The Bald And Bearded look has reigned supreme for a very long time indeed. It’s no secret that it just works. But there are plenty of men who are bald and can’t grow a beard.
This article is to show them that there are plenty of other ways to thrive as a bald man in a modern era.
The tips you’ll find here may not suit every single bald man out there. But they’re so varied that you’re bound to find something you’re drawn toward.
That’s my goal. To get you thinking about the options you have available. Believe me – you have some.
Before we dive headfirst into the tips and tricks we’ve got in store, it’s important to first understand why the “bald and bearded” look actually works.
Once we understand that, it’ll become easier to compensate for a lack of beard with other solutions.
Let’s get to it.
N.B – the images in this post are of models. They may or may not be able to grow a beard – no assumptions are made here.
Why “Bald And Bearded” Works In The First Place
Losing hair can drastically change the way you look. Sometimes, hair loss can be so rapid that this change in appearance can really take a man by surprise.
One of the most commonly experienced shocks is just how different the shape of a face can look with no hair on top of the head.
Put simply, it can often make a head and face look rounder than ever before. There’s no hair on top to mold and sculpt to your desire and to adjust the shape of the head overall.
The reason a lot of these newly-bald men turn to beards is so that they can use facial hair to achieve what their scalp hair used to do.
In other words, to adjust the shape of the face. Usually, this is to make it look less round. A beard can be used to add definition and contour to the bottom of the face. For example, it can make a face look less round or square and more oval-shaped overall.
A beard can compensate for the general curvature of a bald head and face by adding hard angles and lines.
For example, a well-defined and sharp beard neckline and cheek line can add a lot of structure to the bottom half of the face.
You may be wondering why I’m telling you all this when there’s a good chance you may be reading this because you’re bald and can’t actually grow a beard.
It’s important to understand why it works so we can try and compensate for not having it.
Let’s talk about 7 ways in which you can do just that.
7 Style Tips For If You’re Bald And Can’t Grow A Beard
In men’s style and grooming, you always have options. Not all options are universal. Some will work for you and some won’t. Experimentation is key.
1. Consider A Buzz Cut Instead Of Clean-Shaven
Being “bald” can refer to a bunch of different situations. It could mean a clean-shaven, ultra-smooth head. Or it could mean being bald on the top with hair on the sides.
It could also simply refer to a man with a thinning top.
But the chances are, you’ll at the very least be able to grow some hair on the sides and back. That’s just the way male pattern baldness works.
I often recommend going fully clean-shaven for balding men. It’s a great way to fully embrace baldness and is often more striking and impressive than leaving hair on the back and sides.
But for a man that isn’t able to grow any facial hair at all, I’d actually recommend a buzz cut instead of a clean-shaven dome.
A buzz cut is a very short style dependent on the use of a clipper.
An Induction Cut usually works best for bald and balding men. It’s a buzz cut style where the hair is trimmed to the same, equal, very short length in all directions and dimensions.
When you’re unable to grow a beard, an Induction Cut trimmed with no clipper guard attached (i.e a zero grade) can look great.
It’ll leave a nice 5 o’clock shadow appearance to wherever you’ve still got hair on your scalp. This may well just be the sides and back.
But this is just enough color and shadowing to add some variation above the neck. It’s a nice way to frame and add some structure to the top of the scalp.
However, it’s also much neater and more attractive than allowing the sides and back to grow out into an obvious horseshoe.
2. Use Glasses And Sunglasses To Your Advantage
To bald men out there blessed with the gift of perfect vision, eyeglasses won’t be an option. That’s unless you buy a fake pair off
Either way, the same principles apply for sunglasses – these can also look great on bald men.
In the same way that beards can, glasses and sunglasses can add balance and contrast to a bald head and face.
But they need to be chosen with a purpose.
The idea is to use the eyewear to balance out the roundness and curves of a bald head and a potentially round face.
So, choose frames with hard angles and sharp lines. Square or rectangular frames usually work very well.
Glasses and sunglasses are also great because they create sections within the face. When you’re bald without a beard, the face and scalp all blend into one layer of skin.
This can look quite bland.
But when you break things up and divide the face into sections using glasses or sunglasses, it can add more structure.
The color of your glasses should also nicely contrast your skin tone. Going into color theory will probably be the topic of another article.
But to put it simply, lighter skin tones usually match up with darker colored frames and vice versa.
Plus, glasses, where the length of the frame extends beyond the width of the forehead, can actually have a slimming effect on the face.
