So here's the thing about beards: at the end of the day they are just hair on your face. Though this is obvious, there can be unintended consequences when you sprout a chin full of pubes. For example, hunt down a bearded man, especially the type with the kind of luscious jowl mane that's so popular these days, and ask him how he eats cereal. Or how he engages in an exciting game of lip locking without rubbing his opponent raw.
The point is that, like Dr Martens, beards come with a lot of admin that the owner didn't see coming. Though that hasn't stopped them from being the coolest accessory on earth. Trying to find a man without a smattering of face follicles is like trying to find a Yeti learning to play the guitar on YouTube. Beards are in and there's nothing we can do about it.
But just because they're cool in SA, it doesn't mean everyone feels the same way. In some parts of the world a cheeky chin-stache is not a vibe.
Larne Odutola is trying to change that.
"Often when I would travel to the US I'd pass all the checks, but security would still stop and search me and I knew it was because I was black, but also bearded. For a long time having a beard meant that people would profile you and think that you're dangerous or a drug dealer," said Odutola, part of the brains trust behind the recent Jameson World Beard Day competition that took place in Lagos, Nigeria.
"Beyond associating around the cool factor of World Beard Day, we wanted to get the story around the participants. We also wanted to move behind the perception of people with beards as being terrorists or drug dealers and see the people behind the beards," said Odutola.
Growing a beard is cool but be warned, T&Cs apply
Rugged is too easily read as rogue, but bearded black men are learning to take it on the chin
So here's the thing about beards: at the end of the day they are just hair on your face. Though this is obvious, there can be unintended consequences when you sprout a chin full of pubes. For example, hunt down a bearded man, especially the type with the kind of luscious jowl mane that's so popular these days, and ask him how he eats cereal. Or how he engages in an exciting game of lip locking without rubbing his opponent raw.
The point is that, like Dr Martens, beards come with a lot of admin that the owner didn't see coming. Though that hasn't stopped them from being the coolest accessory on earth. Trying to find a man without a smattering of face follicles is like trying to find a Yeti learning to play the guitar on YouTube. Beards are in and there's nothing we can do about it.
But just because they're cool in SA, it doesn't mean everyone feels the same way. In some parts of the world a cheeky chin-stache is not a vibe.
Larne Odutola is trying to change that.
"Often when I would travel to the US I'd pass all the checks, but security would still stop and search me and I knew it was because I was black, but also bearded. For a long time having a beard meant that people would profile you and think that you're dangerous or a drug dealer," said Odutola, part of the brains trust behind the recent Jameson World Beard Day competition that took place in Lagos, Nigeria.
"Beyond associating around the cool factor of World Beard Day, we wanted to get the story around the participants. We also wanted to move behind the perception of people with beards as being terrorists or drug dealers and see the people behind the beards," said Odutola.
That's kind of the thing about beards: as much as they convey a whole sexy rugged vibe, they still carry very real world implications. The way society is set up, we're more likely to see bearded men as rough, rugged and a smidge dangerous. While that's all well and good on Tinder, it becomes a little stressful when you're travelling or trying to return the trinket a jogger just dropped.
Add a liberal sprinkling of melanin to that mix and you have a very serious problem. In fact, look mildly Arabic sporting a beard and chances are you'll become the butt of every terrorist stereotype joke known to man - and that doesn't just apply to Nigeria.
And yet people love beards. Beards are more likely to attract the right type of attention than the midlife-crisis edition of the convertible you were considering.
"Shortish, well-maintained beards on the right face are so hot!" said Isabelle de Klerk*.
"Do people actually f*** people without beards? Aren't those children?" said Ayanda Mankazana*.
The point being that beards (and being a semi-decent human) are an almost surefire way to endear yourself to some good times. That said, remember to read the terms and conditions. Ladies and gentlemen love them but the authorities may still think you look like someone who cooks meth in a caravan. Think of Breaking Bad: Walter White had little to no facial hair, but Heisenberg had a big ol' chin of bush.
* Yolisa asked some girls he knows to comment on beards. Their names have been changed to protect their innocence.
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