30 Mutton Chop Sideburns for the Boldest Look Possible
Mutton chop beards get their name because, when shaped correctly, they resemble a piece of chopped mutton. They’re also commonly called “pork chop sideburns” or “lamb chop sideburns.”
They’re characterized by sideburns that are shaped and cut along the lower jawline, extending toward the chin. Because the shape is so specific, precision during the line-up and detailing process is absolutely critical.
How to Shave Mutton Chops
Before shaving, comb your sideburns from top to bottom and from the sides of your chin. This trains the hair to lie flat in the direction you want it to grow.
Choose a comb based on your facial hair texture. The softer and finer your mutton chops, the finer the comb; the coarser and denser the hair, the wider the tooth spacing.
You can wear mutton chops with or without a mustache. If you’re going clean on the upper lip, shave the philtrum area, the middle of your chin, and your neck as you grow and form the chops.
As you trim the hair on your cheeks, shave at a slanted angle. Your mutton chops should measure about 1½ inches at the widest point, tapering narrower near your ears and temples.
For close work along your cheeks and chin, a detail trimmer will give you more control than a traditional razor. A foil shaver works well for cleanup on the shaved zones, and a dedicated detailer is a must for edge work and tight spaces.
A razor can slip too easily and take out a chunk of hair you didn’t mean to lose.
Face shape matters here too. For a round face, keep the chops shorter on the sides and longer at the bottom. For a long face, do the opposite.
Keep chops small and neat on a smaller face, and go fuller and bushier if you’ve got a larger frame. Round off the corners for square jaws to create balance. Proportion and beard symmetry are everything.
The styling of mutton chops surged in popularity during the 19th century among Europeans. The sideburns were allowed to grow bushy and thick while the chin was kept clean-shaved to sharpen and personalize the look.
Later sported by Teddy Roosevelt, Elvis Presley, and even Mr. T, mutton chops have made their way back into the spotlight with each new generation. Today, they’re one of the most distinctive and modern facial hairstyle choices across all age groups.
How to Grow Mutton Chops
Here’s a quick summary of how to grow mutton chops the right way:
- Grow your beard for at least one to two months before shaping.
- Clean and comb your beard regularly to keep the hair from becoming coily or unruly.
- Apply beard oil to prevent beard breakage and keep the hair conditioned.
- Make sure the sideburns are connected with the mustache before you start trimming.
- Trim your sideburns on the sides and shave all the hair clean from your chin.
- Trim the mustache regularly to maintain a sharp, clean mutton chop shape.
Suitable Face Shapes
Mutton chops are defined by two things: the sideburns and the mustache. Miss either one and you’re not really in the game. Face shapes like Oblong and inverted Triangle are the best fits for this style.
Precautions
- Always keep your chin clear and clean.
- Avoid blade equipment to cut down the chances of razor bumps.
- Always use the right shave gel or lather when shaping mutton chops.
Connected Sideburns: The Friendly Mutton Chops
Friendly mutton chops are a slight modification of the classic mutton chops. The key difference: long sideburns that connect directly to the mustache, bridging both sides of the face.
Popular Mutton Chop Sideburns
If you’re thinking of incorporating mutton chops into your look, here are a few modernized options to choose from:
1. Friendly Mutton Chops with Mustache Connection
Friendly mutton chops put a modern spin on the classic style. A mustache bridges the two sideburns across the face, giving the whole look a connected, cohesive feel.
2. Gujarati Extended Mutton Chops with Prominent Walrus Mustache
Men from many parts of India have traditionally grown some seriously impressive facial hair. This style takes the friendly mutton chops further with extra-extended sideburns and a thick, voluminous walrus mustache that commands the whole face.
3. Clean-Lined Full Mutton Chops with Shaved Goatee
This look is achieved by fully growing out the sideburns into the beard, shaving off the goatee area, and trimming the chops down with scissors. Keeping the chops moderately thick is what really makes it work, as the added bulk further outlines the masculine shape of the jawbone.
Beard symmetry is critical here, so brushing down the hair and doing a quick trim each day may be necessary for some guys to keep everything looking sharp.
4. Friendly Mutton Chops with Full Chevron Mustache
Similar to the previous look, but here the mustache stays on rather than getting shaved off. If you want to leave a little controlled unruliness to the style, just lightly trim the beard and mustache until you hit your desired length.
The most popular beard styles for men
5. Mr. T-Style Thick Chops with Long Chin Beard
This style is achieved by leaving the chops thick and cutting them down short, shaving the mustache thin and away from the nose, and leaving the chin portion of the beard long.
This bold look has been sported by none other than Mr. T himself, who pities the fool who questions his chop style.
6. Barely There Short Stubble Mutton Chops
This is a modest, modern chop with plenty of appeal. Shave off the goatee portion of the beard and cut the beard down very short using clippers or scissors. Shape the chops so they frame the jawline with clean, soft lines.
