All about beards is happy to welcome Timothy to the featured beards section! Timothy went through life barely giving beards a second thought before transforming into an enthusiastic beard grower. A non-traditional adult college student, Timothy is a senior, majoring in geology. As an adult student he finds it easy to associate with all people, young and old.
For many years, Timothy has worked in the hotel industry. Apart from school and work, Timothy enjoys radio DXing in the AM, FM, VHF, and shortwave bands, drawing, outdoor activities, fossil hunting, and admiring his beard. A claim to fame he has is that the old folk song “Tom Dooley” was written about Tom Dula, a distant relative who lived long ago in North Carolina, and his girlfriend, Laura Foster. The song was made famous by The Kingston Trio in 1958.
Timothy is quite devoted to cultivating his prized beard. He would never want anything to go wrong with respect to his beard. He writes, “I’ve had beard nightmares of me losing my beard or of it getting cut or trimmed to a horrible mess! I wake up gasping and immediately feel my beard for reassurance it was only a dream! Lol!”
Scroll down to read the story of Timothy’s outstanding beard. Then be sure to visit Timothy’s photo album. The photos on this page and in Timothy’s photo album are courtesy of Timothy and are used with permission. All photos are subject to the site’s conditions of use.
What do you think about beards?
I fully embrace “the beard”, my own and all the others out there. Beards naturally look good on the men who wear them because they are natural. Men are supposed to have beards. We men have follicles on our face for a reason. So I do not understand the point of shaving every day or every other day. Beards convey a message of strength, virility, maturity, and pride. And they are just plain cool!
Did you give much thought to beards before you ever grew one?
Until recently I didn’t give too much thought about beards. Around 2012 to 2013 when I started experimenting with my beard is when I started to take interest in beards. But before that time I didn’t think two bits about beards. I didn’t pay any attention to the beards I saw either. I had never wanted to grow a beard as a young man. So, no, beards never occupied my thoughts.
As a boy, did you ever think about growing a beard when you became a man?
As a boy, growing a beard never crossed my mind. As a matter of fact I remember feeling somewhat ashamed or embarrassed when facial hair started to grow on my face when I was in middle school. My mustache was the first part to start growing in. I started shaving around eighth grade or so. My dad had a beard for a short time when I was very little, but I was afraid of it! Haha!
For a long time you had a goatee with mustache and stubble. Why did you choose this combo and what did you think of it?
When I was a junior in high school I decided to grow a short goatee and mustache because a fellow classmate and friend of mine had one. I thought he looked cool with it. So I copied his style. I remember the attention I got from it. It was all positive and I felt like it really improved my looks. It also seemed like I picked up more friends and more school mates talked to me after I let the goatee grow out. A funny thing I remember from those early days is that a lot of from high school called me “Pedro” because I resembled Pedro Zamora who was on MTV’s “The Real World” back in the ’90s.
I was very pleased with the goatee. Hey, it was the 90’s and lots of guys had them back then. I felt like it gave me just enough manly quality while I still wanted to hold on to my boyish looks. I only shaved the goatee off once. That was in 2000 when I had to shave it off for my upcoming job at the Fontainebleau Hilton in Miami Beach! In the end, I quit before I even started the job and moved back to Tennessee!
Why did you grow your first full beard?
I grew my first full beard because I ultimately got tired of keeping my face trimmed and I also became busier being a full-time college student and working at my job. So I let it start to grow. Thank God for that! Otherwise, who knows, I may not have started a beard! I’m sure I would have noticed the upswing in beards, eventually, though and might have tried it anyway.
Did your view of beards change after growing your first full beard?
Once my beard started to grow, my view towards beards changed from neutral to completely positive! I liked what it did for my looks and I liked the way it felt. It was then I started to take notice of the other beards out in the world. Once I had a beard, I looked at other bearded dudes with a little more respect and admiration than I did before.
How did you like your first full beard?
I loved my first full beard. It has never left my face since that day I decided to let it grow.
What do you think of the full beard versus other beard styles?
While I appreciate all types of facial hair, I think the full beard is the best-looking style simply because it is completely natural. A full beard says, “Hey, this is me. I’m a man and proud to be one and I don’t care what anybody thinks!”
Have you kept the full beard ever since you first grew it?
Yes, indeed. It has remained a staple on my face since May of 2013. I have only lightly trimmed it up twice since then.
What led you to become a dedicated, permanent, beard grower?
Once I had a good length to my beard I realized how much more confidence it gave me, how much more attention I got as a result of it, and how much more handsome I looked with it. There were too many positive aspects to being bearded that it made no sense for me to go back to being clean-shaven or even closely trimmed.
