Top 20 Short Beard Styles For Men To Follow

Beards have become a popular trend among men, adding a touch of rugged masculinity to their appearance. Short beard styles, in particular, balance sophistication and effortless charm. Whether you’re aiming for a professional look or a casual vibe, there’s a short beard style that suits your preferences.

This comprehensive guide presents men’s top 20 short beard styles, highlighting their unique characteristics and how they can enhance your overall look. From the classic stubble to the refined goatee, we’ve got you covered with diverse options.

So, if you’re ready to elevate your facial hair game, let’s dive into the world of short beard styles for men.

1. The Boxed Beard

The boxed beard is a sharp and defined style combining a neatly trimmed beard and mustache. It features clean lines along the cheekbones and jawline, creating a rectangular shape.

To achieve the boxed beard, allow the facial hair to grow out evenly and trim it to maintain a consistent length. Use a precision trimmer and a razor to create sharp lines and edges for a polished appearance.

2. The Balbo

The Balbo beard is a trendy style that combines a well-trimmed beard with a disconnected mustache. It creates a distinctive and edgy look, exuding confidence and individuality.

To achieve the Balbo beard, grow a full beard and shape it by shaving the sideburns and cheeks. Leave a small gap between the mustache and the beard for a disconnected effect.

3. The Soul Patch

The soul patch is a small patch of facial hair located just below the lower lip. It is a minimalistic and stylish beard style that adds a touch of uniqueness to a man’s appearance. The soul patch can be worn independently or paired with other beard styles for added flair.

To achieve the soul patch, allow a small area of hair to grow below the lip and keep it neatly trimmed.

4. The Anchor Beard

The anchor beard is sophisticated and eye-catching, combining a goatee, a mustache, and a pointed beard extending along the jawline. It resembles the shape of an anchor, hence the name.

To achieve the anchor beard, allow the facial hair to grow, trim, and shape it to create clean lines and a well-defined anchor shape.

5. The Horseshoe Mustache

The horseshoe mustache is a bold and iconic style that resembles the shape of a horseshoe. It involves growing out the mustache and allowing it to extend downward on both sides of the mouth, connecting to the jawline.

This style is often associated with a rugged and masculine look. Growing out the mustache, and letting it extend downward, will result in a horseshoe mustache.

6. The Mutton Chops

The mutton chops beard style is a vintage, attention-grabbing look with thick sideburns extending down to the jawline, creating a distinct and bold appearance. This style is perfect for men who want to embrace a retro or historical vibe.

To achieve the mutton chops, grow out the sideburns and shape them by trimming the hair along the cheeks and leaving the hair to extend down to the jawline.

7. The Short Scruff

The short scruff is a low-maintenance and effortlessly cool beard style that allows facial hair to grow for a few days, creating a short and stubbly appearance. This style works well for men with fast and dense facial hair growth.

8. The Extended Goatee

The extended goatee is a contemporary twist on the classic goatee style. It involves growing out the hair on the chin and allowing it to connect with the mustache, creating a continuous line of facial hair.

To achieve the extended goatee, grow out the facial hair on the chin and mustache, then shape and trim it to maintain a clean and well-defined line.

9. The Tapered Beard

Using the tapered beard style, facial hair is grown from the sideburns and gradually trimmed down to the chin. This style creates a sleek, streamlined look, accentuating the jawline and facial features.

To achieve the tapered beard, allow the facial hair to grow out and then use trimming and shaping techniques to create a gradual taper effect.

10. The Corporate Beard

The corporate beard is a well-groomed, professional style that exudes confidence and maturity. It involves maintaining a short and tidy beard that complements a professional setting.

Shape and define the beard using a precision trimmer and razor, ensuring the lines of the cheek, jawline, and neckline are sharp and well-maintained.

11. The Classic Beard with Sideburns

The classic beard with sideburns is a timeless and masculine style that combines a well-groomed beard with thick sideburns. This style offers a balance between ruggedness and sophistication.

To achieve the classic beard with sideburns, allow the facial hair to grow out and then use a trimmer and scissors to shape and maintain the beard and sideburns.

