To Neckbeard or Not – A Complete Guide with 70 Neckbeard Styles
There is almost no subject more polarizing in the world of men’s facial hair than the “neckbeard”. This beard style, or lack thereof, depending on who you talk to, is the most reviled shape facial hair can take.
Even the term has become loaded with all sorts of extra, mostly derogatory meaning, and is used as an insult that transcends the extended beard line it originally referred to. Any sort of geeky, unkempt individual can now be called a “neckbeard” even if they don’t currently possess excess facial hair on their neck but are deemed potential wearers of the style.
We don’t think anyone should be insulted or belittled because of the way their facial hair grows in or whether they choose to keep it groomed. However, given that we are concerned with the care, maintenance and styling of beards and facial hair, we aren’t neutral on the subject.
In general, the neckbeard is a perfectly valid beard style, as long as it is trimmed and maintained. If it is purely wild growth, untrimmed due to laziness or negligence then it’s hard for us to support the cause.
Beards are a wonderful expression of a man’s individuality and we simply can’t countenance lazy or non-existent beard care. Here we will discuss neckbeards, from how neckbeards have become a screen stereotype to what causes neckbeards, why hair grows under the chin, how to get rid of neckbeards, ways to style neckbeards so that it looks good on you.
How Neckbeards Have Become a Screen Stereotype
Not so long ago, neckbeard was another term for nerd—a technophile with an encyclopedic knowledge of irrelevant topics. In the recent past, neckbeard, while usually derogatory, did not hold exclusively negative connotations like it does today.
A modern neckbeard is a “nice guy” that, while retaining all the negative elements of the stereotypical nerd—living on the internet, obsessing over niche topics, gaining gratification from being right—also possesses deluded views of their attractiveness and appearance.
The modern neckbeard is misogynistic, often aggressive, and lives in a fantasy world where they are a chivalrous knight thwarted at every turn by women and “inferior” men.
But how has the neckbeard stereotype evolved from tech nerd to unkempt “nice guy”? The answer lies in modern technology and culture.
As technology has become a more significant part of the average person’s everyday life, it has become more distanced from its roots as a nerd’s tool.
Additionally, as subcultures like anime, video gaming, and streaming have taken off and become more mainstream, these previously nerdy activities became a lot less nerdy.
In turn, the term nerd has come to possess less weight. The nerdy characters we see in cinema are all attractive actors that make being nerdy look sexy.
As the negative connotations of nerds have shifted, society has looked for a new label to pin all these unsavory things on. Subsequently, the neckbeard as we know it today was born.
In the modern sense, Neckbeards encompass all the unattractive, deluded qualities the term nerd has left behind.
Additionally, neckbeards have come to encompass any man that feels scorched by the rejection of women and that it is his right to their bodies. These ideologies are what make up the modern neckbeard.
What Causes a Neckbeard?
As a true style, the neckbeard is achieved by shaving everything above the jawline and letting the neck hair grow. What most people think of as a neckbeard is the free-growing, untamed scruff that lazy, dirty people don’t bother to shave off.
You can prevent neckbeards by maintaining neck hair and beard cleanliness.
Why Does My Beard Only Grow Under My Chin?
The largest contributors to a beard that only grows under one’s chin are age and time. Young men are more likely to have less hair on their face and subsequently more hair under their chin. If you want your beard to be higher, your only real option may be to wait for it to develop more.
Additionally, if you’ve just started growing your beard or haven’t previously had a beard above your chin, you may just need to wait for it to fill out. As unfortunate as it is, the best solution to gain a beard on your face proper is just to give it time to fill in naturally.
How to Get Rid of a Neckbeard?
There are many ways to rid yourself of a neckbeard and two styles to keep in mind when doing so.
The first style is to trim your neckbeard in a way that blends it out into your existing beard. This will help keep your beard full and prevent it from looking stuck on. The second way is to remove it entirely. This looks better with shorter beards, styled staches, or clean-shaven faces.
The best methods for removing or taming a neckbeard are to clean, comb, and shave— either on your own or at a barber’s wax for a more defined look or use laser hair removal for semi-permanent results.
Is the Neckbeard a Style or Not?
