Hello!
I've been experimenting with all manner of combinations of beard, moustache, sideburns, scruffy, clean, maintenance scruff, partials, trimmed lines, blah blah blah. I've been 'spirimentin. As well, I've been people-watching with this in mind.
Item 1) A man's facial hair style should fit his facial structure & body shape.
For instance, tall thin guys with a beard generally look odd because it somehow gives an elongating visual effect. It accentuates a feature into abnormality. However, broad guys generally benefit from a good beard due to the visual effect of adding length to their facial broadness, serving to 'even out' their proportions.
As another example, guys with a highly defined facial structure can benefit GREATLY (read: model material) from a maintained scruff (ie 5shadow with trimmed edges, clean neck). The aesthetic somehow adds an impression of power and potential, a highly desireable masculine effect. However to the contrary, men with a very round facial structure end up looking odd. This is because the 'scruff lines' are an accentuation of something that basically does not exist on their face. The goal of the scruff is to work with existing light gradients, so when those areas of shadow are not clearly delineated on the face, it ends up as a movement toward 'sloppy.' Sloppy is undesireable because of it's overtones of low self-worth. Unmasculine, unattractive. A constant clean shave is often the answer here.
In this regard, I am personally stuck because my facial structure is right in between! I have some definition, but it's neither strong nor weak. I could be safe & keep clean, but it feels boring, and I HATE shaving.
So yeah, the above examples are of extremes. They're guidelines. My next theory is alot more iffy, but:
Item 2) A womans preference on facial hair is most likely linked to her concept of masculinity, as determined by her life experience. For example, you girlys who like the beard may have known a man (such as your father?) while growing up who made a strong impression on how you identify a guy as "a man." Positive reinforcement seems a given, but I don't know how negative experiences factor in. I'm assuming at the moment that it's the same story with clean guys. Basically, there's a man who was in your life who has forevermore set the tone on how you percieve masculinity. That man probably has the facial hair you say you like.
Thoughts, criticism, ideas?
*side note, it's rather odd how unanimously women find the solo moustache to be creepy. Think, for instance, of the 70's or so where it was acceptable, possibly even attractive. Does anyone have any thoughts here? Why the overwhelming backlash?
I've been experimenting with all manner of combinations of beard, moustache, sideburns, scruffy, clean, maintenance scruff, partials, trimmed lines, blah blah blah. I've been 'spirimentin. As well, I've been people-watching with this in mind.
Item 1) A man's facial hair style should fit his facial structure & body shape.
For instance, tall thin guys with a beard generally look odd because it somehow gives an elongating visual effect. It accentuates a feature into abnormality. However, broad guys generally benefit from a good beard due to the visual effect of adding length to their facial broadness, serving to 'even out' their proportions.
As another example, guys with a highly defined facial structure can benefit GREATLY (read: model material) from a maintained scruff (ie 5shadow with trimmed edges, clean neck). The aesthetic somehow adds an impression of power and potential, a highly desireable masculine effect. However to the contrary, men with a very round facial structure end up looking odd. This is because the 'scruff lines' are an accentuation of something that basically does not exist on their face. The goal of the scruff is to work with existing light gradients, so when those areas of shadow are not clearly delineated on the face, it ends up as a movement toward 'sloppy.' Sloppy is undesireable because of it's overtones of low self-worth. Unmasculine, unattractive. A constant clean shave is often the answer here.
In this regard, I am personally stuck because my facial structure is right in between! I have some definition, but it's neither strong nor weak. I could be safe & keep clean, but it feels boring, and I HATE shaving.
So yeah, the above examples are of extremes. They're guidelines. My next theory is alot more iffy, but:
Item 2) A womans preference on facial hair is most likely linked to her concept of masculinity, as determined by her life experience. For example, you girlys who like the beard may have known a man (such as your father?) while growing up who made a strong impression on how you identify a guy as "a man." Positive reinforcement seems a given, but I don't know how negative experiences factor in. I'm assuming at the moment that it's the same story with clean guys. Basically, there's a man who was in your life who has forevermore set the tone on how you percieve masculinity. That man probably has the facial hair you say you like.
Thoughts, criticism, ideas?
*side note, it's rather odd how unanimously women find the solo moustache to be creepy. Think, for instance, of the 70's or so where it was acceptable, possibly even attractive. Does anyone have any thoughts here? Why the overwhelming backlash?
However, DH actually looks good. Its very short length wise but it gives his face some nice character. Strange, but it suits him very well. 
