Beards have become immensely popular in the last five years. While they were typically for lumberjacks, guys in rock bands and men who didn’t have to answer to bosses, beards are much more widely accepted than they used to be. However, even if a beard is not really your style, you may want to try to grow one for “Novembeard” or “No-Shave-November” this year, just to see what it’s like and support your fellow man.
Finding the right style of beard is a personal choice and you’ll want to consider the shape of your face when you make the decision. You might also have to take your workplace into account, since not all styles are going to make you feel like you fit in at work.
Use this guide to learn more about the best beard styles for this Novembeard.
The Full Beard
Perhaps the most commonly seen style on guys these days. The full beard is probably what you think of when you picture rugged men who wear flannels and drink their coffee without cream or sugar. Sure, a full beard is going to take a little while to grow, but if you’re lucky enough to have a decent amount of facial hair that isn’t too patchy, this is one of the best beard styles out there.
If you’re going to grow this beard, it’s probably best to get started a little before November. It’s going to take some time to grow in even if you’re as hairy as Sasquatch. Once you have a full beard grown out to your desired length, it doesn’t take much more than a once-a-week trim to keep it looking great.
The Professional Beard
The professional beard is a lot like the full beard, except where the full beard embraces its pure unadulterated manliness, the professional beard realizes that it needs to look a bit more refined, likely for work purposes. A little shorter all over and probably groomed with an electric trimmer every couple of days, the professional beard has a defined line under the chin and exposes a little more cheek through shaving with a razor.
Why is the professional beard one of the best beard styles for men? Because it will actually make you look like the consummate pro who doesn’t mind a little beard maintenance to get the look he wants.
The Van Dyke
The Van Dyke is an old-style beard and mustache combination that doesn’t connect above and below the mouth, like most of the best beard styles men are wearing these days. While the Van Dyke is going to take a little more effort on your part, it’s probably one of the easiest styles to grow, especially if you tend to have a full, thick mustache.
Consisting of a short and pointy mustache above a chin-only goatee that’s a little longer than your average goatee, the Van Dyke is an artistic style that may not always be appropriate for the office. However, you’ll look pretty cool this Novembeard, since it isn’t a style most men even know by name.
While the traditional Van Dyke features only a pointy handle-bar-like mustache, often kept in place with mustache wax and a goatee, you can customize this one with some lengthy sideburns or further up-the-cheek growth. Just make sure you’ve got some separation between that mustache and your goatee or it won’t be an authentic Van Dyke.
The Happening Hipster
“Hipster” is so overused these days that it’s hard to say exactly what a hipster beard is, but here’s our take. When we say hipster beard, what we really mean is that long, sort-of lumberjack-esque beard that many fashion models are wearing in runway shows.
Unlike the full beard, the hipster beard is considerably longer and heavier. While most people don’t want to grow a neckbeard, the hipster may or may not be concerned with that, often taking the “if it grows there, it grows there” attitude. Other, more refined hipsters may shave at the neck and let the hair on their chin give them some added length.
If you want to rock this look it’s important that you not thin out the hair on your face for at least a month or so into growing it. In fact, you’ll probably be growing the hipster beard for at least six months before you can really call yours respectable.
It might be even longer until the true hipster beards let you into their exclusive club. Regardless, if you’ve got the right face and attitude, it’s definitely one of the best beard styles for men that you’ll find anywhere.
The Cap’n Jack
The Cap’n Jack is, of course, named after famed Pirates of the Caribbean character Jack Sparrow and movie star Johnny Depp, who seems to often wear this particular beard around in his ordinary life. That alone makes it one of the best beard styles for some guys.
To grow this beard style, what you’re really looking for is a relatively thin and groomed mustache with a soul patch and some goatee whiskers on your chin. Unlike a lot of the best beard styles, this look should grow in pretty fast.
If you still can’t picture it, check our Trendiest Beard Styles infographic below.
