Monday 30 March 2015

Beards; why all the fuzz (fuss?)!



I'm a bloke. Hair grows on the lower part of my face.

It's what we blokes are like; how we're supposed to be. 

It's normal. 

Get over it. 

It's one of the more obvious ways of telling the difference between men and women. To shave it off is to make us smooth-faced, and more like women.

But beards have had varying reputations. There have been times throughout history when a gentleman was seen as 'undressed' if he did not sport a full beard, at other times he was regarded as 'unrefined'.

At the moment there seems to be a revival in beard wearing, thanks, I believe, to the likes of Brad Pitt, David Beckham, and Daniel Day Lewis. It's now not un-common to hear women being complimentary about facial hair.

My own offering has stayed much the same for about 45 years. I've recently altered its colour to 'salt-n-pepper', but otherwise it's a pretty mild affair in international beard wearing circles.

Would I ever shave it all off? Not on your nelly; it's there to stay. I shall be buried with my beard; let's face it, I'm a bloke.

p.s. I have to admit that the above photo was a 'selfie' (Lady Magnon is away). I'd just come in from plastering, and probably look a bloody mess.


30 comments:

  1. And what a fine offering of a beard it is Cro. I agree with your sentiments completely. I have had a moustache all since before I was married, I have not been allowed to shave it off, so I recently grew a complementary beard. I must say the beard hides a bit of sixties sag, so being as vain as the next person I guess I am on to a winner. "I shall be buried with my beard" - I like that statement!

    ReplyDelete
  2. So why all the fuss about it this morning?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Because I was listening to a 'beard discussion' on LBC two nights ago, and I was quite surprised at the strength of feelings both from the pro and anti camps....Let's face it, it's not a big deal.

      Delete
  3. I had to google 'bloke", had no idea.

    ReplyDelete
  4. No Cro - not a mess just manly as you should be. I adore beards, particularly when they are not tailored.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Must be something wrong with me, I can't even grow a moustache. I can get away with not shaving for three days!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can get away with not shaving for MUCH longer.

      Delete
  6. When my husband would grow a beard when he was younger, I hated it. He looked scruffy and older. Since last November, he has again gone down that hairy road. I love it. He looks sophisticated and younger. He just had to age into that beautiful white chin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I tend to look scruffy with or without beard. I think it's congenital.

      Delete
  7. You have a very attractive beard and it suits you very well. My husband has a moustache and looks much better with it than without. He shaved it off on the millennium for some mysterious reason and I was much relieved when he grew it back a few years later. But he finds a beard very uncomfortable and it is not very attractive -- rather overwhelming and very scratchy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In the past I have threatened to never trim my beard ever again if, or when, I reach the age of 70. I'll then become a proper grandfather.

      Delete
  8. I'd love my DH to frow a beard, but he hates it. Every time he tries, he says, despite all the advice he's been given, it itches like mad. It also grows in 3 different colours, I'd be curious to see the finished effect!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mine's never itched; maybe I'm just lucky.

      Delete
    2. Ha! My hubby's does too Kath, grey brown and black! He reminds me of a patchwork blanket :) xx

      Delete
  9. Himself has gone on and off with the beard over the years. I've always liked beards, although some men can sport them better than others. Himself when we first knew met, did not have a lot of beard below his temples to just before the roundest part of the bottom of his face. It looked very scraggly. Later attempts were a bit better, but still patchy. Currently, he sports a trimmed mustache and goatee, which he wears very well. I prefer a full beard, but the mustache-goatee combo makes the best use of the facial hair he has.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have been married for 40 years and my husband has had a beard all of that time { and before ! } He did shave it off once and I didn't recognise him !!!! His is really short …. more designer stubble ! Also, I would think that, like my husband, you couldn't be arsed with shaving after all these years Cro !!!! XXXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Are you suggesting that I'm lazy (as well as scruffy)? Well, I suppose you're right.

      Delete
    2. Oh no Cro …… I hope that you didn't think that I meant that …… I just know that my husband wouldn't want to shave everyday after all these years !!!!! XXXX

      Delete
  11. My husband has worn a beard for so long I'm not sure I'd recognize him without it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Not a fan of facial hair over here...sorry Cro.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I do like that you keep it tidy Cro. I like beards, but not those huge windswept jobs that cover the whole chest. The plaster dust looks very manly too.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Me, I like the look of a man with a well-kept beard. I have often thought that shaving every day must be tedious and irksome. Yours is an attractive specimen! But a radio discussion about beards? How odd.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I must say i do like a beard on a man. The Bearded Wonder (My hubby) looks like a 12 yr od without one! :) Keep the beard and roam free Cro :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Pirate now has a beard for the second time in his life...previously, RAF, then wife....then just the habit of shaving...
    Then cancer and Decembeard to raise money for our local cancer support group! Now he can have fun and trim it to suit his whim!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. just wondered if you've found this blog
    https://kmflett.wordpress.com/

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...