Ah, the beard: a topic that many gentlemen – and women – seem to have great opinions on. A topic that many don’t really seem to hold back on either. Beards seem to be a little like marmite – you either love them or you hate them. The beard, having fallen out of fashion for a few years, is back in full force.
We’re not talking about a little bit of stubble here and there; we’re talking about the full-faced, heavy haired, long, bushy beard. But how do you know when you’ve taken it a little too far? While, like everything, the length of your beard is undoubtedly a matter of personal opinion, we’re here to tell you at which point we think a gentleman needs to slow down the growth and re-introduce a razor into his life.
When people start to comment
While it’s nice to receive comments about your appearance now and again (depending, obviously, on what they are), you’ll know that your beard has got a little bit out of hand when people start actively commenting on it and only it. You never want anything (clothes, bodily hair, tattoos) to take attention away from the shape and personality of your face and when people start to say that they can’t see you through your beard anymore, you know it’s time to go for the buzz.
When it starts to get messy
Throughout the whole beard growing process it’s important to remember that you are a gentleman and that mess does not look good on a gentleman. It’s time to change things up when your beard starts to get unruly and it’s taking away from the sharpness of your image. We’re not saying that you need to get rid of the whole thing; just that it’s time for a bit of a trim. Remember, a gentleman takes pride in his appearance and it’s incredibly important that you keep things sharp and slick at all times.
When it gets uncomfortable
Although it’s been said that beauty is pain, there is genuinely nothing worse than the unbearable torture that a beard can induce. If you’re keeping your beard because you want to stay ‘on-trend’ or ‘keep up with the times’ but it’s causing you serious agro, itching and pain on a daily basis – it’s time to get rid. The sheer relief you will feel when that thing comes off will make you question why you ever did it – trust us.
When your boss/wife/mother has hinted one too many times
If people are starting to make ‘subtle’ hints about your beard by talking about it all the time, making ‘quiet’ comments that you can definitely hear, referring to it as a ‘phase’ or starting to joke around about when you’re going to shave it off – you know it’s time for it to go. Although the majority of the time it’s important to stick to your guns and to wear what you like, sometimes it’s good to be given a subtle hint that it’s time to change things up. You’re used to seeing your face and so you won’t notice when something has got a little too much – so sometimes it’s important that someone does that part for you.
Recommended reading: Forget everything you need to know, this is the right way to shave.
Main image: El Burgués
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