JOIN USThey’ve made heads turn, in movies, on the ramp and even in real life. For some, beards have proved to be trendy additions, and for others, not so much. Trendy facial hair has been making the rounds since the past few months and continues to stay in vogue among young men.
From the thicker and longer versions, to the trimmer and straight cut ones, beards are the in-thing now. Says Sandeep Nandlal, a young professional, “They are a millennial concept, but they depict the masculine line. It is a expression of oneself and makes me comfortable. An evergreen trend, beards which are well-aligned with the jawline and cheekbone, say a lot,” he says. Sandeep adds that keeping them neat and clean adds to the look.
He says that certain beard styles suit different face shapes. “It’s all about experimenting and finding out what works best for you. From a thin jawline to a round face, there’s a beard for every man.”
While many started sporting a beard for Movember (an awareness campaign for various cancers, such as prostate cancer, observed in the month of November), youngsters like Akshay Kamath, a finance executive with an IT company, continued to keep them much after that. “A friend of mine was sporting one for the cause and I decided to do too.
Versions thicker than the stubble to longer biker versions have started trending and beards seem to be here to stay for a while,” says Akshay.
Beards add to the personality, he vouches. “I realised that there is a certain respect that one receives when he has a beard. They work with all hairstyles and if they are groomed well, they are a statement in themselves,” adds Akshay. Actors and celebrities have inspired the beard looks that men sport now. Be it Ryan Reynolds or Ranveer Singh, their looks have triggered conversations and people have been copying these styles. Bharath Yaragatti, a product technical lead in an MNC, says that beards are lumbersexual.
“This is similar to the term metrosexual — a lumbersexual is a more physically fit man, who sports a long beard, wears thick cotton-checked shirts and has a rugged look. But at the same time, one can see him working on his gadgets or coding with the latest language,” elaborates Bharath.
He adds that women seem to love the bearded look nowadays, compared to the shabbier old versions in the yesteryears.
“These beards are so popular now that there are special beard grooming products like beard combs, beard oils and balms available in the market,” he adds. Bharath feels that beards go well with any hairstyle, be it the mohawk, undercut or a top-knot. “Popular shows like the ‘Game Of Thrones’ are a big inspiration,”he says.
It’s not just young professionals but even celebrities like Sandalwood actor Karthik Jayaram who love sporting the rugged look. “I started sporting a proper beard for a role I was playing as an ornithologist, though I always had a stubble. And the beard has become a part of many of my projects now. I strongly believe that it enhances an individual’s character and makes them look more matured,” he says excitedly.
For Karthik, it is a big part of him and the beard doesn’t bother him at all. “Infact, wearing fake beards can be very annoying and it can get really difficult to laugh.”
There are others who have sported a beard for a while and continue to do so. Abhishek Iyengar, a theatrician, points out that his ‘theatre beard’ is considered a requisite in the field. “Every person in the field would sport one. My favourite beard has always been the one Shankar Nag used to have. There’s a certain image connected with theatricians and beards.”
He points out that beards are quite popular among young men now. “Earlier it wasn’t considered cool to sport a beard. But now, there are people who walk into board meetings with them. Men sport different looks, varying from casual to formal, with facial hair.” He connects this to the relaxing trend of the concept of formal wear at corporate offices now.
He adds, “There were many clubs in the city which wouldn’t allow people to sport a beard and enter. But this has changed drastically, which states that beards are big now!”