What’s often at issue is whether a given neckbeard is an intentional style which has been trimmed and maintained or whether it’s simply wild growth that the wearer has opted not to remove.
The neckbeards most often made fun of are the latter type, frequently worn by younger guys whose beards haven’t completely filled in yet, which makes their neckbeards look patchy and angry. It’s fairly clear that not only have their beards not finished developing, neither has their sense of proper grooming. They may be happy that they’re getting any beard at all and are too young to realize that it needs to be trimmed and shaped in order to look presentable. Cut these kids some slack. They’re doing their best under the circumstances. Puberty is a bitch.
This doesn’t apply once you’re in your mid to late 20s and beyond, though. You’re solidly an adult at that point, capable of making adult decisions and maintaining facial hair. If you’re still sporting the lazy man’s neckbeard it’s likely other parts of your life aren’t working well, either.
We feel for you, certainly, but we urge you to buy a razor and clean yourself up. Self-confidence starts with a healthy self-image, and a lazy neckbeard indicates a lack of both.
However, if you’ve embraced the neckbeard as a legitimate style, grooming it and trimming it adequately from the rest of your face until it screams with all of its neo-Amish glory, “Here I am! Look upon my hair-filled neck and weep!”, then our hats off to you! You’ve taken a bold stand for your right to style your beard however you like. You’ve embraced your masculinity and poured it out, in hair form, from the entirety of your lower face.
And in fact, the neckbeard can look quite good on the right face shape. Men with domed, angular skulls and flat, wide jaws can balance their features by wearing a tasteful neckbeard. If you want to give a sculpted, manly neckbeard a try, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Sculpting the Perfect Neckbeard
The perfect neckbeard starts by flipping traditional beard trimming advice upside down. The section of your beard between your adam’s apple and where your jaw meets your neck that is normally shaved off is the prime cut of beard hair you’re opting to hold onto with a neckbeard.
Instead of nixing this patch you’ll be shaving most of your cheeks bare, and removing your mustache and soul patch, leaving only the sideburn area, flowing into the crest of your beard, about a quarter to a half inch up from the corner of your jawline.
It’s imperative with a sizable neckbeard that you use some sort of beard oil or beard butter. You need to apply the beard grooming product to keep the facial hair soft and manageable, otherwise, it’ll have a tendency to frizz and expand to twice its size. And make sure to comb out knots once you’ve applied your product.
Neckbeard for Curly Facial Hair
If you have particularly wiry or curly beard hair you may want to consider shortening and shaping the sides of your beard to help it taper down your face. You don’t want explosive growth on the sides which renders your beard considerably wider than your head.
Or maybe you do. It’s your neck and your beard. If you want to sport a reverse Don King, that’s your prerogative. We generally wouldn’t recommend it, but you don’t have to listen to us.
Choose the Neckbeard
If we had to come up with a perfect summarizing statement it would be this. Choose the neckbeard. If you have a neckbeard, let it be because you chose it, not because it simply happened as a result of not doing anything. The former is a position of power. That latter comes from a place of weakness.
A neckbeard is a bold statement, but it’s only a positive statement if you meant to make one. If you’re just lazy and unconcerned with ever trimming your beard then you’re tacitly making a very different statement. You’re saying, “I don’t care enough about myself to do anything at all with my facial hair, so I’m just going to let it grow wild until it conquers my face and leaves me a shell of a man”.
But if you’ve chosen the neckbeard, and you’re keeping it maintained and looking its best then more power to you. Your beard is as solid and as stout as your character. Keep fighting the good fight.
Neckbeard Styling Ideas
The neckbeard is by far the most misunderstood beard style among any other. Although commonly associated with gamers and heavyset men, when styled properly, the neckbeard can be very stylish and modern look for the youthful men of today.
Neckbeards can be sported either long or short. Depending on the growth pattern of your beard, you can customize the look accordingly. So whether you are a corporate businessman or a professional gamer, here are 70 cool and simple ways to style your neckbeard.
These neckbeard styles are perfect for men who want to achieve a more conservative look with their neckbeards. While neckbeards are often sported long and gaudy, these options give the beard a more office-friendly, everyday look that is easy to maintain.
