This picture by Billy & Hells for Garnier Fructis’ hair products looks awesome upon first glance, but look closer. Does that look like a beard to you or the back of a woman?
A Beard is a Gift You Give Your Face
... and also your beer can. These handmade "Beard Cozies" garnered 1st place in the 2012 PBR Craft Show (we didn't know that PBR had an annual craft show, but it's true).
A bit of disappointing news though - due to the overwhelming demand, the Beard Cozies are on pre-order, so they'll ship to you as soon as they become available. Good news -- you need these. YOU NEED THESE. So who cares if you need to wait a few weeks. Go buy 'em!
(Photo credit: Arms & Ink Studio)
"Tickle Your Fancy" Before The Holidays
NYC take note -- now until December 23rd you can catch John Gordon Gauld's exhibit, "Tickle Your Fancy," at Salomon Contemporary. "The short-term exhibition will display a medley of facial hair in an installation of over 100 works on paper. The beard and moustache series was originally commissioned by Bergdorf Goodman for their windows showcasing the 2011 Men's collection. Because of its overwhelming response, the works are now presented in a gallery setting."
Continuing from Salomon's website, David Coggins declared in his essay for Bergdorf Goodman, Beards: A Fierce Defense, "the beard is an essential expression of man's nature" and "Above all things, the beard is a show of generous temperament. A man has a faceful of hair, and he rightly wants to share it with the world. Or perhaps he just doesn't feel like shaving. Regardless, a beard is something that most men feel compelled to try at least once, like vegetarianism." Coggins goes on to say, "the bearded man is fearless, but he never forgets that he is more than his beard—it frames his face but never defines the man."
ArtInfo reviewed the exhibit -- "it features such tried-and-true favorites as the Fu Manchu, the Handlebar, and the Chops, as well as dark horses like the Pornstar ‘Stache, the Goatee, and the Waxed Villain, this exhibition speaks to a contemporary renaissance of facial coiffure."
Wow. Don't miss this before the holiday madness kicks in! 
(Photo credit: Etsy)
Soup Just Got Hairy
Happy weekend beardos! We love being woken up by a buzzing phone, especially when it's with a new hairy find attached to a face of an old friend attached to it.
Check out the new beard kid on the tumblr block, {Beardsoup}, whom today featured a great old friend of B-a-B, Gary W Norman of The Society of Bearded Gentlemen (aka THE Buddha Bear).
Good stuff. Looks like Tumblr is getting quite the influx of late in the beard food category; cupcakes, soup... what's next, cream cheese? pizza?
FoftheC + PandtheB = Beardy Goodness
Custom-Order Beardos
I am huge fan of Etsy. My brother (who rocks scruff) is on the site. I've purchased items from the online marketplace and a future money maker needs to be highlighted - The Bearded Bloke Brooch.
As featured on Etsy: "While he may appear to be a little rugged the bearded bloke is a friendly, laid-back, loyal kind of guy. He is always there for those he cares about and is up for a good laugh and hanging our with his mates. He loves searching for old records on Sunday afternoons and he takes his coffee extra strong."
Or do you have a bearded athlete you're fond of? Check out what Evie, the creator of these adorable brooches and blogger/founder at HandMadeRomance, can do for you:
According to HandMadeRomance: These two Bearded Blokes are a special custom order for two friends who are fans of the San Francisco Giants and in particular player, Brian Wilson.
Personally, I am a big fan of "The Traveling Circus Ringmaster." 
I Can Has Beard?
The SXSW Bing + Cheezburger Party on Saturday night was a lot of fun, but the stand out of the evening was Mr. Troy Landwehr. Besides rocking some sweet facial scruff, this beardo is a renowned cheese artist who single handedly carved 1200 lbs of cheese down to 640 pounds of cheddar lolcat works of art, featuring feline favorites such as Standing Cat, Nora the Piano Cat,Gizmo the Flushing Cat, and Monorail Cat. The bash was part of a promotion for Friskies® Tasty Treasures™, a new line of Friskies cheese flavored cat food.
The next day the sculptures were moved outside, where 500 SXSWi hungover, munchie cravers were given free grilled cheese sandwiches. Noms!
The Beards of the House of David
An all bearded baseball team that was one of the most winning-est baseball clubs in history?! Whaaa?
Well, it's true... last night, when watching Antique's Roadshow (FTW), some photographs went up for discussion which wound up being pretty valuable... about a hundred bucks a piece. It was a collection of old shots, promotional and otherwise, of a baseball team from the House of David... a Benton Harbor, Michigan colony where folks lived a communal life, a life of Christianity, vegetarianism, celibacy, and love for mankind... and beards. They were not to shave or cut their hair. Our ears perked up, and here we are.
The House of David Museum confirms:
Known the world over for their famous bearded baseball teams, the House of David was something America and the rest of the world had never seen the likes of before. These men traveled the country with their long hair and beards, heavy wool uniforms, and a truck full of laughter and talent. They went down in history for entertaining America with their uniqueness on the field, their absolute superb playing ability, their own invention of the Pepper Game (which was said to be worth the price of admission just to see these long haired players clowning around and hiding the ball under their beards), and their ability to break the color barrier as they traveled many years with the Negro League teams. As the team barnstormed across the continent, they picked up players like Satchel Page, Grover Cleveland Alexander, and even Babe Ruth for a short stint. For many years they won over 100 games in a season, and in 1929 they won 110 out of 165 games.
