Are full beards right out?

[ThinkandDrive]

Seems it's time for my irregularly-semi-annual posting here. Seems to occur whenever I have a change in employment. Hah.

I have recently started working for "the man" in Washintgon, D.C. and find myself ever conscious of the way people dress in this city. (here I thought working in the corporate-world in Baltimore would make me image-conscious!)

At my pay grade, we are only required to wear button down shirts and ties, though I am (slowly) working toward building an arsenal of suits. My boss told me to dress for the position I want, no tthe one I have (duh.). I am slowly purging the "fanciful" corporate attire in favor of the blues and dark greys of the "Fed" uniform. I'm still working that part out. Probably a new thread about that in a more appropriate forum.

My concern with this post is hair. . . I am sorely lacking in that department and have chosen to shave my head for the past five or six years. While on vacation in Mexico this spring, I let my beard grow in (full, not a goatee) and kept it closely trimmed, keeping my neck shaved. My wife commented on how she liked a little facial hair and I have decided to attempt the full, groomed beard. This involves not touching it at all for four to six weeks, and I'll probably go to a barber for the first trimming.

To the point, as a bald guy with facial hair, I'm concerned I will fall into that typical "IT guy" look and I DON'T want to sport the Joaquin Phoenix/Brad Pitt Wolfman thing. I don't see many of what I would call "neatly tailored" men with beards and I wonder if it's going to be difficult to carry off. I see a lot of threads in here on hair-styles and feel a little left out. Any helpful links or photos of full beard styles from the 1950's-60's that I might use for inspiration? It all depends on how my facial hair grows in, of course.

Also, I am train commuting to D.C., so I find myself standing on a train platform every day, another reason to adopt the face-fur.

P.S. as part of my new endeavor, I will miss terribly the ritual of shaving. Sure there will be the neck clean-up, but that hardly helps. I'm assuming some lighter hair products might be used in styling my beard. Any siggestions? I'd love to keep the manly scent of Bay Rum and Proraso. Though I might just move to using them on my head. lol

P.P.S. Just because I love this picture from Mexico.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I don't know if this will be of any never mind, but my father who works on a defense contract has a full beard. And I think he looks very clean cut and tidy! He is also not an IT guy or anything like that. In fact, he is pretty high up where he works from what I understand. Anyway, I think some fellows just look better with beards, so good luck with it and all.

 

[dhermann1]

Check out Ben Bernanke.

 

[ThinkandDrive]

Check out Ben Bernanke.

Ahhhh, would that I could get that grey. Some day, I suppose. New baby on the way should expedite that.

 

[colps]

I had a beard for twenty nine years with out shaving.I believe as long as you keep it well groomed they are acceptable under most any circumstance.I shaved mine off about four years ago out of curiosity. I am now growing it back, it has been a couple of weeks now and as you can see by my avatar which i put up yesterday it is coming back in ALL white :eusa_doh:

 

[reetpleat]

I tend to think that a full beard with a bald head is apt to look a bit odd because there will be an abrupt end around the sideburn area. Most guys who have beards with bald heads go for the goatee, and it seems to have become fairly common and acceptable

 

[cupcake]

two thumbs up for beards from this lass

 

[ThinkandDrive]

reetpleat, I would tend to agree with you on most people. I, however ear a pair of pretty heavy framed specs. Big, chunky Persol tortiseshell ones that seem to cut my face pretty well. A few years ago, I wore these almost-not-there clear plastic frames that would have definitely not worked. You can see my frames in the photo I posted. (and the start of my closely cropped bead back in April)

And, Cupcake, always appreciate the positive input from the ladies.

 

[C-dot]

Do you mean IT guy as in Info Tech computer guys? Or just an "it" guy? 'Cause my dad and brother are both in IT, and neither had a beard. Nor have I ever seen any of their colleagues with beards, or for that matter, facial hair. Nerds seem to like the clean shaven look.

Personally, I'm not crazy about facial hair. I dated this one guy in high school who had thick, curly black hair and facial fuzz to match, but he used to shave it all except for a little fuzzy bit under his lips. I liked it. Then, he shaved his hair and grew the whole beard in. We split up soon after (kidding! We did, but it was completely unrelated )

There is one guy I like bearded vs. clean shaven. He's not vintage, and ironically he stars in England's IT Crowd, but he still suits it: Chris O'Dowd (far left). His hair is close cropped, and hes a tad scruffy, but he'd probably still suit it if he was bald, and definitely if he cleaned it up.

Hope I helped?

PS. I love a man in a suit, beard or no beard!

 

[HatRak]

From someone who has worn an full beard for over 35 years--get a beard trimmer. It makes life so much easier. I like Wahl.