You started off with a modest, short full beard which has given way to an impressive big full beard and mustache combination. Why did you choose go so big with the beard and mustache?
The more I let my beard and mustache grow, the more compliments and attention I received! I wanted to see how far I could go with it! It might sound silly, but my beard consumed me, in a way! It became an obsession, or a hobby, if you will.
How do you like your beard as it is now, and how it was when it was smaller?
I adore my beard the way it is now. I actually want it to keep getting bigger but I think I may be nearing terminal length because it seems to be growing slower and it sheds when I am getting ready for the day in the shower and at the bathroom sink. I’m okay with that, though. It’s perfect the way it is. I do not want a short beard the way it was in the early days. Size matters! Bigger is always better!
Do you plan to grow your beard even bigger?
I will let my beard grow as big as it can get!
Did you have any shyness issues to overcome with respect to having the courage to first grow your beard and then grow it big?
It wasn’t too much of a big deal when it first started to grow out but when it started to get big I was a little shy about being out in certain public places and around new people. But I grew out of that. All reactions from strangers out in public have all been positive! Every time someone went out of their way to compliment my beard it boosted my confidence each time! Now I love to go out and flaunt my beard to the world!
How have friends, family, and co-workers reacted to your beard?
All my friends love my beard. My family never had issues with my beard. They are all sort of neutral-feeling about it. My mother, however, took a long time to accept my beard. She disliked it quite a bit at first. A few female co-workers have expressed negative reactions towards it, but it never hurt my feelings! I never understood why some ladies dislike beards so much.
Does your beard get you a lot of attention out in public? How do you feel about it?
Yes! My beard is quite the attention-getter! I always catch folks looking at me. It seems other men appreciate my beard more than women. Most compliments come from men. I’d say seventy per cent of compliments come from men versus thirty percent of compliments that come from women. Many times I have heard beardless guys say, “My wife/girlfriend won’t let me have a beard!” or “She made me shave mine off!” I don’t understand why some guys choose to please their significant other by being clean-shaven over growing a beard and expressing their God-given masculine qualities. To those men I say “Choose a woman who accepts you completely! Bearded and all!”
Once in a while I am caught off-guard. Last year while at the grocery store there was an elderly lady in an electric scooter who zipped in front of me with a “thumbs-up” and said, “Love the beard!”
Of course it’s cute when I catch little kids staring at me and there have been times when a few female friends have asked to touch it. Now that I think of it, I’m pretty sure a few guys have asked to touch it, too! That’s always funny. It’s all good! I love all the attention it gets!
Do you feel that your beard sets you apart from the crowd?
I definitely feel apart from the crowd with my beard, for sure! The majority out there have nothing unique about them. It may sound strange to some, but I feel privileged and special to be able to sport such a luxurious man-mane. Only once in a while will I encounter another guy with a beard equal to or bigger than mine. That, right there, tells me I’m unique in my bearded quality.
You have a lot of enthusiasm for your beard. Why is that?
Beards are the ultimate way of publicly saying “Hey, everyone. I’m proud to be a man and I’m unapologetic and unashamed to admit it!” without me having to speak a word. Besides, it looks awesome. I’m enthusiastic about my beard because of how it looks on me and the respect I have gained from it. It has also changed how I feel about myself for the better. So naturally I am enthusiastic about it. It is like a gift that has been given to me from above that brings endless enjoyment as long as I shall keep it.
Do you take a lot of pride in your beard?
Of course I take a lot of pride in my beard! Just look at it! That’s why I’m so willing to talk about it and share my thoughts and pictures with the world. It’s like a trophy on my face!
What do you like best about your beard?
My favorite attributes about my beard is its thickness and fullness along with the subtle variations of colors throughout. Some hairs are black, some are brown, some red, some blonde, and a few hairs are white. I also like the fact that my mustache is lighter colored than the rest of my beard. I am also very happy with the length as well as the way the hairs behave. Some hairs are wavy, some are curly and some are straight. It’s everything, really.
Finally, this may sound strange to some, but to those with substantial beards like mine I’m sure you’ll agree with what I’m about to say. I like the natural smell of my beard and mustache! It is a unique smell that I can’t describe. It isn’t gross or bad-smelling at all! I get whiffs of it throughout the day and I like it. It’s not a heavy smell either, it’s a light scent that is pleasant. I wash it once a week on average so its natural smell starts to come back about two days after washings. Bet you didn’t think I’d go there, did you? This is beard life! I enjoy all aspects of it!
