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I have a theory that lazy/poor/busy modern men are the reason that beards are back in style. Economic factors contribute to trends pretty often.
by decoyworker 7y ago
I have a theory that lazy/poor/busy modern men are the reason that beards are back in style. Economic factors contribute to trends pretty often.
- agumonkey 7y agoWhat about hipster kind bearded guys ? I see a lot a of Barbershop popping up while it wasn't really part of the Parisian culture much (I may be wrong though) and people actually spending time and money on their beardss.
- rebuilder 7y agoIsn't it almost a cliche that trends start in the underclasses and spread to the wealthy?
- agumonkey 7y agoI see plenty of factors: - fashion cycles, there was a need for a new one.. - vintage revival, fancy trimmed beards were a big thing in the previous 20s - young people wanting to make their own shop, so they jump on the bandwagon
- ambicapter 7y ago...generally its the opposite, no?
- 9HZZRfNlpR 7y agoI don't use these places but if you don't like shaving every morning, it's more convenient to pop in there time to time to correct it. When it's messy, you're still fashionable at least for now not unhygienic or lazy.
- paganel 7y agoJust an additional data point, wanted to add that barbershops have also started to appear in considerable numbers in Bucharest, we definitely didn’t have them in the past.
- agumonkey 7y agoInteresting, it's probably spreading large due to internet too, now trends are on instagram .. not only in one geographical place. Based on the I know and hair dresser in my area, since ww2, it was mostly haircut shops in Paris, almost no barbershops if at all.
- mieseratte 7y ago> wanted to add that barbershops have also started to appear in considerable numbers in Bucharest, we definitely didn’t have them in the past. I'm a bit confused, do Romanians not typically have their hair cut by a professional or is there another term than "barber" / "barbershop."
- close04 7y agoUnlike hair (unless you opt for very straight forward buzz cuts) a beard is much easier to trim at home by yourself. I mean you can always go for profi-services but you don’t have to. I’ve been cutting my own hair (easy thanks to the fact that it’s basically close to shaved) and trimming my own beard for years. Went to a barbershop once and despite clearly explaining and even showing pictures of what I want it ended up looking so horrendous (and impossible to fix since it looked like it was drawn with a thin pencil) that I decided to just do it myself. I’m very happy with the result and the whole thing takes 10, maybe 15 mins. Downside: it’s not forgiving if you mess up :).
- Mediterraneo10 7y ago> I'm a bit confused, do Romanians not typically have their hair cut by a professional or is there another term than "barber" / "barbershop." He’s talking about hipster barbershops for men with the same decor as you would find in trendy neighborhoods of American cities. The hairdresser is likely to be a man and the price high. These barbershops are a new arrival in Romania (and most European countries). Of course in Romania we have always had our hair cut by a professional, but historically we have relied on unglamorous, hole-in-the-wall establishments where the hairdresser is a woman and the cost (at least for men) is minuscule.
- toyg 7y agoHow quickly people forget. Across most of Europe, haircut shops and barbershops used to be the same thing all the way to the late 80s.
- michalu 7y agoAn opposing theory would be that more and more people are breaking away from 9 to 5 office jobs, that mostly require short hair and shave. Independent, rich and alike unemployed people can dress and style themselves however they like. So it's hard to tell.
- astura 7y agoYeh, and of the ones that do work, employers have gotten much more permissive about appearance. When I first entered the workforce if you had an unkempt beard, visible tattoos, unnatural hair color, or piercings you were almost entirely unemployable. Nowadays I see people with all four not only employed, but employed in customer service positions!!! My friend was the exception - when we were younger she was allowed to work with a lip piercing, but only because she worked at Spencer's!
- stronglikedan 7y agoIt's much easier to keep clean shaven than it is to maintain a beard, so beards are not the ideal choice for the lazy man. It's also much less time consuming to shave, so neither are they the ideal choice for the busy man. Razors are the cheapest facial hair grooming tool, so not the ideal choice for the poor man either. They type of lazy/poor/busy man that would wear a beard would likely not be clean shaven on a daily basis regardless. EDIT: To clarify, I'm talking about kempt facial hair, which is implied by the context of both the article in question and the comment that I'm responding to. Anyone can be unkempt, but that is never stylish.
- decoyworker 7y agoMost beards that I see are not maintained in the slightest.
- rebuilder 7y agoI would argue that depends very much on what you consider maintained... Also, of course, the growth rate of the beard. I knew a man once who said he used to act in theatre and was often cast as the young lover type, and had to shave during intermission...
- rosser 7y agoI have worn a beard nearly continuously for approaching three decades, now. I used to keep my beard neat enough with a pair of scissors, a mirror, and few minutes every few days. Then I got a wet-dry trimmer that I used periodically in the shower. Now I'm just growing it out (about 5 months in), and I work a dab of shampoo in occasionally. Beard maintenance really isn't that onerous. I spend vastly more time grooming my untrimmed whiskers than I ever spent trimming them. Being clean-shaven takes significantly more frequent effort, and though I have no data points, given all the process involved in shaving, it probably takes a lot more time, all-in, too. EDIT: Phrasing
- mirimir 7y agoI keep my beard clean. And I brush it occasionally during the day. I also trim split ends, as needed. Other than that, it does what it wants.
- new2628 7y agoMy hypothesis is "compensatory excess". As men do less "manly" things then they used to, have less responsibilities, etc., they compensate on the outwards signals: beards, muscles, tattoos.
- fortran77 7y agoI've always had a long beard, as did my father, grandfather, great grandfather, and all the men in my family. We're poor, but we're not lazy. (We are busy, though.)
- refurb 7y agoBeards are actually a lot of work to maintain. Yes, you get to avoid shaving while it grows in, but after that it takes a lot of work to keep it trimmed (looks scraggly unless you do) and keep it clean while eating. The best middle ground I found for me was shave once per week. Keeps it short and tidy and shaving isn’t a huge chore because it doesn’t get that long in a week.
- 0xdeadb00f 7y agoHard disagree. I think there's more to it than those factors alone; which I must say portray your average bearded man as a drag on society (is that true? I don't think so).