2014 was a big moment in facial hair. The year marked the start of what we can now call “The Beard Boom”. Since, we’ve since seen a number of failed, idiotic, attempts to will the end of the beard “trend” to power. Perhaps we’re no longer living “peak beard culture”, but that’s because for better or worse, the look has gone mainstream. Face it, critics, facial hair is here to stay.

How Has Beard Culture Gone Mainstream

It’s been a slow crawl toward mainstream acceptance, these last few years. Just take a look around, however. The beard is no longer relegated to the coffee shop barista, the guy a the end of the bar sipping an IPA, and the dude who works in the local woodshop. The fact is facial hair in the workplace is no longer considered taboo or even an unusual sight.

Celebrities of all walks of life have been rocking various styles of facial hair for more than a half-decade now. GQ has officially seen the trend grow enough to include a subsection for beard-friendly content on their site.  Sociological & Scientific studies on the matter have become extremely commonplace. Explanations of the whys, whos, hows, wheres, and whens of facial hair seem like an everyday thing.  We’re also currently seeing the advent of beard transplants as an elective surgery option. The beard has reached a point where science and pop culture have invested themselves in the movement.

Even in an official capacity, the Canadian military has greenlit facial hair for its soldiers. Meanwhile, the US military has begun to loosen their restrictions allowing beards on the basis of religious beliefs. Additionally, a Change.org petition asking the military to allow facial hair collected more than 16,000 votes.

They – we – are everywhere. Beard culture has become nicely ingrained in the mainstream of Western civilization. You can thank us for improving its overall aesthetic now – you’re welcome.