Lifestyles
Home » Lifestyles » Splitting Hairs At The World Beard And Moustache Championships

Splitting Hairs At The World Beard And Moustache Championships

phil olsen, beard

Phil Olsen, Tahoe City, California. Photographer: Andrew Niesen. www.theorangeblock.com.
If you see pictures of Civil War soldiers, you see spectacular beards there. That was the Golden Age of facial hair in American history. '
By Citizen Correspondent Phil Olsen , U.S.A.
Date Posted: 07/12/07
Reader Rating: rating

Beard Team USA competes for the United States at the biennial World Beard and Moustache Championships. Our primary goals are promoting the worldwide appreciation of beards and moustaches and facilitating the attendance of members and others at the championships. We have great fun making new friends from our own and other countries. The team is actively recruiting new members in the hope of fielding the strongest possible squad for the next championships, which will take place in Brighton, England, on September 1, 2007. All beards and moustaches are welcome to come out and celebrate the culture of facial hair. Here is the story of my own personal journey of (beard) growth.

Growing up, none of the men in my family had facial hair. That was back in the days when facial hair was anything but vogue or even acceptable. Back then, it was much more of a statement of nonconformity than it is today. I started to grow facial hair probably later than most kids. I was about 14 years old I guess. To me, it meant I was growing up, which was pretty exciting.

I didn't really want to shave it, but there wasn't really an option there - it was what you were expected to do. In my high school, the boys were required to be clean shaven - there was just no way around it. I had a friend who once grew a beard in the summertime, and this was quite a phenomenon, since none of the other kids could grow a beard at the time. He showed up on the first day of school with this beard and was expelled until he shaved. Those were different times.

The first time I tried to grow a beard was in college, but it didn't really look very good, so it didn't last very long. When I was older I moved to Lake Tahoe, where I live now, and I became very involved in skiing. I started to think it would be good to have a beard in the wintertime. I found other people seemed to like it as well, although not everyone. I liked not having to shave everyday and that it's uniquely masculine. It was something I could do to transform my appearance in a significant way.

I've had a beard continuously now for about 8 years. Unfortunately mine has stopped growing, which is frustrating to me.


1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 next

printPRINT THIS STORY email a friend EMAIL A FRIEND Tip the Author TIP THE AUTHOR

comments COMMENTS (1) report this story REPORT THIS STORY rating RATE THIS STORY
Average: 4.8 (8 votes)
FACEBOOK DIGG IT! DEL.ICIO.US

STUMBLE IT! Add to My Yahoo!


Tags:

Comments

Hi Phil - thanks for sharing

By Robyn Williams, July 12, 2007 at 13:32

Hi Phil - thanks for sharing all this philosophy and history about facial hair. I'd never given much thought to the importance of the beard as a statement and expression of manhood and masculinity.

While I understand this is very much a men's club and a source of camaraderie for you all, I have to argue that I'm not sure facial hair is really a differentiating factor between men and women. The fact that most women DO control their facial hair prevents us from seeing what a natural woman looks like, and I think you'd be surprised to see how many women could give you a run for your money...

Personally I come from an ethnic mix that has blessed or cursed me with lots of facial hair, which I have been removing since I was 8 years old. I shudder to think what I'd look like if I was forced to spend any length of time on a deserted island without my tweezers...

But anyway, good luck with this year's championship, and thanks for the education. :)