7. Holy Mother of Gaul White Hulihee Mutton Chops
If you’re not afraid to go big with chops like these, grow it all out, shave off the chin beard, use some beard balm to control the volume, and comb the rest of the hair up into a sophisticated coif. Go hard or go home, right?
8. Natural Disconnected Mutton Chops with Medium Beard
This look sits halfway between a mutton chops style and a full beard. Shave the hair off your chin, leaving only a touch of stubble in the soul patch zone underneath your mouth. It’s a rugged, rough-and-ready style that keeps things looking natural rather than overly groomed.
9. Fluffy Unstyled Mutton Chop Sideburns
The absence of styling is exactly what makes this style work. It goes completely against the grain, in the best way possible.
Run a comb backwards through your sideburns to fluff the hair up and let that natural volume do all the heavy lifting.
10. Salt-and-Pepper Walrus Mustache with Connected Mutton Chops
This style joins the mustache with the sideburns. A steeply sloping walrus mustache creates sharp angles where it meets the mutton chops, giving the whole look a serious, commanding presence.
No surprise it’s a favorite among older gentlemen who carry that natural air of authority.
11. The Classic Burnside Mutton Chops
General Burnside is the undisputed king of the sideburns. He rocked the style so hard that sideburns are literally named in his honor.
His approach to facial hair was big, bold, and unapologetic. If you want to make a statement as powerful as Burnside’s, this is the blueprint to follow.
12. Bushy Mutton Chops with a Handlebar Mustache
Channel serious old-school energy with full, bushy mutton chops paired with a classic handlebar mustache. Both elements are bold on their own, but they stay disconnected here, never meeting in the middle.
Keep working that mustache wax so the tips curl upward at the corners for a proper 19th-century finish.
13. Full Mutton Chops with a Thin Chevron Mustache
Full mutton chops paired with a thin chevron mustache is a sharp style choice for guys with a round face. The width and density of the chops help offset that circular shape, while keeping the mustache trim and narrow ensures your face stays open and approachable rather than overwhelmed by hair.
14. Full Mutton Chops on a Shaved Head
Your facial hair will hit far harder when there’s nothing on top competing for attention. A shaved head is a brilliant canvas for showcasing thick, connected mutton chops, letting that sideburn-to-mustache blend take center stage with maximum impact.
15. Wide Chin Strap with Disconnected Mustache
If you want to sharpen up your jawline, growing your sideburns into a wide chin strap is a proven move. It follows the natural contour of the jaw and can really emphasize that shape.
This version leaves the chin section open, letting a disconnected mustache take the spotlight up top.
16. Extended Mutton Chops with Chin Curtain Underbeard
This sideburn and beard combination sweeps under the chin and connects across to the other side, forming a chin curtain underbeard. It’s a solid pick if you want something with a raw, shaggy edge.
Think of it as the wild cousin of the standard mutton chop setup.
17. Classic Long Mutton Chop Sideburns
A genuinely classic style might not chase the latest trend, but it never goes stale either. Here, the sideburns do all the talking, carrying the whole look on their own.
18. Mutton Chops with Handlebar Mustache and Soul Patch
Grooming trends are always moving, and there are no sacred rules. This look pairs mutton chops with a sculpted handlebar mustache and a soul patch, pushing the style into genuinely expressive territory.
It takes commitment to pull off, but that kind of creativity is exactly what keeps barbering exciting.
19. Record-Breaking Hulihee Mutton Chops
Now that is a serious set of Hulihee mutton chops. The sideburns sweep outward and connect seamlessly with a dramatically curled mustache, making this one of the most fully realized examples of the style you’ll ever see.
Pulled from the 2014 World Beard and Mustache Championship, this look demands serious dedication and even more serious mustache wax.
20. John Lennon’s Auburn Heavy Stubble Sideburn Beard
Most Lennon fans know the round glasses and the mop top. Far fewer know he wore a full sideburn beard at various points in his career. The look is authentic, and it works just as well today.
Wear it as a nod to an icon, or simply because heavy stubble sideburns suit your face. Either reason is a good one.
21. Full Voluminous Red Mutton Chop Beard
Let the beard grow out fully to the sides and allow it to connect with the sideburns. Since this is a mutton chop beard, the chin stays clean-shaven to keep the shape sharp.
Beard coloring can enhance the overall finish, provided the shade complements your natural tone and keeps things looking well-groomed rather than overdone.
22. Easy Medium Stubble Mutton Chops
This style proves that mutton chops are far more approachable than most guys think. Let your beard grow for several days, or trim it down to a medium stubble length, then shave everything clean below the chin line. Straightforward, low-maintenance, and genuinely effective.
