Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Grooming
  3. Features

Beard History 101

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Image used with permission by copyright holder
Image used with permission by copyright holder

From practicalities to fashion statements, beard styles have symbolized everything from wisdom and respect, to honor and dignity throughout the history of man. As a result, facial hair trends and styles have remained widely diverse over the years as a symbol of man’s virility, and every decade has also had a style or trend that influenced the general public.

If you’re one to keep up with these trends, then OneBlade from Philips is a versatile companion to ensure you get the detail you’re looking for. OneBlade is a shave, edge, or trim tool that was built specifically for multipurpose use to obtain any facial hair style or preference.

Recommended Videos

Your beard can influence the way you present yourself, as well as how you are perceived by others. According to the US psychologist Robert Pellegrini, “the male beard communicates a heroic image of the independent, sturdy, and resourceful pioneer, ready, willing and able to do manly things.” This sense of beard power still reigns true today, and we’re here to give you a detailed history on beard trends throughout the years.

The ’70s

best mustaches
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Facial hair became big news in the 70s. So big in fact that it was somewhat acceptable for people to go out and buy a fake mustache just to fit in. It was a sign of creativity and rebelliousness that everyone wanted a piece of.

A lot of people like to credit The Beatles for having a large influence on men’s hair and beard styles in the 1970s. After all, celebrities have a huge impact on how society presents itself. Their “moptop” style and shaggy beards rose to popularity, sparking new trends for facial hair: the mustache, bushy sideburns, or even a full-faced beard.

Although facial hair in the 70s’ was less manicured than some of the styles that followed, the decade represented a sense of freedom and vigor for men.

The ’80s

Magnum, P.I.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Beard popularity in the U.S. subsided in the 1980s’, as men tended to embrace the baby face and slick top hair in favor of a booming corporate culture. This made way for other eclectic and elaborate lifestyle symbols, like the hairstyles of Patrick Swayze.

This doesn’t mean all was lost, however, because the beards that were grown in this decade helped blaze new paths for trends in the future, rooted in attitude and toughness.

Popular styles included the barbarian Hockey playoff beard and ZZ Top’s chest-length facial steez. And I’m sure we can all agree that Tom Selleck in Magnum P.I. had one of the most iconic mustache styles of all time.

The ’90s

hot oil beard treatment
Image used with permission by copyright holder

 The ’90s experienced some of the weirdest and unique facial hair styles, although the conservative baby face was still in full effect. With that being said, individualistic goatees, soul patches, and paltry facial hair reigned supreme.

You can thank celebs like Fred Durst and Rob Zombie for the most elaborate goatee styles, while Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain embodied a grungy gentleman look that would pass with flying colors in today’s age.

The 2000s

Ringing in a new Century brought about a period of self-assuring, confident almost-beards and five o’clock shadow. Thanks to the patchy and sparse beards of celebrities like Colin Farrell and Brad Pitt, the Y2K decade wasn’t a huge period for beard growth, but it was necessary for the culture we see today.

That culture is what some refer to as “lumbersexual” phase – or simply someone who’s as rugged and tough as a lumberjack, but also manicured and groomed. You know, someone who can be both dapper and hipster, at the same time.

Now, this phase surely comes and goes, and it very much so depends on what city you’re living in, but the need for grooming and looking great never leaves. Whether you fancy a 70s’ handlebar stache, or simply want to keep things tidy, the Philips OneBlade can precisely hack away at any length of hair and protect against slicing away at your skin. So say goodbye to the days of multiple blades, trimmers, and edgers, and hello to your new favorite bathroom companion — which is just as versatile and stylish as your look.

The Philips OneBlade razor is now available for $44.99 on Amazon.

Bryan Holt
Former Former Digital Trends Contributor, The Manual
Bryan Holt is a writer, editor, designer, and multimedia storyteller based in Portland, Oregon. He is a graduate from the… Read Full Bio
Live on the Cutting Edge with expert shave advice
Cutting Edge

When a man is coming of age, there is a rite of passage he must go through. If he is lucky, he has a father who will teach him. But he must learn to shave. Whether you are a guy who loves the Harvey Specter clean-shaven look or a guy who wants to look like the wild man in the wilderness, you still need to perfect this process. Every man needs some good shaving tips. If you are a father of a son, this is a ritual you are looking forward to teaching your son. And you will cherish that moment, among others, as they move on in their life.

If you aren’t someone lucky enough to have a father or grandfather you can look to for the wisdom of the shave, then you’re the person we’re looking for here. I remember my father teaching me. So it is important to pass on the information to you. In true Mark style, I reached out to my friends at Cutting Edge and got expert information from a leader in the industry.

Read more
How The Beard Club Helped Me Grow a Beard
John Jones after beard growth

I was a failure … the facial hair equivalent of a 90-pound weakling. It wasn’t so much that I couldn’t grow a beard; it was more that whatever facial hair I did grow felt like a Velcroed-on Brillo pad: super uncomfortable and leaving my skin itchy and broken out. As Movember and No-Shave November came and went, I made two separate attempts at beard growth … each ending with a sprint into the bathroom when I could stand it no more, trimmer in hand, welcoming back the clean-shaven face I know so well. It wasn’t the first time I’d given up on hirsute happiness. 

When December rolled around, I decided to pay attention to an email I’d gotten for something called The Beard Club, a subscription service for beard care products. The Club’s premise was “helping first-timers as well as seasoned hirsute gentleman to up their grooming game.” I couldn’t resist and threw down the gauntlet. Could they help even me? After all, the site’s tag line is “Don’t Grow it Alone.”

Read more
The best-selling colognes for men (because some things are popular for a reason)
mens cologne on black satin

The way you smell is the message you send before you even open your mouth or shake a hand. When someone meets you for the first time, your style can give them a great first impression from a distance. But then your cologne will be the storyteller up close. Smelling good is one of the main points of men’s grooming. Soaps, shampoos, lotions, all fragrant and elevating your attractiveness, and ultimately, your memorability.

That is why popular men’s colognes become, well, popular. These are the scents that stand the test of time. The ones that linger on your shirt when you leave, and your girl wears it to bed. The kind that stays around in the office (subtly, not drifting throughout the office because you take a bath in it) after you have gone. And the kind that sparks memories of great dates in the past when she smells it on you before leaving the house. Of course, the best of the best sell like the best of the best. And these are the colognes that sell better than any other year in and year out.

Read more