12. The Sculpted Beard

The sculpted beard is a creative and personalized style that involves shaping facial hair to create unique and intricate designs. This style allows men to showcase their creativity and individuality through facial hair.

To achieve the sculpted beard, use a combination of precision trimmers, razors, and shaping tools to carefully carve out the desired design.

13. The Faded Beard

The faded beard is a contemporary and stylish style incorporating a fade effect, similar to the popular haircut trend. It involves tapering the beard from a longer length at the chin to a shorter length along the cheeks and sideburns.

This style adds a touch of modernity and sophistication to the beard. Combine trimmers with different guard lengths to achieve the light beard effect.

14. The Five O’Clock Shadow

The five o’clock shadow is a perennially fashionable beard style that offers a rugged, effortlessly cool look. It involves maintaining a short and stubbly beard reminiscent of the shadow that appears on the face later in the day.

To achieve the five o’clock shadow, allow the facial hair to grow out for a day or two and then use a trimmer to maintain a short and stubbly length.

15. The Faded Goatee

The faded goatee is a modern and stylish twist on the traditional goatee. It combines a goatee with a faded effect along the cheeks and sideburns, creating a seamless and blended look.

Grow out chin hair and then use a combination of trimmers with different guard lengths to achieve the faded goatee effect.

16. The Patchy Beard

The patchy beard is a unique and edgy style that embraces the natural growth patterns of facial hair, even if it’s not fully dense or uniform. This style celebrates individuality and adds character to a man’s appearance.

To rock the patchy beard, allow the facial hair to grow out, and then use a trimmer or scissors to maintain a short and textured length.

17. The Designer Stubble

The designer stubble is a well-maintained and precise version of the classic stubble. It involves carefully shaping and trimming the facial hair to create a deliberate stubble length and pattern.

This style offers a rugged and masculine look with a touch of sophistication. To achieve designer stubble, use a precision trimmer with a shorter guard length to maintain a consistent stubble length.

18. The French Fork

The French fork is a distinctive and bold beard style that features the facial hair on the chin split into two prongs, resembling a fork. It offers a rugged and rebellious look, perfect for men who want to make a statement with their facial hair.

To achieve the French fork, allow the facial hair on the chin to grow and then shape it by trimming it into two prongs.

19. The Barely There Beard

The barely there beard is a minimalist and subtle style that involves maintaining a short and lightly grown beard. It offers a clean and groomed appearance without the fullness or length of a traditional beard.

To achieve a barely there beard, allow the facial hair to grow slightly, and then use a trimmer to maintain a short and even length.

20. The Clean-Shaven with a Soul Patch

The clean-shaven with a soul patch is a modern and fashionable twist on the traditional clean-shaven look. It involves keeping the face clean-shaven while maintaining a small soul patch below the lower lip.

To achieve the clean-shaven with a soul patch, ensure the rest of the face is clean-shaven and then allow a small area of hair to grow just below the lip.

For more beard inspiration, see our beard styles for men with short hair, short boxed beard styles and short stubble beard styles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I maintain a short beard?

To maintain a short beard, regularly trim it with a beard trimmer, keep it clean by washing it with beard shampoo, use beard oil for moisture, define the neckline, and shape the edges for a polished look.

Can I style a short beard if I have patchy facial hair?

You can style a short beard, even with patchy facial hair. Consider the stubble beard style, which is short and doesn’t require a full beard, and can help create the illusion of thickness.

How do I choose the right short beard style for my face shape?

Consider your face shape when choosing a short beard style. For example, a rounded face can benefit from a short boxed beard, while a square face can try a goatee or trimmed beard with defined edges.

Wrapping Up!

Short beard styles offer endless possibilities for men to experiment with facial hair and express individuality.

From sharp and defined looks too rugged and minimalist styles, the top 20 unique short beard styles for men presented in this guide showcase the versatility and charm of facial hair. Remember to choose a style that complements your face shape and personal style.

Regular grooming and maintenance are essential to keep your beard neat, well-groomed, and in optimal shape. Embrace your facial hair’s potential and enjoy the journey of discovering your unique short beard style.