23. Curled Outward Hulihee Mutton Chop Sideburns
The sideburns here grow outward and curl dramatically away from the face, creating a striking kickout on each side. It takes patience to grow and serious upkeep to maintain, but the result is unlike anything else in the mutton chop playbook.
If you want something that genuinely commands attention, this is it.
24. Elvis Presley’s Iconic Pompadour with Tapered Sideburns
No list about sideburns is complete without Elvis. The King wore his long, tapered sideburns throughout his entire career, and they became as much a part of his identity as the pompadour itself.
Clean-shaven everywhere else, those sideburns did all the work, and they still look sharp decades later.
25. Clean Medium Mutton Chop Beard with Glasses
If you want a no-fuss, well-groomed look, this is a strong option. No fancy detailing, no dramatic sculpting. Just a clean, properly maintained mutton chop beard with a sharp neckline cleanup and a shaved chin. Understated and solid.
26. Lemmy-Style Extended Mutton Chops with Horseshoe Mustache
The extended mutton chops sweep wide and full here, anchored by a bold horseshoe mustache that commands attention.
Pair it with long hair and a cowboy hat, and you’ve got a look that goes the extra mile without even trying.
27. Extreme Thin Chin Strap Mutton Chops
If you’re a serious sideburn devotee, you’ll love this style. The sideburns extend all the way down to the corner of the chin, with the rest of the face kept completely clean-shaven.
The whole look lives or dies by how sharp those sideburn lines are. Before committing, we’d strongly suggest a trial run with your barber first.
28. Friendly Mutton Chops for Round Face
Mutton chops are a surprisingly effective tool for elongating a round face. The sideburns and cheek coverage add width up top, while leaving the chin bare pulls the eye downward, giving the whole face a longer, leaner profile.
29. Wide Disconnected Mutton Chops with Exposed Chin
A small tweak to the classic mutton chop formula can produce a seriously fresh result. Traditionally, the chin is only partially exposed.
Flip that script by making the chin wider and fully bare, with no facial hair bridging the gap. It gives the mutton chop shape a whole new dimension.
30. Patchy Mutton Chops with Thin Pencil Mustache
Got a patchy beard but still want to rock mutton chops? This is your move. Keep the mustache trimmed tight and let the sideburn growth fill out to your desired length. Patchy coverage actually works in your favor here.
FAQs on Mutton Chop Sideburns
1. Who invented the mutton chops?
Sideburns as a concept date back to at least 100 BC, with one of the earliest known examples found in a mosaic of Alexander the Great. But the name “sideburns” itself comes directly from Ambrose Burnside, a Union Army General and politician who made his unusually bold facial hair famous.
Burnside’s chops were full, sweeping sideburns connected to a mustache while the chin stayed completely clean-shaven. Once this prominent politician and general started wearing the look, it spread fast.
People wanted a piece of that commanding energy.
2. Why are sideburns called mutton chops?
Burnside’s fame, both as a general and a politician, turned his signature facial hair into a genuine trend through the 1870s and ’80s. People started calling the style “burnsides,” naturally named after the man himself.
Over time, the facial hair running down the cheeks and connected by a mustache became known as “sideburns.” The first recorded use of that term was in 1887. Soon after, because of the obvious resemblance to a cut of lamb, the nickname “mutton chops” caught on across much of the US.
3. How do you tell the difference between sideburns and mutton chops?
Mutton chops sweep across the cheeks. Some extend further, traveling down to the jawline or even crossing it onto the neck. They’re kept either disconnected with a clean-shaved chin, or bridged together with a mustache that carries real visual weight.
Regular sideburns, by contrast, don’t travel across the cheeks at all. They simply grow straight down from the hairline.
Most styles have been mixed and matched over the years. The simplest way to keep it straight: all mutton chops are sideburns, but not all sideburns are mutton chops.
4. Will sideburns make your face look thinner?
It depends entirely on the style you choose. Longer sideburns give the face a narrower appearance, though they can offset a strong square jawline. Shorter, wider sideburns do the opposite and are a solid choice for reducing perceived face length.
5. Are mutton chops in style?
Mutton chops are a timeless classic that will always have a place in men’s grooming. With bold facial hair making a strong comeback, the mutton chop looks set to stay relevant for a long time.
6. What face shape suits mutton chops?
Mutton chops work beautifully on oval and round faces. They’re also a great fit for men with a thin or long face shape.
Just make sure the chops are on the bushier side to add fullness and depth. If you have a pointy chin, though, you may want to explore a more complementary beard style first.
Facial hair is one of the most powerful tools a man has for shaping his appearance, and mutton chops demand both commitment and care. Before committing to any style, take a good look in the mirror and consider what works for your face. Check out our other articles for more beard inspiration, and we hope this guide has given you everything you need on mutton chops.
