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The Eastern Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | Print Archive
The Eastern Echo

Carton Dardil an RA, sports a rugged beard.  He could be participating in the next fashion trend for men.  It seems some fair amount of women appreciate facial hair.

Facial hair's appeal to both sexes is growing

Burt Reynolds perfected the look of a manly man with the mustache. Kurt Cobain made the “I haven’t showered all week” look the like trendiest thing since spandex. Whether you have a mustache or chops, one thing is for certain-facial hair is where it is at.

“I’m a total sucker for beards,” 19-year-old Eastern Michigan University sophomore Elissha Bate said. “They make men way more handsome.”

Not only do women have a love for the holiest facial hair, but men do as well – though, in a different light. It’s not only that a man can look more handsome and hide the skin on his face, but look older as well.

Yet, there are still those not sold on the idea of all men having beards. Some women like 20-year-old Elizabeth Solner of Bay City like some facial hair.

“Slight facial hair is attractive,” Solner said. “A full on beard looks good on some guys, though.”

As females of all ages poured onto social networking site Facebook to state their own opinions, most (if not all) could agree with Solner’s take of the hair that grows on a man’s face.

But what can new groomers of facial hair or beards expect?

“There’s inevitably a period of awkwardness,” said 26-year-old Mike Dutkewych, a founding member of Detroit’s local league of Beard Team USA. “But usually it pays off. The awkward stage is also something that can deter new beard-growers, but I always tell them to show a little faith… Beards are the same as anything else that requires an investment of time and patience. The more work you put in, the more results you’ll see.”

“Make sure you shampoo it so it doesn’t itch,” 28-year old Larsen said.

In terms of the sport, Dutkewych said the longest he had ever grown out his beard was for two years.

“To compete in the Garibaldi category at the 2009 World Beard And Moustache Championships in Anchorage, Alaska. I ended up tying for fourth place with several more worthy Garibaldi beards, so I can consider it a success. I shaved my beard off an Alaskan cliff, right into the ocean the day after the competition. There’s a video of it on YouTube if you search ‘Mike Dutkewych beard.’”

Questioned on the outlook for beard population based on the different types of facial hair one may sport, Dutkewych had no problem dropping the hatchet on the matter of what he thought was growing hipper by the day.

“Right now, I’d say the most popular facial hair trend I’m seeing is this hipster moustache thing that’s going on,” described Dutkewych. “While I’m a supporter of all facial hair, some of these guys seem to be going for the ironic fashion statement, and that bothers me a little. Because to a lot of people, beards and moustaches are an important means of self-expression. If you grow facial hair for any other reason, you’re missing the point.”

Though the handlebar mustache may be gaining hipster points, beards are not uncommon between artists and musicians of the hipster crowd.

Kevin Devine, a 30-year-old musician from Brooklyn, New York has been seen on many occasions with one of his own. Devine, who will be releasing an album in October with a band formed with members from Manchester Orchestra under the name Bad Books, was more than enthusiastic to talk about band mate Andy Hull’s beard. Which is probably because it’s about the same size as you may imagine Santa Clause’s own thick white beard.

“I’ve never seen [Andy] trim his beard once,” said Devine. “I think he’s got the idea that you either grow it out or you don’t grow it all. I’m more in the mindset that you gotta trim that shit up.”

“My beard experience has been so gratifying in ways I never thought possible,” Dutekewych said. “It’s taken me across the country several times. It’s gotten me in movies and on TV… And all because I hate shaving! Incredible.”

So whether it is be because you hate shaving or that it’s hockey season, any sort of facial hair given the right style and grooming is what separates the boys from the men – and equally flatters the females from either side of the fence depending on if you’re a Reynolds or not.