Beard Styles

Mustaches and beards have been around for time immemorial, and for many it is more than a fashion statement. Beard styles for men hold more significance because in a way they are an extension of the man's personality and character. In olden times, it was the norm to have a beard, but this was a very rough and callous beard. In today's modern, fashion-conscious world, beard styles for men have evolved from the unkempt layers of hair, to stylish and suave enhancers.

There are so many cool beard styles that are doing the rounds today, and it is impossible not to notice them. Right from the groomed stubble, to the classy goatee, to the unkempt mountaineer beard, all these beard styles appeal to men of all ages across the world. Most women also like to see men with beards as they feel it enhances their masculinity, and makes them look more rugged. One only needs to look at the popular trend of beards that celebrities have adopted to know the alluring effect of beards and mustaches.

Why Do Men Grow Beards and Mustaches
The reasons for sporting cool beard styles are vast and varied. Some men prefer to grow beards in order to enhance a particular feature of their face. This brings out that particular feature, and gets people to notice it. Other people prefer to grow beards in order to hide a particular feature. It serves as an excellent tool to cleverly disguise a particularly disliked feature. Some men grow beards to look like their favorite celebrities. Whereas some beard styles for men are born as a result of pure laziness. Choosing not to shave is a choice everyone has, but few practice. For people who do not have dense hair growth of their beards, there are plenty of short beard styles that they can stick to. Beard styles for bald men is also a great way of diverting attention away from a particular area of focus.

Beard Styles for Men
There are plenty of beard styles pictures that you can locate over the Internet, or you can also derive inspiration from people you see around you. Here are some commonly seen beard styles that you can use, or you can even make your own variations out of these.

The Goatee
This is one of the simplest and most popular beard styles for men. This beard is primarily restricted to the chin, and can either cover the entire chin or a part of it. The beard can be closely trimmed or can be allowed to grow long as well. The size, the shape, and the density of the hair really depend on the personality and the preference of the wearer. Another alternative is to grow the mustache also along with the hair on the chin.

Mutton Chops
This is a beard style seen commonly in British men, but is also widely used in musicians in the grunge rock genre. The sideburns of the person are allowed to grow extremely long, all the way down to the jawline, and the rest of the face is shaved. The thickness of the sideburns again depends on the personal preferences of the wearer, and he can even choose to grow some hair on other parts of the face.

The Chin Strap
This is a beard style that stems from the full beard. It is a highly groomed and closely trimmed version of the full beard. The line of hair that runs along the side of the face and to the chin are kept very thin, resembling a strap. The mustache and the part on the chin are also kept, in order to give a continuous appearance. But each of these lines are cut very narrow, and the rest of the face (the cheeks and the underside of the jaw) is shaved.

A La Souvarov
This beard style is a combination of sideburns and mustache. The sideburns go deep down till the corner of the mouth and then curve upwards to join the mustache. This is a classical beard style and closely resembles the style popularized by Franz Joseph.

Chin Puff
Chin puff is a slightly narrower version of goatee. It differs from goatee in the aspect that it covers only the round part of the chin. Like goatee, it is one of the simplest beard styles and can be trimmed or colored to suit your personality.

Some other popular beard styles are:

1. Balbo : A thickly grown goatee complemented by a mustache that is not connected to it.
2. Garibaldi : A full beard which is round at the bottom. The mustache is connected to the beard.
3. Handlebar and Chin Puff: The mustache curls upwards near the ends and the goatee is prominent with hair at the center of the chin.
4. Hollywoodian beard : A full-grown beard in which connects with the mustache. It differs from others styles as the sideburns are cropped.

The shape of the face also goes a long way in determining which beard style is perfect and better-suited. There are so many different beard styles for men that to list them all here is fairly impossible. At the end of the day, when you are choosing a beard style for yourself you should pick a style that highlights the good features of your face, but hides the deficiencies. Remember to pick a style that defines your personality and one that you feel comfortable in. This is the secret behind the very best beard styles for men.