Beards are back in business. Facial hair (and lots of it) is popping up everywhere from board rooms to college campuses to fashion runways and the trend shows no sign of slowing down. Why the sudden interest in looking like Grizzly Adams or Ulysses S. Grant? Cold weather and the brutal job market are two contributing factors, but Paul Roof, assistant professor of sociology at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina, says there are other issues at play.
“For some it’s a trend, but for others it’s a way of life and simply self-expression,” he says. “At the heart of the revival, I think, is the ‘reclaiming of masculinity.’ Beards are a direct backlash against metrosexuality and the feminization of modern man. But beards are also the only accessory route that men have — the only way men can change their looks.
Facial hair is a way for men to bond, the male rendition of the shoes-and-purse love you often see in women. Beard clubs and bulletin boards act as a sort of fraternity, offering camaraderie, community involvement and support — not to mention a steady supply of beer buddies.”
Thinking of hopping on the Burley Man bandwagon? Photographer Tomas Falmer gives you a sampling of hirsute looks to choose from in these images for Plaza magazine.
