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The Victorian Beard Craze (O Behold The Politically Incorrect Beard)
Lucinda Hawksley ^ | 11/16/2014 | BBC News

Posted on 11/16/2014 9:44:58 PM PST by goldstategop

By the time the last troops returned home, beards were the mark of a hero. Men who had never seen any military action began to grow beards. Within a few years, it was almost impossible to see a beard-free male face in Victorian Britain - except in Buckingham Palace, as Prince Albert refused to conform to the fashion.

In America, the return of the beard began at around the same date. This was partly fuelled by fashion plates from British magazines, which were read avidly in America for the latest word in European fashion. Many American men, however, also decided to stop shaving for a practical reason. Although the so-called safety razor had been around since the 1770s, they were difficult to use and often dangerous. Even men who had mastered the art of shaving, were at risk if their razor hadn't been scrupulously cleaned. One such victim was John Thoreau, brother of the writer Henry David Thoreau, who cut himself shaving and died of lockjaw in his brother's arms.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; History; Society
KEYWORDS: bbcnews; beard; history; victorianera; whiskers
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I'm politically incorrect - like Prince Albert in his day, I refuse to conform to the fashion.

I wear a beard - proudly. The safety razor be damned.

1 posted on 11/16/2014 9:44:59 PM PST by goldstategop
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To: goldstategop

It was Alexander the Great who started the trend of shaving the whiskers.


2 posted on 11/16/2014 9:47:35 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Romans were clean shaven. Greeks sported beards.

In most cultures, a beard is a symbol of being a man and all that goes with it.


3 posted on 11/16/2014 9:49:16 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop
That’s the thing. The word “beard” shook a lot of people up. “Beard!” It’s not American-sounding. “Beard! Lenin had a beard … Gabby Hayes had whiskers! Monty Woolley had whiskers!”

— George Carlin, “The Hair Piece” from FM And AM (Carlin figured he was making fun of conservatives though)
I worked in industries that require cleanshaven faces for the purpose of allowing adhesion of respirators, so I am used to it; I sometimes let the “whiskers” grow out though.
4 posted on 11/16/2014 9:56:48 PM PST by Olog-hai
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To: goldstategop

I’ve had a beard for most of the past 50 years.


5 posted on 11/16/2014 9:57:24 PM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (The Second Amendment, a Matter of Fact, Not a Matter of Opinion)
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To: goldstategop

Such as Islam?


6 posted on 11/16/2014 9:59:19 PM PST by Olog-hai
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To: goldstategop

And the bearded Greeks became the clean-shaven Romans’ bitches.
“Mr. Whiskers”? No thanks! Not for me.
Shaving cream, feel nice and clean.
Shave every morning and always be keen.


7 posted on 11/16/2014 10:06:08 PM PST by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: goldstategop

As the West becomes more islamic facial hair is bound to become a trend.


8 posted on 11/16/2014 10:10:15 PM PST by ansel12 (The churlish behavior of Obama over the next two years is going to be spellbinding.)
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To: goldstategop
I'm ready.


9 posted on 11/16/2014 10:19:08 PM PST by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: goldstategop

Ain’t seen my upper lip or my chin in ..........forever.


10 posted on 11/16/2014 10:30:24 PM PST by uglybiker (nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-BATMAN!)
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To: goldstategop

Seems like all the baseball players have beards of some sort these days.


11 posted on 11/16/2014 10:30:36 PM PST by Hugin ("Do yourself a favor--first thing, get a firearm!",)
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To: Olog-hai

I beg your pardon but think the reason for the beards in Islam is to emulate the profit Mo who was “the ideal man”


12 posted on 11/16/2014 10:34:04 PM PST by Cronos (ObamaÂ’s dislike of Assad is not based on AssadÂ’s brutality but that he isn't a jihadi Moslem)
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To: goldstategop

Hipsters are reviving a lot of this stuff — hair tonic, Victorian beards, old clean-cut hairstyles...All taken and given some sort of obnoxious, “ironic” twist.


13 posted on 11/16/2014 10:51:25 PM PST by Wyrd bið ful aræd (Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo et mundabor, Lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.)
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To: goldstategop

I’ve been off on medical leave for a few months now, culminating with me needing spinal surgery. I quit shaving in the first day of summer and will go back at the first of the new year. I ain’t shaving until the night before. When I retire, boom! Duck dynasty.

CC


14 posted on 11/16/2014 10:57:32 PM PST by Celtic Conservative (stercus accidit)
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To: goldstategop
Other reasons to sport a beard:


15 posted on 11/16/2014 10:58:45 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: OneWingedShark

I got rid of my beard and mustache because they made me look 15 years older.

I have a few grey hairs dispersed through my long, naturally curly, dark brown mane, but my mustache was almost white, and my beard was more grey than brown. It looked awful.

My gf and even her mother prefer this to the “OLD LOOKING” me. I’ll stick with this for now.


16 posted on 11/16/2014 11:17:31 PM PST by Don W (To laugh, perhaps to dream...)
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To: Don W

I can’t grow a good beard worth beans. :(


17 posted on 11/16/2014 11:21:01 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: OneWingedShark
"I can’t grow a good beard worth beans. :( "

Same with me. I let my beard grow out in 1979 and it had so many gaps in it, it looked like I bought it at K-Mart. I might give it another try now that it;s all gray/white. Growing a beard is easy since having one is the default.

18 posted on 11/17/2014 12:26:13 AM PST by capt. norm
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To: OneWingedShark


Tell that to the next Marine you come across. Hope your medical premiums are paid up.
19 posted on 11/17/2014 2:00:06 AM PST by 98ZJ USMC
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To: Don W

I got rid of my beard and mustache because they made me look 15 years older.

Age has done the same thing to me.


20 posted on 11/17/2014 3:17:01 AM PST by billhilly (First eligible to vote in 1958)
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