Just like beards, glasses and sunglasses can add lines, angles, structure, and definition to a bald man’s face.
3. Work With Any Facial Hair You’ve Got
Some of you out there may not be able to grow out a single whisker. That’s fine – the other tips should work for you.
But there are many bald men who “can’t grow a beard” but are able to grow something.
They may not be able to grow a woodsman-esque Garibaldi or a Bandholz. But there’s a chance they may be able to grow just enough to actually achieve its purpose.
If you can grow some stubble, that may well be enough. Even a light, 5 o’clock shadow can add shadowing and definition to the bottom of the face.
Any variation in color should be welcomed. Stubble may be your ticket.
Many men are able to grow a decent chin beard, but find that the cheeks are just too patchy. This is extremely common and not something to get too upset by.
If you’re able to grow a mustache, a chin beard, or both – try it. If you can grow a Full Goatee or even just a traditional tuft of a goatee, this could be more than enough.
It’s just enough hair to add prominence and length to the chin. This can make a bald head and face look longer and more defined.
4. Work Out Vigorously
If ever there was a great reason to exercise it’s so that you can look even better as a bald guy.
Being bald and physically built is a great combination. Think Dwayne Johnson and think Vin Diesel.
These men rarely rock facial hair and yet people don’t even notice because of how ripped they are.
Also, even a small amount of fat loss from the cheeks and jowl areas can make a huge difference. It can make the cheekbones and jawline look more chiseled and defined.
These are huge benefits for bald men who aren’t able to grow facial hair.
5. Dress With A Purpose
A bald man’s wardrobe should be picked out with a purpose. That purpose is to compliment a bald head as much as humanly possible.
Baldness should be the focus of your fashion choices because a bald, stylish man is an incredibly attractive prospect.
Of course, personal preference and personality will play a big role here. Your style may already be set in stone and it’s something that men hold to be quite personal at times.
But there are tactics you could deploy when dressing yourself to make baldness look oh so dapper.
Here are some examples:
- Choose shirt collars with tips that point vertically downward and are narrowly spaced apart. This draws the eyes downward and makes a bald head and face look slimmer and less round.
- Choose suit jackets with sharp, angular lapels (notch or peak) that contrast the curvature of a bald dome.
- Upper bodywear with vertical lines draw the eyes up-and-down. This has a slimming effect on the face and body.
- Wear clothes with colors that contrast skin tone. With no hair and no beard, there’s a whole lot of skin on show above the neck. Add some balance by choosing the color of your clothes carefully.
6. Use Hats Wisely
Hats and bald men can at times be a pretty dangerous combination. It can work great, but often it doesn’t.
The main reason for this is often the reason behind wearing the hat in the first place. If the hat is worn for the sole purpose of hiding baldness, it just isn’t going to work.
The lack of confidence and self-esteem will be obvious.
But if a hat is worn as a fashion statement by a clearly confident and stylish bald man, it can look absolutely fantastic.
Once again, hats can be used to add structure and balance to the face and head. You’ll want to use the shape of the hat to your advantage.
Hats with sharp, angular features can nicely contrast the curves that baldness and a lack of beard bring about.
A wide brim can also have a narrowing effect on the face. In addition, a tall crown can add height (although this definitely shouldn’t be overdone).
Fedoras and Trilbies are examples of hats that often look great on bald men.
7. Exude Confidence At All Times
This one is more abstract, but in a way, it’s the most important one. Without this, the other tips are nowhere near as useful.
Becoming bald can sometimes take a chunk out of a man’s confidence and self-esteem. This is particularly true when it happens pretty rapidly or out of the blue.
To top it all off, not being able to grow a beard can sometimes do the same thing. This double-whammy may seem like a big deal, but it’s really not.
Again, you always have options
Let’s go back to my go-to examples of Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel. Both of these men rarely ever sport beards and are also bald.
Sure, they’re built like tanks and are superstars.
But they also exude confidence at all times. That’s what sets them apart and why baldness works for them so well.
Embrace baldness and make it work for you. A bald, confident, and stylish man that’s fully comfortable with his appearance is a real force to be reckoned with.
Conclusion
That last point sums things up nicely.
Use baldness to your advantage and make it work – beard or no beard.
Hopefully, you’ve now got a range of tips, tricks, and tactics you’re looking forward to trying out on yourself.
At the end of the day, have fun with it. That’s the most important part.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