1. Clean and Short Neckbeard
This version of the neckbeard offers a clean-shaven face, leaving the hair on the neck and below the chin short and moderately thick. This gives a more polished look to that can be sported by anyone.
2. Barely There
This neckbeard is reminiscent of 5’oclock shadow, featuring a neckbeard that has been trimmed down very close to the skin. This is a great way to sport a neckbeard if your hair doesn’t grow in thick, or is patchy in nature because it gives you the opportunity to mask the patchiness by being so short.
3. Extended up into a Chinstrap
Another way to style your neckbeard is by extending it up into a chin strap. This will give you a little bit of hair on the chin if you are partial to keeping your chin covered. Just shave the face clean, leaving the mustache, and trim the hair along the jawline to form a chin strap.
4. Neck Strap
This look is reminiscent of the last, but the hair on the chin is shaved off and the neckbeard is styled to mimic a lower version of the chin strap.
5. Lebron James Neck Beard
Lebron James is sporting a more modern version of the neckbeard by extending it up to the tip of the chin. This gives the jawline a fuller look while still bringing focus to the neckbeard, itself.
6. Short and Sweet
This neckbeard is short in length but thick in density, giving the wearer the best of both worlds if he’s looking to create a more prominent style to wear every day. To achieve this style, shave the face and sideburns clean, leaving the beard to hit just below the chin.
The Carefree Neckbeards
If you’re not into a conservative style beard, then these neckbeard options may be for you. While they are not too long or full, they offer a style that makes it look like you didn’t even have to try. Here are some carefree looks you can achieve with your neckbeard:
7. Thick and Grizzly
This neckbeard features a more carefree look, allowing the beard to remain fuzzy and somewhat untamed. If you’re looking to sport a neckbeard but still want a substantial amount of hair left on the chin, then this style may be the perfect choice for you.
8. Thin and Grizzly
Mimicking the last style, this neckbeard features a more trim beard that extends up to the chin and sideburns.
9. Clean yet Carefree
This neck beard features a clean-shaven face and sideburns, leaving the beard just under the chin and along the jawline. While the hair can be trimmed down further, this style leaves the beard long and thick for a more grizzled appearance.
10. Classic Gentleman
This vintage look styles the neckbeard as thick and short, as it extends up into the sideburns. The look is tied together with a cleanly coiffed hairstyle.
11. 19th Century
Here’s another vintage neckbeard style similar to the previous one. This neckbeard, however, shaves the chin completely clean, only leaving hair on the neck which extends up into the sideburns.
12. The Cut-Out
This unique style features sideburns that have been styled to mimic a keyhole-type of effect around the ear. The face and chin are both shaved clean while remaining the sideburns intact. Then, the hair around the ear is carefully trimmed away, leaving a keyhole effect.
The Big and Grizzly Neckbeards
These neckbeard options feature many disheveled looks for the man who likes to embrace the untamed nature of his facial hair. If you’re not particularly worried about shaping and styling your beard, here are some great carefree neckbeard options to choose from:
13. Short but Thick
If you’re into rocking a really thick, untamed beard then this neckbeard style could be for you. This beard style offers a cleanly shaven face coupled with neckbeard that extends up to the tip of the chin, leaving the hair thick while still maintaining a moderate length.
14. Expose the Chin
This historic figure sports a neckbeard that has been grown out to a moderate length. The face and chin are shaved clean, while the beard is left attached to the sideburns which are actually disconnected from the hairline.
15. The Skater
This neckbeard has been left to grow out to a medium length with a face that has been shaved clean to just below the chin. Giving a unique look to the neckbeard, the sideburns are allowed to also to grow out thick.
16. Thick and Full
If you want to leave the majority of your beard hair intact while rocking your neckbeard, then this style would be a good option for you. This look shaves the face down to the chin and leaves the rest of the beard to grow freely.
17. The Short but Free Neckbeard
Here’s a more modest version of a grizzly neckbeard. Shaving the face and chin clean, the beard is left to grow on the neck and up into the sideburns. Although the hair is trimmed short, this is a good option for those who cannot achieve a fuller beard.
