Looking for a new beard style to try this year? Here are 15 great options to choose from!
The beard is an absolute classic men’s fashion staple. It’s one of the few things that unites men across the entirety of history, from prehistoric cavemen to contemporary hipsters.
If you have the genetics, it’s easy to grow a beard. But styling your beard is something else completely. You can have a thick, full beard, but if it’s not styled well, it can look like a scraggly and unkempt mess.
The way that you style and maintain your beard is critical. Furthermore, it depends on several factors. Hair type, length, and look all play important roles. If you have a long and thick beard, you have a certain range of styles to choose from, and it’ll be much different from someone who has a short and fine beard.
It can get complicated, so to help you out, we’ve selected 15 different beard styles to give you some ideas for what to do with your facial hair.
Table of Contents
15 Best Beard Styles
Here are the 15 best beard styles in no particular order…
#1: The All-Around Classic
If you’re after a simple, standard beard that looks great, this is a fantastic option.
This is a short and neatly trimmed style that works well with just about every hair type. There are no hairs out of place, and everything looks nice and presentable.
It’s fitting for casual and formal situations alike, so if you need something versatile, this is the way to go. Basically, this beard style will always look nice.
#2: Thick and Full
Many guys have thick and coarse beard hair, and this beard style works really well with that hair type.
Since thicker hair tends to grow more densely, guys with this beard hair type can get a lot of fullness without even trying. This style leverages that fullness, resulting in a neat and even beard.
This beard style relies on trimming the hair to give it definition and shape. It’s at its fullest around the mouth while the sides are more closely trimmed. This also prevents all that thick hair from growing out and becoming unruly.
#3: Shadow Goatee
Typically, standalone goatees are hard to pull off. One way to solve that problem is by keeping a five o’clock shadow on the cheeks to complement the full goatee at the front.
This creates both fullness and contrast. The beard doesn’t look thin or uneven, yet the shorter sides emphasize the goatee in a satisfying way. This works equally well with thin or thick facial hair.
This beard style is also a convenient solution for guys whose beards tend to be patchier on the sides. Since the sides are trimmed so short, it won’t matter as much if they’re a little patchy here and there.
#4: Casual & Rugged
Want to achieve a brawny beard without looking like a caveman? The secret is a medium length beard that’s neatly trimmed.
The bushiness created by the length will give you that rugged vibe while the tidy trim will prevent the beard from looking too primitive.
Even though this beard style is thick and full, it’s still on the shorter side of things, so it’s fairly low maintenance. As long as you trim regularly, you’ll be able to keep this beard in tip-top shape.
#5: Full Sides
If you prefer a beard look that has fuller sides, try this one on for size. The sides are rather short but very full and trimmed from top to bottom, resulting in a uniform look.
The trim is key here. The edges are all sharp and even, which gives this beard a more formal appearance.
The mustache is also trimmed so that it’s thinner, but it still connects with the beard to create an unbroken flow between the two.
#6: Extra Neat
Into really short beards? This style might just do the trick for you. This close-cut style is one of the shortest on this list.
This style derives its power from how clean it is. The hair is just long enough to fill out the beard’s overall shape. This means that the mustache and goatee area is a little longer while the sides are cut shorter.
If you have trouble growing out your facial hair (or if you just prefer shorter beards), this is an excellent option.
#7: Salt & Pepper
Here’s one for the grey gentlemen. It’s a simple, low-maintenance style that you pretty much can’t go wrong with.
Keeping the beard shorter allows the colors to shine through. You can clearly see the distinction between the darker and lighter parts, and that contrast is what makes this style work.
Of course, this style will work with any hair color, but it works so well with salt and pepper beards because of that contrast.
#8: Rounded Beard w/Long Stache
This is a majestic beard style that means business. There’s a lot going on here, so let’s break it down.
First, the beard has a rounder shape, so there are no sharp angles. Second, the mustache is grown out so that it’s roughly the same length as the beard itself.
This makes for a long, luscious beard that recalls the styles of the early 1900s. It’s a great match for square or rectangular faces, as it will help soften those hard lines.
#9: Mid 1990s
Nostalgia for the 90s is still in full swing, so here’s a throwback beard style that captures the decade’s carefree attitude.
There’s not a lot going on here, and that’s what’s so great about it. It’s just a short beard that has a slightly uneven trim to give off a more laid-back feel. It works best with thick or coarse hair, but you can get a similar result with fine hair.
#10: Classy Ducktail
The ducktail beard is exactly what it sounds like: a beard with a pointed end that resembles a duck’s tail. While these can be tricky to pull off, they can look great in the right contexts.
This is an elegant take on the ducktail that features a shorter, rounded point instead of a long and sharp one. The result is a more refined ducktail with a nice gradual taper to it.
A bonus of tapering the beard like this is that it makes a longer beard more manageable. Due to the taper, the beard gets shorter on the sides.
#11: Beardstache
Can’t make up your mind between having a mustache and a beard? The good news is that you can have both with the appropriately titled beardstache.
This style is composed of a thick mustache and a short beard, which emphasizes the mustache but still provides the full look of a beard. This provides extra definition along the jawline.
This screams 80s detective show, so if that vintage vibe is what you’re after, look no further. It’s essentially a full mustache with a long five o’clock shadow, and while that might sound odd, the result is striking.
#12: Sharp Sculpted Beard
Here’s a style that allows you to get some serious length while still looking spick and span.
The beard is about 4 inches long, but it’s expertly trimmed for maximum definition. Like a ducktail, the beard gets longer as it descends, but the point of the beard is rounded out.
This is a great way of taming a longer beard. Because it’s so neat, it’s suitable for the office, but you can also toss on a flannel for the complete lumberjack look. In effect, this is a beard you can dress up or down even though its neatness stays the same.
#13: Country Beard
This long and rugged beard has a distinct rustic feel to it. It’s a refined version of a woodsman’s beard that has just the right amount of wildness.
While it’s still trimmed, it’s not trimmed as neatly as some of the other styles, so you get a more natural look. This gives you a balance of controlled messiness that’s casual and burly.
Notice how full the mustache and sides are. If you like, you can trim the sides so they don’t reach as high, but the mustache should be generally about that length.
#14: Kinky Beard
This type of beard is great for black men who have kinky or coiled facial hair. 4a, 4b, and 4c hair types are chock full of texture, which is a boon for beard growing.
This style takes the textured hair and sculpts it into a defined shape. This provides neatness while also highlighting the densely packed kinkiness.
Because of the hair’s texture, the sides of the beard flow naturally into the beard proper. This means that the sides are extremely thick and full, but because they’re trimmed so neatly, that thickness really rounds out the beard.
#15: Full Beard w/Handlebar
Last but certainly not least, here’s an intensely impressive beard complete with a curled handlebar-style mustache.
In order to achieve the handlebar effect, the mustache is grown out a bit longer than usual. Mustache wax is then applied so that the ends will stay in place when curled upward.
Even though the handlebar is the main attraction here, we can’t overlook the magnificent beard itself. It’s trimmed along the contours of the face, and the point of the beard is rounded. As usual, the neatness of the trim is crucial here.
Final Thoughts on Beard Styles
There are a lot of options for beard styles, which means you can easily find one that fits your style and facial hair type. Hopefully this list has given your beard search a good kickstart.
Once you’ve chosen a beard style, make sure you take care of it regularly. Grab some high-quality beard oil and make beard care a part of your daily routine.
If you have a favorite beard style, let’s hear about it! Tell us below in the comments.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below!
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