CONTENTS
Goatees and mustaches have been part of facial hair styles going back centuries, with many men trying them at least once. The goatee is a shapeshifter among facial hair styles. Goatees had their biggest moment in the mid-90s, but they continue to command a following of men of all ages attracted to wearing the style.
To some, it can indicate a certain discomfort with commitment, as a transitional beard style. 2024 sees it transition into a number of popular variations, such as the full circle, the balbo, and the extended goatee. Goatees have the upperhand in their ability to structure and shape a face with more masculine characteristics.
Mustaches are also hitting a resurgence in 2024 as a style for the bold and confident. Similar to the goatee, the mustache has suffered some negative connotations in the past, but 2024 sees it rebranding itself, as men express themselves with strong handlebars, cop mustaches, and even large walruses.
Men’s Goatee Styles for 2024
Many find the traditional goatee to be dated. It’s often thought of as an aging trend, that many younger men have fled from. However, the goatee has brought in popular variations that are going strong.
The Extended Goatee
The extended goatee is a versatile style that extends a dense chin beard across the jawline, as if combining a goatee and chin strap. The style is often complemented with a mustache, which may or may not be connected to the beard. This offers more coverage than a traditional goatee, while also strengthening the definition of the jawline.
The Full Circle (aka Full Goatee)
Perhaps the most common kind of goatee today, the full circle is exactly what it sounds like, a mustache and goatee combination that is fully connected on the sides. This makes a circle around the mouth, creating a strong pointed appearance. The area outside the circle and hair across the cheeks can be shaved clean or left with a little stubble.
The Balbo
While technically its own style with its own history, the balbo shares similarities with the goatee, combining a trimmed and styled chin beard with a mustache and soul patch. Contemporary versions of the balbo allow the soul patch part of the beard to connect with the lower chin beard and thicken the lower line of the beard, which cuts down on the maintenance and provides strong, sharp lines for defining the face.
The Scruffy Goat
The Scruffy Goat is a style of mustache-beard hybrid that picked up after the goatee boom. It emphasizes a big mustache and big goatee that are connected by about a week’s growth of scruff and stubble on the cheeks. Cleaner versions of this look allow the circle beard goatee to have prominence, and then maintain a more trimmed stubble on the cheeks.
Are Mustaches on Trend in 2024?
Mustaches are finally being liberated from some of the negative connotations that they gained in the 70’s are opening back up as a more widespread phenomena. The elevation of the mustache has happened as a result of the influential Movember and a feeling of backlash against how common and trendy beards have become in the last decade.
Common trends and versions include the hipster mustache that indicates freer spirit and level of self-confidence. The idea behind this is that beards can be grown to mask various parts of the face that someone might feel uncomfortable about. However, a mustache is incapable of masking this way, and instead draws attention as an aesthetic choice or ornament on the face.
Mustaches that Are Big in 2024
The Handlebar
The handlebar mustache is among the most common today. It requires styling and particularly the use of mustache wax to make curls on the ends of the mustache. The styling in this case is a reward in itself of the mustache and this particular kind of mustache tends to be grown for the pure pleasure of having and cultivating it. The associations that go along with the handlebar mustache tend to be twee and hipster, calling back to a traditional English, tweed-wearing style.
The Cop
The cop mustache is a close rival in popularity to the handlebar. This is possibly due to the ease of keeping it clean since it does not grow below the lip, and therefore will not require you to whip out some mustache wax for a midday restyling. Since this is a more clean-cut style, it does require some grooming and trimming.
The Walrus
The walrus is the full beard of the mustaches. This is a bold look for someone who really wants to see what their mustache is capable of. It also tends to be easier to shape and groom, because it’s thick and gives you a lot of hair to work with. You can use wax or other oils and balms with a walrus, but too much can cause it to look strange, when the ideal walrus is more natural.
The Beardstache
The beardstache is a big trend in 2019. This is a distinctive style where the mustache is growing thicker and longer than the beard. Beardstaches are a versatile style that can be adapted to just about any beard style you like. Careful handling of the beard trimmer can allow the mustache maintains distinctive lines as it fades into the beard. One common use of the beardstache style is the handlebar mustache plus stubble.
Tips for Mustache Trimming
|
Trends come and go, but for a look to really feel at home on your face, it has to match your genetics, including your ability to grow facial hair and your face shape. So even if it doesn’t necessarily fit the current trends, go ahead and play to your strengths. Making a whole style of your own that you can feel confident in is more important than catching the trend of the day, and who knows, maybe the trends will follow you.
