Happy Friday my fellow readers! Here's hoping your Friday remains short and your weekend breaks feel longer. Today I wanted to touch base with a question that keeps running through my mind every now and again. A question so complex that my answers will surely be up for a healthy debate afterwards, which of course is fine.
But do you think there is ever a good reason to shave off your beard? Let's find out as we discuss todays blog topic at hand, as we ask - 'Is There Ever A Good Enough Reason To Shave?...
SHOULD YOU SHAVE FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY?
Looking back on my photos of mine and my beautiful wife's wedding day I'm filled with loving memories of such a joyful occasion. My only regret that I honestly have was not having my beard for the big day as I'm totally unrecognisable in those photos. My friends can't believe it was me, my kids are equally as clueless to who the beardless dude is the pictures is. It's just a bizarre bald (and rather skinny in comparison to how I am now!) look at the 'younger me'.
It's a strange and rather misguided conception that beards are somewhat scruffy and look unclean. the term 'clean shaven' speaks volumes to a gentleman with a beard, as it is suggesting a man who has chosen to sport facial hair put simply, 'isn't clean'.
Should you shave off your face fur exclusively for your big wedding day? I honestly suggest not. If you were bearded before, then why on earth should you be expected to be beardless for such an occasion? Maybe take a trip t the beard barbers for a little trim, slap on some extra special beard oil and balm, but don't butcher your face whiskers, would be my only solid piece of advice here.
WHAT ABOUT FOR A FAMILY OR FRIEND'S FUNERAL?
Saying goodbye to a close friend of member of your family often requires us to dress in a certain smart attire, maybe shine up your favourite shoes and smarten up in a black tie and suit. But what about your facial hair?
There's no reason you should feel the need to shave off your facial hair in order to attend this kind of service, maybe sharpen up with a light trim at the most. So long as you are happy in yourself then you should do what you feel is best.
There's horror stories on the web of gentlemen who proudly sported their face fur when they were living, who had been razor clean shaved in order to present them for their final farewell before the family inside of their casket. Only for their loved ones to be further upset by the mistake. Could you imagine that happening to yourself? I swear I would come back from the dead and haunt the bast*rd who ever tried to shave my red face forest off from the afterlife. Make this my written warning!
SHAVING BECAUSE MY BOSS EXPECTS ME TO?
Sadly, this could be the only occasion you might feel overly pressured into braving the shave against your will, as it seems many workforces still heavily frown upon the appearance of a man who sports his facial hair at work.
You'd think some people's mindsets were still set in the early 70's, as large company firms refuse to dispute in our favour for beards to be approved at work. Companies such as global couriers UPS expect you to remain 'clean shaven' in a facing the customer working position'.
Whilst I understand, and fully appreciate not every career path entitles its workers to sport a beard, I can't help but feel the need to dispute the otherwise petty ruling from some companies. After all, a man growing a beard doesn't affect his ability to carry out any working task, nor should he feel pressured into fitting into a corporeal image 'pigeon hole' either.
So, in short, should you shave for your boss? No, not really, unless there is a clear ruling with as to why you should do so.
MY PARTNER DISAPPROVES OF MY FACIAL HAIR, NOW WHAT?
In our lives we learn to take into consideration the opinions of our friends and loved ones around us, well, most of them anyway. So much so that our partners feedback usually means the most to us, as they usually have our best interests at heart.
But not everyone loves our beards like we do, so you might discover that your partner may somewhat disapprove of your facial hair, and the chances are they'll be sure to let you know about it if they do. But after all is said and done, it is just their opinion. They can't, and of course shouldn't want to change the person that you are, facial hair and all.
In all honesty my wife wasn't at all approving of my face fuzz when I first began to grow out my whiskers. It took a whole lot of convincing and lots of time to pass for her to adjust to my new 'beard life'. But now she has grown (excuse the pun) to love my beard nearly as much as I do. So much so that when I had a trimming accident a few years ago which seen me having to shave it all off and start over from scratch, my wife made it very clear I looked much sexier with the beard than without. In all honesty I looked like the full moon from Bear In The Big Blue House, true story, Bro.
So, that sees another week of solid beard blogging content coming to a fine close for this week my fellow beardsmen and fuzz admirers. As always we love to read your comments so please be sure to leave us a little somethin' somethin' in the comments box you'll find provided right below.
And until next time, Beard on Brothers, Beard on...