Later when Babe Ruth was at the (dreaded/evil/facial hairless) Yankees, the photo below came to be as a result of a skirmish the two teams had in 1931 during a game down in St. Petersburg, where he, just to be polite, donned fake beard and wore them through the game just to show how hirsute opponents feel at home... what a guy, almost enough to forget that curse you brought on Bean town... almost.
Scott Hutchison Builds A Beard
Last night at Terminal 5 in New York City (the worst venue to trek to on a weekend), Frightened Rabbit took the stage and rocked out. But the real thrill happened hours earlier on the tour bus... Scott Hutchison graciously offered to meet, sketched us our very own "Tonight's Beard" (real fans will understand), and how he's going to keeping growing his 'stache dread-lock style (i.e. twisting it yourself and not using wax) when it gets to the appropriate length.
We also hit upon: How Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses should do a Q&A with us, the odor of the tour bus, Movember, and how San Francisco's "Fear the Beard" is wrong. To quote Scott: "They shouldn't be fearing the beard - they should be building it."
Operation Best Night Ever was a success. (Oh and Scott, as fate would have it - we ended up running into the fan who got #TonightsBeard and snapped his photo).
10Qs with Beard Artist and #proveit Queen, Annie Hunter
Meet Annie Hunter, who’s been a devout fan of B-a-B since nearly our begining, why you ask (why not, damn it!)? Well, in her own words: “I love beards. I love mustaches. I love men. I love men with beards and/or mustaches.” Indeed sums us up pretty well, we are in effect a beard porn hub, full of hairy and facial fuzz filled kings among men (and some women). Cheers!
What caught our eyes was Annie’s amazing art (find all of her drawing, paintings and sketches here: www.octodream.com) which personally reminds me of Ralf Steadman's approach (i.e. caricature of the evils within versus the beauty outside) and her dark perspective, coupled with her devotion to facial hair, has yielded some amazing beard porn in and of itself. Really a huge way to #proveit, over and over again.
You can email Annie Hunter directly to secure any one of her awesome art pieces... think about getting all the Best beards in the world suite, we'd like an early Christmas gift, thanks.
1) First let me tell you how awesome your art is... do you have a philosophy that drives your dare I say dark perspective?
Well I have been watching horror movies and listening to Rock and Roll since I was a baby, which is probably the main reason I love everything horror and dark. I also have a fascination with gross stuff and my all time favorite band is Gwar, so I get a lot of inspiration from them.
2) Who are your major influences? Any from our Top 10 Artists with Beards?
I would probably say my main influences would be Alex Pardee and Salvador Dali, I just recently discovered the art of Killer Napkins (http://www.iamkillernapkins.com/) who is amazing. I do enjoy Van Gogh but Dali has a better mustache.
3) Tell us about your site, it's pretty bitchen... and we love us some Tumblr goodness.
I love Tumblr, and I feel like a website through tumblr is, in a way, better than just a regular website because instead of having to bookmark it on your computer you could just follow me and get instant updates on your tumblr for whenever I add a new piece or update.
4) Do you love beards more or less than Gwar?
HA! This is probably the most difficult question I have been asked time and time again. I honestly feel as though this cannot be answered. The only thing that would be better than Gwar OR beards would be Gwar WITH beards.
5) Speaking of bands, which is your favorite musical beard?
It's a tossup between Dallas Taylor from Maylene and the sons of Disaster and Kyp Malone from TV on the Radio. But I couldn't answer this question without mentioning ZZ Top because obviously no band could beat those beards.
6) Of all the beard art you did, which is your favorite? Does Jack Passion win another contest?
Actually although Jack's beard is mighty mighty, I would say my favorite out of the three would have to be Myk O'Connor's drawing I did, mostly because of the colors.
7) I think it's safe to say you love beards... what's your favorite beard style?
My favorite beard would be a big grizzly beard with a handlebar mustache. The bigger the better.
8) If you had to kiss someone with a goatee, stache, beard, or handle bar mustache - which one would you pick - and why?
Haha well the handlebar mustache is my favorite but I don't really discriminate. As long as the person who is attached to the beard/mustache is to my liking there shan't be a problem.
9) Have you ever dated anyone with a full face of hair? If so, have you ever felt the urge to cut it off while they slept? How about to put some rogaine on it?
I dated my best friend for a few months and he had a magnificent beard. He was one of those lucky ones that looked good with or without a beard but it would have been blasphemous for me to even think about cutting it off. If you have something so beautiful why kill it? And although the rogaine idea seems enticing I like my men all natural.
10) You RSVP'd for the New York City Beard and Moustache Competition... you gonna compete?
Haha, If only I could grow a beard. I can't wait for it though, I've never been to a competition and luckily NY is just around the corner from me so I'll finally be able to go.
