Horace Greeley’s Neck-Hair Beard
Urban Dictionary offers several definitions of "neckbeard":
1. Facial hair that does not exist on the face, but instead on the neck. Almost never well groomed.
2. Talkative, self-important nerdy men (usually age 30 and up) who, through an inability to properly decode social cues, mistake others' strained tolerance of their blather for evidence of their own charm.
2. Talkative, self-important nerdy men (usually age 30 and up) who, through an inability to properly decode social cues, mistake others' strained tolerance of their blather for evidence of their own charm.
Horace Greeley probably offers an example of both definitions. The wikipedia page about him notes: "Greeley was noted for his eccentricities. His attire in even the hottest weather included a full-length coat, and he was never without an umbrella; his interests included spiritualism and phrenology." And add his neckbeard to his list of eccentricities. Even by nineteenth-century standards, it was an odd fashion choice. The National Archives blog describes it as a "neard", as well as "neck hair run amok". In 1872 Greeley ran for president against Ulysses S. Grant (who had a normal beard) and suffered a landslide loss. His neard may have played a role in this.
Comments
"Facial Hair Fridays"? Is this what my tax dollars are paying for?
Posted by KDP on 05/14/12 at 10:18 AM
Never seen that done deliberately before. Not appealing at all. If he thinks that looks good he must have lumps on his head. :cheese:
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 05/14/12 at 10:42 AM
You might have read that one right, Patty.
I had to look to make sure but Greeley was a liberal!
I had to look to make sure but Greeley was a liberal!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 05/15/12 at 12:29 AM
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Category: Politics | Hair and Hairstyling