Haircut and Facial Hair

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

The school that I teach at expects me to have facial hair. :) My students try to grow a beard as long as mine and they name their facial hair after me. Which is very funny!!
About two years ago I shaved my beard and my daugher Madelyn cried when I walked out. My wife actually wants me to grow a beard. She met me with it and says I am not me without it.

I could not work or live with someone who does not like facial hair!

Holler

[BenjaminLDavis]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

I was lucky enough to find a hobby that fit my facial hair!
Went clean-shaven for a short time, years back, and my
children and wife all voted to grow it back!
As to a haircut, I let it grow before an event. Slightly
ragged.

[suspenderless pard]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

I let my hair and gotee grow aout for about a month before an event. That's about as long as I feel comfortable at with my job. My last job didn't want any facial hair at all. Unlike Mr. Lloyd I am blessed with fast growing facial hair and wouldn't shave for a week and hoped that I wouldn't run into the big boss before an event. Man I am glad I don't work there anymore.

[David Dalton]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

I grew my fisrt beard out for Into the Piney Woods. Before that I had never tried to grow one. Needless to say my girlfriend didn't like it at all. I told her that" if you like me enough with a beard, you can like me any other time." She said ok but dont let it get to long.

SO I went tio ITPW and my friends said it was quite the bully beard.

Bad thing is I hated it so much the day I got back from the event I shaved it off.

Now, like Sean from the above post says" im blessed with fast growing hair" your lucky, because its amonth later and i have my beard back and a bit longer then it was.

Also I think it depends on your impression your pulling off. If it was early war you might have not had long facial hair. It also depends on witch side your trying to portray or if you were on the move all the time, you migh tnot have had time to shave or take care of your face or body.

Myself I like a hardcore greesed up hairdoo with a hardcore beard.

I thought at Itpw I saw only one person with a beard better then mine and that was Jay Stevens. It was very cute...

I mean ya know....

Well ignore me but thats what I think.


Double D

[Gallinipper]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

I often found that when I started growing facial hair for an event, I would also become more emaciated, as well. That was because my "better half" wouldn't have anything to do with me, to include feeding me altogether. So, I guess it worked out OK....

[Angela D Cross]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

How about including a choice for female hair. I have grown my own hair but also use a hair piece to bulk it out when it's in a bun.

Many modern styles for women are short so it would be nice to know how many use manufactured hair pieces or make hair pieces out of their own combed hair.

[Salt Pork]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

Full beard right now, and appropriate length hair, I have had in the past though every kind of period correct facial hair I could think of. Unfortunately the beard is coming off for a friends wedding.

William Summe (Salt Pork)

[kb35]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

I am new to this so its good to know that a shaved head is not completely inappropriate. My hair is thinning so I have been buzzing it all off for years, I don't shave it with a razor (yet) but do use the lowest guard on the clippers. Usually shave my facial hair but intend to go with the 5 oclock shadow to field events. Haven't attended any as of yet as I am still assembling my kit.

[lojafan]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

My job doesnt allow me to have long hair, anything over an inch not tolerated, so I have to have a buzzcut. I've always had a likeing of beards, but I'm choosing not to grow one for personal reasons.

[D.W. Scalf]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

I tend to keep my hair in a longer "period" style, and always have some sort of extremely out of style facial hair. It's amusing when well meaning people(usually female) say things like "you know, you'd look much younger with no facial hair", or "why don't you shave your head, it's in style these days you know?(cause I'm pretty thin on top) Then I have to go into the whole spill about how I'm trying to look good for the 1860's, not 2009. Then they get this look on their face like they kinda feel sorry for me.....lol.

My wife doesn't care how I wear it, and I don't think my employer does, cause they never mention it. But then again, they all think I'm kinda eccentric. The funny thing is, sometimes the longer hair and beard or mustache drive me crazy. If not for living history, I'd go shaved headed all the time, with just a goatee(and i do it every now and then). I just have this thing about wanting to look like my great-great-grandpappy.

I have read several accounts of men on both sides shaving their heads or extreme short hair for many reasons, but I still feel that it was not the norm. But I do think that really long hair and shaggy beards are a bit over represented I the hobby. I think most men, especially younger ones, wanted to be as fashionable as possible when possible, but that's just my opinion.

Not to find fault with anybody, cause I know we all have to do what we have to do. But to say that I use a hat to cover up a modern hairstyle doesn't work for me personally. It's like saying that I have modern machine stitched button holes, but I stitch over them by hand to make them look authentic. How can you stay in first person all weekend without taking off your hat? Again, no offense to anyone who HAS to live in the ultra- modern world. It's hard to look like you've been campaigning for months when you have to fit other's narrow standards.

D.W. Scalf

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

Hallo!

Not that it is relevant to Civil War era male "hairstyles" (defined as what may have been in fashion versus what men simply did with their hair one way or the other in terms of personal choices in washing, oiling/greasing, combing, etc.)...

Not trying to be, or sound snarky but what is, exactly, a "modern hairstyle" for that matter?

A shaved head? A moused or gelled spikey look? A "just got out of bed" messy tossled look? A dry look? A tapered at the ears and neck done by electric clippers look? A mullet? A pony-tail elastic banded at the back of the head? Etc., etc.

;) :)

Curt

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

Here is an interesting diary entry and a website on the topic, check out these sites:

http://www.civilwarhome.com/haircut.htm

http://www.finitesite.com/hunley/gentlemen.htm

[Sgt Scotti]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

97th Private; that was a great diary excerpt you posted. I could tell you more than one story of myself and friends that have done these same types of things to each other in the barracks and abroad. Im sure if that Confederate Soldier where to go home and tell his family that story after the war, theyd be mortified that he attempted to get his hair chopped off with an axe. Same with any modern service man where to tell his family about half the jokes we put eachother through we'd all be seeing a shrink. Makes me laugh.

It amazes me how the nature of people do not change whether it is 2009, 1863, or im sure even longer ago. People (especially soldiers) will always be the same we laugh and joke, cry and fight. People talk about being authentic and in first person; while I am still very new too this hobby (Resaca will be my first event in years) Im know that I would feel the same way and do the same things if I were a soldier back than as I am a Marine now. Instead of talking about my mule going lame while plowing my fields back home, I am now talking about my 2002 Dakota dying on me as I am moving furniture to a new house. To me it is the same thing. While I dont know what having a.577 minie shot at me from 100m while Im standing side by side with my brothers is like. I can assure you it is no more frightening as waking up to the bap, bap, bap of Aks as Im lying down in my HMMWV because I was knocked out by some dueshe bag's IED. Not taking anything away from first person reenacting, I want to learn to be good at it, I havent even experianced it yet.

In keeping with the thread, As an active Marine, REGs state I have to have a 0-3 gradual fade. When attending an event, I like to take leave a couple days before so it grows a little longer. As well as my facial hair that is making a very slow 23 year graduation from peach fuzz.

Mods, I apologize about going off topic a bit, I just wanted to finish my train of thought, delete if neccessary. thanks

[Indianabugles]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

Past shoulder length hair and a Goatee.
Objection from wife or work, None!
If I grow a Mustache though my Wife hates it with a passion so have to let a semi adequate one grow just prior.
Anyone know if Beard and no tash is OK, I suspect it is fairly acceptable judging by the above articles on 97s post.

[Abrams]

Re: Haircut and Facial Hair

I keep my hair trimmed fairly short, so the hair on my head needs little modification.

I normally wear a full beard, so for any events, I normally let the beard grow out and affect a period cut. Lately, I like the beard trimmed similar to Gen. Burnside. It is rare to see that cut today, and so makes me blend into the 1860's better, in my opinion.