Do Women Like Goatees? [Answers Revealed]

Some men go for a goatee instead of growing a full beard. Wearing a goatee is a great way to remove patchy cheek stubble without going completely clean-shaven. However, women do not see goatees in such practical terms. The question is; do women like goatees? 

A lot of women feel that goatees by themselves are not attractive on most men’s faces. They dislike goatees in comparison to both clean-shaven or fully-bearded faces. 

As a fan of the goatee, this was an unfortunate thing to realize for me. But after reading countless threads and forums on the topic, the answers were pretty clear. 

Having said that, there are still plenty of women who do like goatees, so don’t let this article put you off them completely. 

Stubble goatees, for instance, are still very popular. Plus, some face shapes are perfectly suited to goatees and both men and women do appreciate that. 

Keep reading to learn a lot more about this hotly-debated topic. 

Why Many Women Dislike Goatees

Here are some key reasons I picked up on. Remember, these reasons don’t apply to all women but did keep cropping up in discussions online. 

Longer Goatees Look And Feel Awkward

Many women feel that the overall look and feel of a longer goatee style is simply not attractive nine times out of ten. These women perceive long and thin goatees as scraggly, and some claim that a patchy or thin goatee looks too much like body hair. 

Women tend to view a long goatee as an inability to grow a proper beard, and they often think that men growing them are just trying too hard to stand out from the crowd. 

For both thin or thick goatees, a lot of women get the sense that the man wearing it is out of sync with current fashion trends. 

This might be because the long goatee is generally seen as outdated, having peaked in the 90s.  The worst-case scenario is that they assume the man is too old for them simply because of their choice of facial hair.  

Goatees Can Come Across As Sinister

Traditionally, goatees have been used to give a sinister edge to characters in pieces of art, movies, books, etc. 

Evil characters are often given little tufts of hair on their chin when they’re depicted in historic pieces of art and other forms of media. These are goatees. 

Don’t ask me why – I really don’t get it. If you don’t believe me, there are plenty of articles online about it. 

But due to the way in which this stereotype has been spread through various forms of media over centuries, it’s become a sort of subconscious association. 

A man could be the nicest guy in the world, but that tuft of hair on his chin gives off a completely different vibe. 

It sounds silly, and in many ways it is. But unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot that can be done to undo centuries of stereotypical artwork. 

Women Prefer Clean-Shaven Or Fully-Bearded Men

This might seem obvious, but it’s impossible to ignore the fact that a lot of women just prefer alternatives. 

It’s not that they actively dislike goatees; it’s just that they prefer something else. 

In general, a lot of women simply do not care for facial hair at all; they prefer clean-shaven men. 

Although some women seem to appreciate that some men like to keep a goatee since their facial hair grows too patchy in the cheek area for a full beard, they would rather have these men shave all of their facial hair off than keep the goatee. 

Women who prefer no facial hair also dislike how a goatee prevents them from being able to touch some of a man’s face without having to feel some scruff. 

But what about those women who prefer a Viking-esque or woodsman-esque beard as opposed to chin scruff? 

It’s no secret that full beards are in trend, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Goatees, on the other hand, are beyond their peak and seem to be waning in popularity. 

Plenty of women admire the masculinity of a full, well-groomed beard, and they feel that a goatee could never really compare. 

A man who takes the time to groom and maintain a full beard is noticeable. His commitment to growing a full beard speaks volumes about his commitment to style and fashion. 

Although a simple goatee would do this to a certain extent, it isn’t as obvious. 

Why Women Sometimes Do Like Goatees

In some cases, women do like how goatees look on a man. 

Here are some specific situations where this is the case. 

Stubble Goatees Are Still Going Strong

Thanks to celebrities around the world adopting the “stubble goatee” as their facial hairstyle of choice, it does seem to have maintained its popularity. 

At least when compared with longer, thinner, or wispier goatees that would have been more popular in a time gone by. 

A “stubble goatee” is a goatee where the facial hair itself is less than 5mm long. 

As with any other goatee, there is hair on the chin but not on the cheeks. What defines it is its length. 

A sleek stubble goatee is easy to maintain and keep tidy. It also often looks sleek and stylish. 

So, you may still be keen on growing a goatee. A common reason, as I mentioned earlier, is patchy cheek hair. 

If you’re looking for a goatee style that seems to be a little more popular with the women and also pretty easy to look after, go for a stubble goatee. 

Goatees with Certain Face Shapes 

An easy way to ensure a goatee doesn’t look too awkward is to simply have a face shape that suits the style. 

OK – maybe that isn’t as “simple” as I make out. There isn’t a whole lot you can do about your face shape. But if you happen to have one that actually suits a goatee, you’re in luck. 

Men with long faces, such as a rectangle or triangle-shaped face, should generally avoid goatees, as having so much hair focused around the chin makes the face look even longer. This reinforces a woman’s opinion of a goatee simply looking odd or out of place. 

However, men with shorter faces, like a round or square face, tend to look objectively good with a goatee, as this style of facial hair gives their face more definition. 

It also elongates their face from the bottom, making it look less short or less round. 

Many women who typically do not like goatees often admit that they do like them on these face shapes. 

Goatees with Certain Styles 

In addition to admiring a goatee that flatters a short face, some women like goatees that are worked into other styles or styled a certain way. 

One such style that often works very nicely with a goatee on a round or square face is the goatee with chin strap. 

A “chinstrap” is a strip of hair that runs along the length of the jawline from one ear to the other. 

Funnily enough, most women do not like how this style looks on its own either, but together, a goatee and a chin strap can make a short or round face look longer and more defined. 

It has the glorious definition of adding a lot of definition to the jawline. 

The goatee without a soul patch is also a subtle variation of the goatee where the soul patch is removed. The “soul patch” is the little patch of hair immediately below the lower lip. 

Shaving this off while keeping the rest of the full goatee is a nice way to make it look slicker and sharper. 

Goatee variations like these can often look more attractive than simple goatees by themselves. That’s why it’s worth experimenting and finding a look that suits you. 

Conclusion 

While some men like to wear a goatee because it is somewhere between having a beard and being clean-shaven, a majority of women dislike goatees for this very reason. 

Women seem to prefer either clean-shaven men or fully-bearded men, as opposed to the “middle path” of a goatee. 

However, you can’t deny that there are some women who do like goatees, particularly stubble goatees or goatee variations. 

The stubble goatee is sleek, modern, and stylish – this is no secret. So, if you were looking for a simple way to make it all work, this may be the solution. 

However, don’t overthink all of this. At the end of the day, it’s all subjective. 

Prioritize your own preferences over anyone else’s. Also, be sure to have fun with it. 

After all, it’s just facial hair – it was meant for experimentation and enjoyment.