An Ode to Retirement Beards

Believe it or not, retirement beards are a real thing — and we fully support the movement. Many men — especially in the corporate, suit-wearing world — don’t get the chance to play with their grooming routines the way women do.

Related: Beards Banned at Work: What’s So Threatening About Men’s Facial Hair?

It’s still not that uncommon for beards to be banned at workplaces. Disney, for example, has only allowed its theme park workers to grow beards and goatees as of a 2012 policy change. And the Miami Marlins recently reinstated an old no-facial-hair policy for players.

Related: Howard Stern Named Best Hair in America

So, when a man eases into retirement or is between jobs, he will sometimes let his hair down — on his chin and maybe his neck. The current standard-bearer is David Letterman, whose not-safe-for-TV beard has been the subject of much discussion lately (to say the least). This seems to be his very own version of the ultimate retirement fantasy.

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