It was only right to start the article out like that. A new trend in the work place is that of... Dom Dom DOM!!! THE BEARD!!!! It used to be nearly frowned upon to have facial hair in the workplace; however, things have changed with time.
Personally, I rock a beard and have so since 9th grade. Working in a variety of environments, and interacting with people of all levels of corporate America, I come into contact with people with all kinds of facial hair styles.
David Belcher wrote in the NY Times:
The secret to pulling off this look, according to barbers and style consultants for businessmen, is striking the right balance of hair and common sense. That means understanding one’s industry and taking into account one’s age, general appearance — and physical limitations.
“Facial hair can look great, but it has to suit the right person,” said Brent Pankhurst, owner of the Pankhurst salon in London’s Mayfair neighborhood. (It offers haircuts in the style of Steve McQueen, for the tousled tough-guy effect, and Montgomery Clift, for the more classically handsome.) And there’s a facial hair approach à la Michael Fassbender (stubble) or Ryan Gosling (medium length).
“A good barber takes into consideration how a guy looks when he walks through the door, what’s he interested in, and then makes him look as good as he can and gives him something he can manage,” Mr. Pankhurst said during an interview in his über-masculine salon.