I can't help it. They may look good if the beard is groomed, so by all means, it's not ugly. It is the sensation of beards (and mustaches) I don't like. Full, overgrown beards are not good looking either.

I can't wait for the beard trend to pass. It was very hipster years ago, but now I feel men just grow a beard because it is easy.
I agree that neck hair is awful

I don't like an unkempt beard, but a groomed one is fine. My spouse has had a beard since before we were married; he used to keep it quite short but now it's longer, but longer doesn't mean unkempt! He combs it out twice a day, and keeps it conditioned and clean with beard oil and a beard shampoo bar; he trims it and shaves his neck and upper lip and tidies up the edges.

There are certain shapes of beard I'm not into (long goatees just look silly to me) but in general, beards are fine as long as they're taken care of, just like any other personal style choice.

What Ingunn said...

My husband and I laugh about this. He's been active to some extent in the music/punk community in Illinois and Chicago for the last oh 15+ years or so, and has had a beard for at least 10 of those. It's become very trendy more recently, that's for sure. Chicago, in particular I think, reached critical beard last year. Then the handlebar mustachios started to trickle in and are now taking over. I love his beard, and I don't mind scruffy scraggly beards, as long as there is a clear line of shaving at the neck. I HATE the handlebar mustaches.

And yes, lumbersexual is a thing LOL

I don't mind the look on others, as long as it's not too long. Fortunately DH stays relatively clean shaven due to the work he's in. A couple of days of weekend scruffiness doesn't bother me.

I have heard that right now having a beard is a kind of making yourself stand out as an 'original'( for lack of better word). In a society where there are a fair number of highly educated young men in the workforce, having a beard marks them even further by signaling that they can think out of the box.
That is what I have heard, anyhow...
In reality only some of them look good. Most look like failed reggae singers, or 40 year olds that still live with their mothers.
My husband has a goatee for years, it works with his face shape.I draw the line at that, some attempts have been made on the full on beard but were vetted.

My husband has a beard and I don't mind it at all. He keeps it well groomed and it actually feels soft. GROOMING is the key, just like with anything. He doesn't tell me how to do my hair I don't tell him how to do his face. I like men to look like men but I can't embrace the Duck Dynasty look. (SHUDDER!)

I've had a clean shaven husband for 23 years until we went to Ireland ....he decided to stop shaving for 3 week vacation and got so much attention about the beard upon returning that it has stayed...Thank goodness he is keeping it neat, I couldn't stand it otherwise...

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one, and I think this whole beard trend is half cool and half super lame. For me, it totally dépends on the guy, and the beard. I have seen some really bad splotchy beards out there, and those are pretty gross. But a full bodied (thick) beard that is trimmed and maintained can be good looking--on the right guy. Then again, some men actually look BETTER with a beard, for those that don't have a very full face, or those that have bad skin....

I guess my final word is that I like them, but I think they are on their way out, having already passed the phase where everybody and their little cousin has a hipster beard now.

Oops, sorry, I started a thread and then disappeared for three days. Sorry about that.

Interesting to hear all the split replies. Many like a beard, and just as many do not. Of the beard fans, no one likes ungroomed beards -- no surprise there!

Also interesting that of the beard-haters, the main reason is feel, not look. I can sort of understand that. Maybe some of you have more sensitive facial skin than others!

I see it as a form of counter culture, guys being feminised to the point of saying fuk you and growing out huge beard en masse. Such overt masculinity is bound to be controversial and different in a female orientated western world in my life i have . I've taken to growing beard styles and stomach hair as well s my . Am I on to something here?

I am fascinated by the beard trend.

I like beards and I feel shows like the Vikings ( Travis Fimmel in his long beards....oh my ! ) and Game of Thrones ( I think everyone has beard of some kind here... ) have helped to inspire long beards.

I have also like the NHL "playoff beard" in the past. There are many NHL players who rock the long beard- such as Brent Burns etc...

My husband has a beard on and off- but has not had one in the last few years as he is starting to have some white hair and he feels it looks like "holes" in his beard. Not the case, but he has a huge amount of facial hair... can grow a beard in a week...

I think a long beard is a very masculine trait, not as "Gandolf" as it was in the past... quite "Viking-esque" IMHO- very strong guy.

larabahadur - I think you're post is very interesting, and I'll be thinking about it today. The parallel trend of what I have heard referred to as a "man-bun" underlines your comment for me. I'm not sure I can draw conclusions, but it's interesting to think about.

I like facial hair of all kinds. I actually like the full bushy beard trend. It's something different, and it makes young men not look like such babies (which is good and bad- because they still are). Like any kind of hair, grooming is important. My boyfriend sports a mustache/goatee. When we met, he was in the habit of growimg it out, shaving it all off, then letting it grow out again. I prefer him with facial hair and have asked that he just keeps it trimmed. The first time he shaved he didn't tell me. I was shocked and almost didn't recognize him.

DH goes through phases. Currently, mustache and goatee. I've gotten used to it, which means he may be about to switch it up on me LOL