18. Only Neckbeard, Leave the Mustache
Another unique way of styling your grizzly neckbeard is by pairing it with a mustache. If you’re a man who can’t stand the thought of shaving your mustache off but still want to rock a neckbeard, this may be the option for you.
19. The Gamer
The neckbeard has been something closely associated with heavyset gamers since they recently popped back on the scene. In order to achieve this version of the neckbeard, shave the face clean, leaving the beard to grow freely under the chin. You can choose to trim it to a moderate length or let it grow as long as you please.
Go Hard With Your Neckbeard or Go Home
These neckbeards are for those who don’t mind rocking a particularly gaudy look. They are the longest, thickest neckbeards to grace the internet and can really only be attempted by those with the highest self-esteem (or sense of humor). Here are the most extravagant neckbeard styles to be found.
20. The Founding Father
This vintage version of the neckbeard shaves the face and the majority of the neck clean, leaving the beard towards the lower portion intact. Also, instead of remaining attached to sideburns, the beard extends behind the ears, towards the nape of the neck.
21. The Collar
This unique neckbeard mimics a collar, as it sits toward the base of the neck like the style above. To achieve this style shave the face and majority of the neck clean, leaving a collar-like beard to sit above the chest. Trim to the beard to whatever length you desire.
22. Like the Amish
Leaving a little bit of hair on the chin and thick sideburns, this Amish version of the neckbeard gives a full version of the neckbeard. In order to achieve this look, shave the face clean, leaving the sideburns and a small amount of hair on the tip of chin.
23. The Professor
This awesome neckbeard also extends up to the chin and remains attached to sideburns. The key to achieving this is maintaining a full, thick beard. If you want to look like an estute professor from the 19th century, then this look is definitely for you.
24. Chin Up Buttercup
Here’s an exceptionally exquisite neckbeard that extends from the base of the chin. The face and sideburns have been shaved clean while the hair below the chin has been left to grow long and unruly.
25. Ripley’s Status
This neckbeard has been featured in Ripley’s Believe it or Not as the longest ever recorded. This style is achieved by shaving the face and chin completely clean, leaving the beard on the neck, exclusively.
Some Neckbeards You Can Actually Try
26. Bold Van Dyke Neckbeard
It is a modish and elegant neckline beard. It features extended goatee, handlebar mustache, and light stubble cheeks area. It is easy to maintain, but tricky to style. It is the best choice for those guys who have a narrow chin. This beard contours the square or round face shapes in the best way.
27. Unkempt Beard Look
It is a short mustache with unkempt, medium stubble neckbeard. It provides guys a balanced look. Keep the cheek line and mustache well-trimmed to maintain a professional look.
28. Short Beard
It is one of the most admired and attractive beard styles of the current era. The beard looks professional and gives boys a handsome hunk look. It includes well-groomed neckline hair, distinctive soul patch and well-trimmed mustache connecting with medium stubble.
29. Goatee and Neckbeard 
This beard style is inspired by ancient bearded men who love to wear a neckline beard with a clean-shaven face to show their intelligence. It features a petite goatee, clean-shaven cheeks and upper lip area, and long hair emerging from the jawline.
30. Chin Curtain
Chin curtain, neckline beard suits round, diamond and a rectangular face shape the most. This particular beard style includes facial hair extended from the sideburns to sideburns and stubble, blonde mustache. If you can grow a thick mustache, it would be a plus point as it will add more masculinity in your whole look.
31. Scruffy Look
It is a hoary and shadow version of a neckbeard. You can achieve this look after two to three days without any shaving process. Keep the cheek lines unkempt and trim the neckline hair rather than clean shaving.
32. Quite Messy Beard
Are you facing the bald spot related problems and want to direct people attention away from it? You can grow dark and messy neckline hair for this purpose. It is a quite disheveled look but can make an acceptable combo with thin and patchy facial hair.
33. Patchy Neckbeard
Here is another smart choice to subdue the patchy beard problem. You can grow the stubble without a mustache and untrimmed neck hair for a mature look.
34. Thick Chin Strap
It features mustache, soul patch and chin strap goatee with thick neckline hair. Cheek lines and chin looks completely clean shaven. If you have a round face, adapt this look to contour the jawline for robust features.