Do you have any complaints about your beard?
I have no complaints about how my beard looks, however I do wish it would grow faster and fuller! Two things I dislike about having a beard is the messiness involved with eating some foods and brushing my teeth. But it’s totally worth a little hassle to have an awesome, big beard!
I have learned to compromise with some foods. For example, I eat burgers, sandwiches, hotdogs, and pizzas with a fork and knife! Soup, cereal, and ice cream, on the other hand, are three foods in which I rarely partake of anymore because of the inevitable mess that ensues. Like I said before, it’s all worth it to have a beard.
Do you ever compare your beard to other beards that you see?
Yes. I am constantly on “beard watch” to see and compare how my beard stacks up to the rest. I’m pleased and amazed at the number of beards that are out there thanks to the recent trend that started a few years ago. I love it when I come across another big beard comparable to mine. We will nod or acknowledge each other somehow. I think guys with shorter beards should let their beards grow to their potential but I have to assume some guys are not able to or cannot grow a big beard for various reasons. All guys with beards of any size are all still part of “the club” though!
Other than changing your appearance, has being bearded changed you in any way?
Yes. It has made me a lot more confident and proud of myself. I also command more respect. For example, when I was pre-beard at college, there were times when some rude students, both male and female, would not share the sidewalk or stairway to the point where it felt like I was forced to the side to make room for them or else I’d get run over! Since the beard has grown I have not had to move to the side for anybody! As a matter of fact, people now make way for me as I walk on the crowded sidewalks or stairs! Yield to the beard, people!!
Do you know if you have inspired any others to grow their beards?
I like to think I have inspired some guys to grow beards. My nephew has grown a short to medium length full beard twice. But he has shaved it off. My college friend, Tyler L., who is in the Tennessee gallery here on beards.org, and I seemed to have a friendly beard competition going for a while. But, I can’t say for certain if I have been a “beardspiration” for anyone.
Would you recommend to others that they grow their beards?
Of course! Beards are so awesome to have bestowed upon you! All men should grow a beard at least once in their lives! They should know what it feels like and see how it changes them for the better! There’s one complaint I have heard all too often from young guys trying to grow beards during my time at college and that is, “It itches too much!” I tell them they have got to fight through it! It goes away! If I were king of the world I would command all men to grow beards and end all beard discrimination, especially in certain work places.
Do you think men should decide to grow beards based on fashion trends?
While it’s great that fashion trends can inspire men to go bearded who otherwise wouldn’t have done so, if a guy grows a beard simply to be “in” and then shaves it off based on what the media and/or fashion trends tell him, then he is doing a disservice to himself, his manhood and to all of us beard admirers. Sorry to sound so blunt to those guys who are overly fashion-oriented, but a “real man” will keep his beard once he has grown it and will not sacrifice his beard to fashion. If a guy has grown a beard for fashion, he should recognize how much better he feels and how much more handsome he looks with it and realize to himself, “This is the way I should be.” Guys! Don’t put your manhood in the backseat based on what people or trends tell you! Assert your manhood with beard power! God put follicles on our face for a reason! You think your beard is too thin or patchy when it’s grown out? Who cares? A beard is a beard! They come in all shapes and sizes just like our bodies! Your beard is unique, let it grow.
What do you think of the upswing in popularity of beards? Is it only temporary?
I am thrilled to live in this period of time that is seeing a resurgence of the popularity of beards! Just think, for a hundred years or so, a very basic, natural and masculine trait was subdued, mainly, I think, for the sake of keeping the makers of razor blades and shaving creams in business at the start of the clean-shaven trend that began in the early part of last century. What a travesty! Of course beard popularity was cyclical in the centuries prior, too.
History always repeats itself and trends come and go. So, yes, I’m pretty sure this current beard trend is temporary. But I think beard popularity will be with us for decades! The future looks hairy and I’m looking forward to it!
How do you feel about being featured on beards.org?
I am honored, excited, and thrilled to be featured on beards.org, the oldest and most prestigious beard site on the internet! Ever since I found the site I always wanted to be featured, and now, here I am!
What do you think about beards.org?
This site is the best beard site on the net. I was pleased to find a virtual gathering place where bearded dudes from around the world are invited to show off their bearded accomplishments and to compare and contrast our beard characteristics. The new layout, content and navigation all have the feel of a first-class, reputable website. Best of all, the site is all-inclusive. It is geared towards everyone, from those just admiring beards, to those thinking about growing a beard and all through the varying stages of beardedness from novice to professional!
Click on the photo below to go to Timothy’s photo album.
