While watching the Oscars last evening, broadcasted live from Los Angeles, it was interesting to see all the glitz and glamour that Hollywood has to offer. From the Red Carpet arrivals, to the packed seats at the Dolby Theater, it was an event that was brimming with achievement in film and fashion. The nominees of the academy awards, celebrity presenters, and guests know how important it is to look as fabulous as the event itself.
One thing that I couldn’t help but notice is that many of the men at the Oscars were sporting beards. Facial hair on men seems to wax and wane with fashion, but this year it is definitely more “in” than “not”. For example, one trio who seemed to have gotten the Beard Memo was George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, and Ben Affleck. We are used to seeing Bradley Cooper with some trendy facial hair, but George and Ben are usually the “clean cut” guys. Maybe the sporting is because they’ve all been traveling to less-than-LA warm places and need the extra insulation? While that’s a legitimate, even practical, reason to grow out whiskers, gents such as these thespians could also just rock a navy flight jacket or a fur parka.
For this event, George Clooney had more of a fuller beard, which was not so full that it looked unkempt or “Grizzly Adams-like”, but just enough to compliment his salt and pepper hair. Bradley Cooper had more of a modern look with his closely shaved facial hair and slicked back hairstyle. Ben Affleck’s look falls somewhere in the middle between the two. His closely trimmed beard and shortly cropped hair are a handsome look for him.
Whether the “sea of beards” at the 85th Academy Awards Ceremony this year was simply part of a men’s fashion trend, strictly for luck, or a little of both, we probably will never know. However, since George and Ben were both up on stage at the end of the night with Oscar gold in their hands for the Best Picture “Argo”, why leave it to chance?
