Women in Beard Competitions: Here's the Awesome Beards They Create
"Women in a beard competition?!" I hear you ask: impossible! Yet, at the fabulous "Beard and Mustache competition" in Los Angeles, you'll find some extraordinary works of hirsute sculpture.
Of course, these majestical beards and mustaches aren't natural, but they are damn impressive and a lot of fun.
Source - mymodernmet.com
The trend began back in 2011, catching the eyes of the world's media the following year. These female contestants didn't compete against their male counterparts; they were part of the Whiskerina category, which urged women everywhere to "show what the good lord neglected to give you and show us what could have been."
Women, ever one to get inventive with a little DIY arts and crafts, turned to rope, feathers, and flowers to construct their magnificent beards and mustaches – the results are pretty marvelous.
It was the declaration of female beard love – but it wasn't new. The National Mustache and Beard Championship typically sees a few women competing proudly among the hundreds of male competitors every year.
For these women, it's often the culmination of a lifelong passion. Take Amber Moore, who, in an interview for Texas Monthly, reported her fascination for beards and mustaches was sparked at five years old when her mom's boyfriend, Barry, rocked up with a mustache and beard. (It must have been one hell of a beard!)
Source - www.texasmonthly.com
She handcrafts her beard using a combination of 75% synthetic hair and 25% yak hair-human hair mix. Some may call this approach cheating – after all, the fun and challenge of beard competitions come from the difficulty in growing the beard. However, it only takes one glance at these stunning creations to appreciate the sheer skill, talent, and time involved. No one this dedicated to beards and mustaches deserves anything other than our respect.
Moore and her hirsute friends compete alongside other women in beard competitions across the country. Austin Facial Hair Club's mustache and beard bacchanal, for example, features categories like "Realistic Mustache," "Realistic Beard," and the substantially more outrageous "Creative Mustache" and "Creative Beard" categories.
It's truly a sight to behold.
In fact, Austin Facial Hair Club was founded in 2007 with the explicit message of being "open to all men and women: hirsute, in pursuit, or just generally enthused by facial hair." The club is mostly fun and games but also raises money for charities, such as Caritas of Austin, Austin Animal Shelter, and Out Youth, among others.
Another female beard fanatic is Tessa Bischoff from Cincinnati, Ohio. She founded the Whiskerinas following her first facial hair competition in November 2010. Although she admits it began as a way to spend more time with her husband Matt, who was a member of Beard Team US, it quickly morphed into a full-time hobby.
She modified a costume beard in one balmy display by braiding it, then used pins to hold the eight braids up at random angles, as if depicting an octopus. As we said, seriously imaginative stuff.
With the support of her beard-loving husband, Bischoff set off to share her newfound passion with women everywhere. In 2011, she organized the Whiskerinas National Ladies Fake Beard and Mustache Competition, followed by another event in 2012.
It's hard not to be astounded at some of the creations. In the 2017 Austin Facial Hair Club competition, some of the beards include a Lego-inspired colorful beard, a prickly cactus-themed beard, a mustache complete with a bird's nest and eggs (or should that be "beard's nest"), and a long flowing beard blooming with flowers.
Final thoughts
Though a serious business, beard growing has always been open to mavericks and eccentrics. From the Dali to the Van Dyck, there are no rules to beardcraft – just care and dedication. In these wonderful displays, women are getting in on the action, sporting beards, and mustaches beyond anything you could do naturally.
We say the more, the merrier. Let the fake beard competitions commence!
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