35. Hanging Neckbeard
It is quite an unusual and unique beard style that can give you a funkier look by the way you carry it. The long size hair hangs from the neck and covers the whole neck area while the face looks completely clean-shaven. Ear studs, cool shades, and nose ring give a bold statement to men.
36. Short Beard with Scarce Neck Hair
In this beard style, scarce neck hair covers Adam’s apple area from the center while the neck sides are without hair. This unique combination of neckbeard and short beard style give a personality boost to teen boys and drive people attention from the bald spots present in the beard.
37. Short and Thin Neckbeard
Messy hairstyle and short neckline beard can give guys such incredible attire that will surely win the ladies heart. Keep the cheek line well-kept and neck hair untrimmed, accompanying the short beard for a macho appearance. It features a circle goatee, short beard and neck hair covering Adam’s apple.
38. Jonah Hill Beard
Jonah Hill is a famous American actor. He has been seen in this particular beard style at various events. It is basically a 5 o’clock shadow beard with unkempt neck hair that is actually hiding his double chin area.
39. Neck-Bearded Model
You may have seen many models with a beard, but a male model who is carrying a neckbeard in such a cool way must have inspired you more. The dangling earring and pierced nose along with Fauxhawk hairstyle are complimenting the beard even more. Neckline hair looks thicker than the facial hair, and this is how a neckbeard should look.
40. Neat and Professional
It is one of the most charming and presentable neckline bearded looks. Pointed sideburns, thick mustache, well groomed short beard, and well-kept neckline hair make an enchanting combination altogether. Add more charisma to whole attire by wearing bald fade hairstyle.
41. Clean and Classy
This beard style includes thick neckbeard, circle goatee, soul patch, and low cheek lines. It looks professional and classy on guys because of its well-kept look. Do not cover your neck with hair and focus on shaping the neckline hair for a suave look.
42. Neckbeard with Stubble Mustache
It is simple and easy to maintain a beard style that involves no shaving. The neckline hair does not look bushy and rough, but well-shaped instead. The neckline beard does not cover the whole neck area.
43. Neckbeard with Prominent Soul Patch
It is an alluring combination that includes a thick mustache, prominent soul patch and facial and neck stubble. The above man is having the neck hair covering his Adam’s apple zone. To maintain the desired length, trim the beard after a gap of few days.
44. Fenriz Signature Beard
Long hair and chest length neckbeard give a wilder yet strong look to men. It is quite challenging to maintain, especially when you have such an equally longer hair and beard length. The beard starts from the jawline and keeps on extending under the chin covering the whole neck.
45. Bushy Neckbeard
This bushy beard will give you a Vikings vibes that feature long mustache covering the lips and chest length neckbeard. However, the above guy has well-trimmed cheek lines that are giving him a slightly tamed look.
46. Neck Ring Beard
It features a mustache, clean-shaven cheeks and chin, and neck hair trimmed in the form of a ring that’s why named as neck ring beard. This particular beard gives a unique appearance to man because of its weirdo combination.
47. Traditional and Mannish
The neckline hair is trimmed into a square shape. It features a Garibaldi beard style and well-kept, thick neckline hair that provides ultra-mannish looks to men. You can golden blonde the mustache and cheek lines for highlighted features.
48. Irish Men Beard
Irish beard is amongst the popular beard style, and the Irish version of neckbeard has its own grace that always gets the admiration of people. It includes thicker neckline hair that gives prominence to jawline.
49. Medium Neck Stubble
It is easy to achieve and require less grooming techniques than other neckbeard styles. The medium neck stubble provides an elegant look and considers as some of the best professional beards looks. A disconnected mustache, tiny soul patch and medium stubble make the above winning look. The hair covers only the neckline rather than the whole neck which in actual, gives the polished look to the guy.
50. Fuzzy Neckbeard
When you grow a Verdi beard accompanying a grisly neckline hair and unkempt cheek lines, you achieve the above-given style that gives men a wild look. If you want an organized look, you can trim the cheek lines and groom the thick beard for this purpose.