 

[DC3]

Working for "the man" uh? well good for you.
Oh, BTW I have a full beard and have had one since the early 80's
If I may, let me give you "Redbeards short essay on hair"
It is really about balance and the entire person has to be taken into consideration. For the sake of this forum I''ll use you as an example.
I am curious why you shave your head though, and should you decide to continue with the slick look, I would advise that to keep things in balance you shave your beard, wet shaving every day with a good double edge razor.
The shaved head and full beard reminds me more of Daddy Warbucks or a
Russian film character. In todays Washington that's not the best image I suppose. If you could grown your head hair out....not far mind you, then it would meld into your beard and, kept properly trimmed, would look very nice. Hence proper balance. Ben Bernanke is a good example though he let's his beard get a bit fluffy. Sean Connery sported short hair and a full beard a couple of times in his career and it didn't do him any harm.
Keeping up a conservative appearance, even in ultra liberal Washington DC, is still the best way to get ahead. Three piece, two button suits also help.

Remember, that these are just my opinions having been there and done that....a few times.

 

[HadleyH]

Facial hair in men is fine! :eusa_clap Clean shaven is ok too ... i have no problem with beards or goatees or mustache or anything!


If it looks good on you why not?

 

[NY_Confidential]

You mean you're not trying to look like Harrison Ford in "The Fugitive"?

well, at least.. in the beginning of the film.


I think a smartly shaped beard looks good on almost anyone, so long as it grows even.

I, however, found it too much a pain to keep neat, so I just bought a stubble-trimmer and go with the stubble thing now.



edit: thinking about it, it wasn't too bad:

edit 2: stumbled upon this list of "20 Undeniably Awesome Beards in Movies" hehe
http://unrealitymag.com/index.php/2009/06/26/20-undeniably-awesome-beards-in-movies-and-television/

 

[Carlisle Blues]

If it looks good on you why not?

I had a mustache for many years as I was very young for the positions I held when I worked on Wall Street; I thought it would make me look older. I just looked like a young guy with a mustache. lol

And as an attorney I felt a beard did not project the right image.

Now as a musician I grew my first beard last year. I shaved it in the spring. A friend of mine here at the FL pointed out that it actually looked good on me; it accentuated certain features and did not detract from other features. So it stays....:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

As my priorities have changed my attitude toward my own facial hair has.

However, I will never be like this guy

 

[WideBrimm]

From someone who has worn an full beard for over 35 years--get a beard trimmer. It makes life so much easier. I like Wahl.

Agreed! You've got me beat by about five years!

Whether you edge the beard on the cheeks or the neck or not, the important thing to do is to get a good beard trimmer and use it WEEKLY. Just set it for the length you like. It really will keep your beard looking neat. I've also used a Wahl trimmer for years. It does a very good job.

 

[NY_Confidential]

Agreed! You've got me beat by about five years!

Whether you edge the beard on the cheeks or the neck or not, the important thing to do is to get a good beard trimmer and use it WEEKLY. Just set it for the length you like. It really will keep your beard looking neat. I've also used a Wahl trimmer for years. It does a very good job.

Yes, my trimmer is a Wahl as well.

 

[Alexi]

However, I will never be like this guy

hey I resemble that remark!

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

From someone who has worn an full beard for over 35 years--get a beard trimmer. It makes life so much easier. I like Wahl.

I would take it a step further. Don't settle for a special beard trimmer, get a full on hair trimmer. The clipper is usually more powerful and the wider blade makes it easier to use.

Do you mean IT guy as in Info Tech computer guys? Or just an "it" guy? 'Cause my dad and brother are both in IT, and neither had a beard. Nor have I ever seen any of their colleagues with beards, or for that matter, facial hair. Nerds seem to like the clean shaven look.

It really depends on what kind of geek you are talking about. Tech Support and MCSEs usually adopt a clean shaven, khaki and polo shirt look while Sys Admins, Unix Hackers, and Network Engineers go for facial hair, jeans and free t-shirts.

There is a grand and storied tradition of computer geeks with beards. It breaks down to a front office/back room thing and further back into the server room you go the hairier the geeks get.

 

[ThinkandDrive]

It really depends on what kind of geek you are talking about. Tech Support and MCSEs usually adopt a clean shaven, khaki and polo shirt look while Sys Admins, Unix Hackers, and Network Engineers go for facial hair, jeans and free t-shirts.

There's a segment of bald and goatee'd IT guy, usually a server admin, that I always see (I used to be one). There's a sort of "IT Uniform", I guess I don't want to fall back into. Polo shirt, Dockers, Hey-these-are-black-tennis-shoes-so-they-must-be-work-appropriate footwear, wire-rimmed glasses, bald, van dyck. Not the Santa Clause/Viking UNIX Admin look. lol

 

[C-dot]

It really depends on what kind of geek you are talking about. Tech Support and MCSEs usually adopt a clean shaven, khaki and polo shirt look while Sys Admins, Unix Hackers, and Network Engineers go for facial hair, jeans and free t-shirts.

There is a grand and storied tradition of computer geeks with beards. It breaks down to a front office/back room thing and further back into the server room you go the hairier the geeks get.

I agree. In the photo of Chris O'Dowd I linked, he's the Unix Hacker type guy, whereas the fellow with the funny hair, Gordon Freeman glasses and plaid shirt and tie is your MCSE.

I like your back room analogy, I'm going to use that lol