Whether you’re raising awareness for men’s health or you’re simply victim to a dare with friends, you can still participate in no-shave November in a groomed fashion.
The scruffy mug is an extension of style that’s often overlooked. Sporting some beefy chops or an artistic mustache may be the one add-on that entirely transforms your look, metamorphosis style. Unfortunately, facial hair isn’t for every man. A lot of natural factors should be taken into consideration when choosing or attempting a brave new look with your stubble.
First thing’s first–if you haven’t grown facial hair before, be aware that it may come out patchy and uneven in the first couple weeks. If this happens, let it be. It will even out in time, and Movember is the perfect excuse to let it look a little scraggly.
The GentleManual is here to guide you through this tumultuous terrain:
Table of Contents
Mustache
The mustache has been a strong man’s go-to accessory for quite a while now. Albert Einstein, every Wild West icon you can think of, and Burt Reynolds to name a few.
To sport the stache, there are a few questions you should ask yourself, such as: Do you want a sensitive and artistic look like Salvador Dali, or will this be your claim to manliness? It could honestly turn out either way, but generally thinner mustaches look more artistic than they do “Ron Swanson.” Know that the focus will shift to your mouth, so good teeth and lips with a strong chin are necessary. If the stache is not done right, you risk looking creepy.
Goatee
This look is worn as a slightly edgy yet conservative take on facial hair. It makes good guys look a little bad, and bad guys look a little more sinister.
You need to have a decent jawline to pull off this look though. A goatee accentuates the chin, so a weak jawline or a rounder face could be to your disadvantage.
Full Beard
Ah, such a wise and esteemed look of many. The beard is versatile: you can choose to have a “lost in the woods” thing going, or you can embrace a classic look and trim the cheeks and neck accordingly.
To get the most out of your beard, be aware that your shave line is where the neck and the bottom of your chin meet. Anything trimmed higher than the neck is a subjective call. But be careful, you don’t want to spend weeks growing your scruff only to trim too much and have to start over. Remember with a beard, less is more.
Horseshoe (Foo Manchu)
A horseshoe mustache doesn’t increase quarterback pass accuracy for Joe Flacco, but it does look like it means business. This style, known more “traditionally” as the Foo Manchu look, was based off an evil criminal genius from a British novel by Sax Rohmer. Over time, the look has become synonymous with criminals and badasses.
This look is often mistaken for a standard handlebar mustache. However, the Foo Manchu is downward groomed and can extend off the face. If you want to sport this look, you’ll need a dash of fearlessness in looking a bit eccentric.
Soul Patch
Here’s one thing about soul patches: If someone has one and pulls it off, they tend to stick with it for a while; decades. The soul patch seems to say, “I want facial hair, but I want my face to be seen too.”
It’s a pretty standard look for plenty of music artists but it requires the right attitude. You’ve got to have a bit of soul to rock the soul patch. Protip: you can pull a Pitbull and leave the inkling of a stache and goatee for a touch of Miami.
Which facial hair style are you going to attempt this Movember, or which one are you already sporting? Let us know in the comments below.
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