51. Mature and Polished
You can achieve this look by combining three styles .i.e. Zappa mustache, chin curtain, and neckline hair. Do not connect the mustache with a beard to maintain a disconnected goatee shape. Clean shave the cheek area entirely and trim the neckline hair into rounder shape to give an impact to your jawline.
52. Neck Stubble and Mustache
Handlebar mustache and stubble neckbeard come under the most wonderful short beard and long mustache styles. Men with the given combo look not only mature but elegant as well. It is simple and easy to maintain, but styling a mustache require some time and hard work.
53. Rugged Beard
The rugged beard provides a debonair personality to men. Trim the neckbeard into v shape for pointed and edgy features. Keep the cheek line shorter than the mustache and neckline hair for a tamed look. Bald fade hairstyle and neck tattoo create an awesome look.
54. Viking Neckbeard
No doubt, it is one of the most mesmerizing and tough stud neck beard looks that never fails to get people attention. If you have oblong or slim face shape, trim the neck hair into a rounder shape for a spacious and voluminous look. Apply the beard oil and comb the beard and mustache regularly for a refined look.
55. Full Neckbeard
Indeed an inspiring beard style that looks graceful on men. You have to wait for months to achieve the full beard length. Keep the hair under chin well-trimmed and shape neckline hair with the help of blow dryer for a voluminous texture.
56. Dark and Centered
This particular beard is just like extended goatee that includes a circle goatee, clean-shaven cheeks, and thick sideburns. The goatee extends further under the chin and covers half of the neck near to Adam’s apple. It looks best on afro guys because of their thick beard texture.
57. Teen Neck Strap
It involves no cheek and chin hair, but a stubble mustache and thick strip of facial hair that looks extended to the entire neckline. This neck strap is kept free to grow and looks disconnected from the sideburns. It is the best way to hide a double chin area and ultimately fits on a chubby face.
58. Unkempt and Thick
The neck hair extends wildly on the neck and joins with the thick sideburns. It is best for those guys who have less defined jawline area. It features short beard, trimmed cheek lines, and shabby neckbeard.
59. Dark and Dazzling
This unique beard style adds depth and breathtaking features when paired up with short beard, mustache and thick soul patch. You have to trim it often to maintain the desired length. Neck hair covers the half of the neck and joins with sideburns.
60. Neckbeard and Buzz Cut
Full neckbeard and a buzz cut give an extraordinary graceful impact on men’s personality. The thick neckbeard and Garibaldi style with low cheek lines are the core features of this beard style, which are suitable for the men with narrow chin or weak jawline area.
61. Extraordinary Stylish Look
Having a neckbeard does not always mean to have long, shaggy hair hiding your whole neck space. You can get an appealing look by combining pencil mustache and long stubble including the neck hair and low cheek line hair.
62. Ginger Neckline Beard
If you are looking for a distinctive and modish neckbeard style, you can surely give this style a big shout out. It features short beard, well-kept neckline hair, faded sideburns, and a mustache. It is the best way to contour rounder or square face shape. Wear a bald fade brush up hairstyle to adore your overall attire.
63. Thick Neck Curtain
This distinctive look comprises thick neck curtain and a circle goatee. Neckline hair extends from thick sideburns to the chin’s tip. It is quite thicker than the normal chin strap and covers the whole neckline area that’s why named as neck curtain.
64. Perfect Line Up
When barely visible neck stubble combines with a full beard and a soul patch, it creates such a professional beard combination that guys love to wear. Neck area reveals a shadow appearance that looks attractive rather than the grizzly one.
65. Scraggly Neckbeard
Despite its scraggly appearance, it is giving a dauntless look to Tom Hardy. It is moderately patchy, but the symmetry in the entire bearded look making it appealing to eyes. This neckbeard certainly has the ability to take the attention off from the thin facial hair texture.
66. Blonde and Short
Here, the neckbeard looks relatively darker than the cheeks line hair. Mustache and chin hair looks golden blonde making a distinctive circle beard shape. Neck hair is grown naturally and does not seem trimmed properly, but flatter in size. So, the purpose of this beard is to put an emphasis on the jawline.
Many of these neckbeards are really cool but need guts to wear. Choose a suitable beard that will go with your face shape and size. Let us know which neckbeard style is your favorite.
