A beard is rarely just a beard

As a woman who has (regrettably) gotten bangs during an existential crisis, I think it’s a bit unfair to draw the comparison that beards are, emotionally speaking, bangs for men. Not every man can grow beards, but most women can get bangs. Beards arguably make most dudes look better, while bangs make me, specifically, look like an off-brand Zooey Deschanel. Not the same! Still, Luke Winkie [makes a compelling argument]( for why a beard is rarely just a beard, especially when it comes to high-profile men like Beto O’Rourke or David Letterman. A beard might be a coping mechanism in the face of failure, a status symbol, a way to attract women, or … just neck scruff. —[Terry Nguyen](, reporter for The Goods Why famous dudes grow beards to deal with existential crises [Justin Trudeau]( Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images Was anyone really surprised when Beto O’Rourke emerged from exile with a freshly grown salt-and-pepper beard? It seemed to materialize all at once. O’Rourke suspended his presidential bid on November 1, 2019, when he was still dressed in his trademark blue button-down and slacks, without a stray follicle on his mouth, nose, or chin. The rest of his winter was spent hunkered down in Texas, presumably engaging in the sort of cloistral rumination and recalibration that follows any public figure’s collapse. In that time, O’Rourke proved once again that, apparently, personal and professional downfalls, setbacks, and sea changes are great fertilizers for facial hair. Here he is on December 17, equipped with a large coffee, a bemused demeanor, and a charcoal neckbeard [as he endorses Texas congressional hopeful Sima Ladjevardian](. Here he is a few weeks later at Christmas, [looking giddily unelectable in a lumberjack goatee](, as if we were transported to an alternate dimension where O’Rourke’s punk rock career didn’t end in the ’90s. It took him about seven weeks to ditch the cleanshaven look he’s had since, at least, his mugshot. But as powerful men have always known, there’s no coping mechanism quite like a beard. [Read the full story on Vox ]( Fashion has a misinformation problem. That’s bad for the environment. Questionable facts plague the conversation around sustainability and fashion, and that makes the industry harder to regulate. [Read the full story ]( How the coronavirus outbreak is affecting travel Two major US airlines have suspended some flight routes to China. [Read the full story ]( More good stuff to read today - [The rise of daily fantasy and sports betting has created an economy of its own]( - [Mr. Peanut’s death, explained]( - [Shopify, the e-commerce company that’s coming for Amazon]( - [The best $10 I ever spent: Sleep headphones to soothe my bedtime anxiety]( - [Who are the #HotGirlsForBernie?]( Manage your [email preferences](, or [unsubscribe]( to stop receiving emails from Vox Media. View our [Privacy Policy]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved.