The Van Dyke beard style is one of the many types of facial hairstyles popular today. Also called “Musketeer” or “Charlie,” the beard style is primarily a pointed goatee and mustache with no definite rules concerning the length and thickness. The Van Dyke beard style is also less commonly called “Pike-devant” or “pickedevant”.
It is interesting to note that this type of beard did not start today. It started way back in the 17th century when Flemish painter Anthony Van Dyck lived and rocked it. As the name implies, the beard style was named after him as he takes the claim for having introduced it. The style has since evolved to this day.
Another popular person that rocked the beard from the Van Dyck era was Charles I of England. The beard was popular for men who lived in those days. During the restoration of the Stuart monarchy in England, King Charles II stopped wearing the beard style and the French wigs and style became the order of the day. However, a small group called “vow-beards” vowed to continue wearing the style until the king decides to wear it again.
In the 19th century, the beard became popular in the United States and has continued to reign in the world to this day. There are numerous Van Dyke beard styles and if you find them impressive, then you would be glad to discover the varieties of techniques to try out.
Most of these contemporary styles are inspired by the original Van Dyke. In this article, we will give you 22 different van Dyke styles and whether it’s going to suit our face or not.
What is a Van Dyke Beard?
Over there years, there has been a great debate on what constitutes the Van Dyke style. Some say it’s a beard while others say it’s a mustache because there is noticeable hair that grows under the mouth. Could this mean that Van Dyke is a beard? However, there is no definite answer to this question because the hair on the chin usually partly hides the button leaving you with a T-shaped hairstyle. And when the rest of the face is neatly shaved, the attention is focused on the mustache.
The Van Dyke style as they had it in the 17th century was a combination of a goatee and a mustache with the cheeks neatly shaved. The beard style is pointed. But there has been an evolution of this style.
It still consists of the mustache and goatee but some types of beard leave a reasonable amount of hair on the cheek. The old variant remains while there are many other variants of the Van Dyke beard style.
The Best Face Shape For Van Dyke Beard
It is true that the Van Dyke style has particular characteristics of its own, but it is versatile. The best face shapes for this style of beards are diamond-shaped faces, oval, and triangle-shaped faces. However, it doe not mean that round and square-shaped faces cannot wear them. They just need a little adjustment.
By this, it can suit all face shapes as it is easy to adjust according to various face shapes. If you want to wear a Van Dyke beard, you should choose a finishing that would highlight the structure of your face while maintaining the charm and wit. There are many styles to try on and you just have to go for the one that will give you the fitting you want.
List of Best Van Dyke Beard and Facial Hairstyles
Once you have grown your beard, here is a list of 22 varieties of Van Dyke beard styles you can choose from. You will also find out that they can be adjusted to suit any face shape, and whether there are any celebrities who rock the same style.
1. Classy, Sexy, and Mature Van Dyke
This variety of Van Dyke beard is sexy and mature. It requires a grown mustache with a rough finish. It is not well-shaped and is groomed around the chin, with the jawline full of beard. This is the style suitable for individuals who may find it difficult to achieve long hair growth. Also, those who don’t like the feeling of long beard growth on this face.
An amateur Van Dyke goes with an anchor goatee that looks unprofessional. If you are looking for a more youthful and casual style, then this could be the style for you. Among the celebrities that have rocked this style is the Canadian actor Ryan Gosling.
2. Mature Van Dyke
This is, as its name implies, suitable for mature men who want to look good. However, in order to achieve this mature look, it requires thick beard hair since its primary focus is on the attributes and strength of the mustache finishing. The facial hair has to be full and the carving will give it an excellent shape. The goatee of this variant starts from the soul patch under the lower lip and extends to the chin area, but does not cover the jaw.
3. Scanty Van Dyke
It is often ideal to wear a thick Van Dyke beard, however, it might be impossible sometimes due to the daily demands of work and other commitments. Hence, the need for a scanty Van Dyke beard style as it does not require long or thick hair. Compared to the bristle style, this type is a bit longer and fuller. For this type, all you need is the normal symmetrical triangular soul patch under the lower lip and a mustache growth connection. The goatee for this type is often slightly detached from the mustache.
When trimming the beard, remember to make sure that the length of the beard and mustache are equal and consistent at all times, and make the cheek clear. The American actor and musician Johnny Depp is one of the celebrities who have once rocked this style.
4. Classic Van Dyke
This style of Van Dyke beard gives the wearer a mature look and is meant for adults or those who want to be seen as one. The mustache is long and thick with a stylish curving and the goatee is a bit pointed with a clear cheek. The soul patch is small and connected to the goatee.
5. The Bristle Van Dyke
This type is for guys who do not fancy long beards. It is also a modern style but has to do with scanty and short facial hair. With this, you achieve the perfect van dyke shape – the mustache separate from the goatee. While this style is shorter, it is a good start for those who want to grow longer and fuller hairs in the future. The jaw and cheek are also clear for this style.
6. Van Dyke with Short and Scanty Jawline Beard
This style is a combination of a Van Dyke beard and an extra beard on the jaw. The jawline beard here is scanty and short as if the wearer is starting to grow it. This hair covers more area than the conventional Van Dyke but the Van Dyke shape is still pronounced. The mustache is full and short and the soul patch is full and connected to the goatee as well. Singer Justin Timberlake and Jamie Dornan are some of the celebrities who wear this kind of facial hairstyle.
7. Semi-Formal Van Dyke
The semi-formal style of the Van Dyke beard comprises a goatee that covers the chin area, a well-trimmed lower lip, and a mustache. The goatee does not connect with the mustache and the soul patch is thick as well as cot fully connected to the goatee. The mustache and beard are equally, not longer than 2 mm and they can be carried anywhere, especially on official occasions.
This type of Van Dyke beard has been spotted with the American actor Jeremy Renner; although, he has been seen most of the time either beardless or with scanty facial hair.
8. Modern Variant of Van Dyke
This has to do with the casual style that is popular today. To achieve this, you do not need too much hair on your chin. This type of beard has a slim connection between the mustache and the beard while the cheek is clear. If you like moderate facial hair growth, then this is the style for you. The late pianist and composer Tommy Flanagan rocked this type of beard when he was alive with a more pointed goatee. The famous actor Dwayne Johnson also has this kind of beard.
9. Bold Van Dyke with Hipster Mustache
The bold Van Dyke beard style is the original or the main Van Dyk style with a little fuller chin. It has a full and curly mustache that twists upward at the tips. The goatee is pointed and covers the chin area. In addition, the soul patch is the same length as other parts and is stylishly connected to the well-shaped goatee. This type of beard is specifically for mean and mature men who want their looks to speak for them.
11. Classy Van Dyke Beard with Side Burns
Van Dyke beard combined with sideburns is a more modern variant of this type of facial hair. It is a combination of thick Van Dyke mustache, goatee, and sideburn that is neatly linked with the beard and mustache. This is for those who will not like to lose their sideburns; they join everything together. The mustache has some kind of classy twist at its tips. The soul patch may or may not be connected to the goatee, the choice is yours.
12. Grown Out Van Dyke Beard with Full Jawline
This type of beard is for those who do not find it difficult to grow their hair. The facial hair naturally grows on its own without many trims. The soul patch joins the goatee and the mustache is detached from the others. The length of the hair is moderate but longer than most others. This style looks rugged and mature at the same time.
13. Van Dyke Moustache and Goatee with A Full Beard
This is a type of Van Dyke beard that goes with a full beard. The jaw and some parts of the cheek are all covered with hair. The soul patch and all the areas surrounding the lower lip are all covered up, and the mustache combines uniformly with the beard. For this type of beard, you need thick full hair that grows fast. All the hair is of equal length.
American actor Joe Manganiello is one of the celebrities who rock this beard style, however, it is not as thick as we have here. Also, Jeff Bridges, Jason Sudeikis, and many other celebrities wear this kind of beard style.
14. Tony Stark Signature Style
Tony Stark is a fictional character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The real name of the American actor is Robert Downey Jr. His type of Van Dyke Beard is unique and classy. The mustache is thick and has an intended link with the goatee. The goatee does not cover the whole chin and has a slim extension on the jawline. It also has a link that is intended to join with that of the mustache but there is a cut that prevents the joining. The soul patch is joined to the mustache. This type is very simple and unique to the wearer.
15. Full Goatee and Mustache Van Dyke StyleÂ
English actor Christian Bale is known to have rocked this type of Van Dyke beard. To achieve this, you have to allow your goatee and mustache to grow out. The beard style is thick, a bit long, and does not cover the jaws and cheeks. The mustache is slightly detached from the goatee while the soul patch combines with the goatee.
16. Detached Mustache and BeardÂ
One thing about this style is that everything is detached and none connects to the other. It’s like someone who is taking it easy with growing a Van Dyke. It’s short and not too full. The mustache is detached from the goatee while the soul patch stands on its own. But despite the fact that it looks scanty, it still looks very attractive.
17. Neat and Cute French Style
While many love long and full beards, some others love them scanty and short. The French style is just like one whose beard is beginning to grow. They are very scanty and neat. The mustache, patch, and goatee are all detached from each other and of the same length. The mustache comes with a little twist at the ends and there is tiny hair growth on the jaws and sideburns. If you like it simple and classy, here’s the style for you. But if you want to grow them longer in the future, this style is okay while you wait patiently for your hair to grow.
18. Long Van Dyke with Bearded Villain Style
The bearded villain beard style is for those who are patient enough to wait for their hair to grow long. It is a trending beard style for many who want to have a full jaw and some part of the cheek. To achieve this, you must have allowed your facial hair to grow long and full. The mustache has an attachment with the full-bearded goatee. The soul patch joins uniformly with the long goatee such that there is no space and difference between the two. Then there is an upward twist on the mustache. This is the combination that makes up the villain style.
19. Van Dali Beard Style
A Dali mustache is the type of mustache that is teased into a very funky shape at the tips. The tips of the mustache are pointed, long, and made to stand or curled. The goatee may or may not be divided into two at the center and is not full enough to cover the chin area. The patch is detached as well as the mustache and goatee from each other. The jaw and cheek are all clear.
20. Pointed Van Dyke
The pointed Van Dyke beard style can certainly give your face a different shape as it would appear to be much longer than usual. This type is a combination of a long mustache and goatee. The goatee is shaped to appear long and pointed and it may or may not cover the whole chin area. The mustache and goatee are joined together.
21. Bushy Beard Van Dyke Style Â
Van Dyke beard style suits those with thick and full hair perfectly. This type is for those who want to carry their beards without much trimmings. The mustache, goatee, and soul patch are all connected. There is enough hair on the sideburns, jaws, and cheeks. If you later wish to give the facial hair a particular shape, it will not be difficult at all because of the full hair. Celebrities who have rocked this style in the past include the actor Pierce Brosnan.
22. Salt and Pepper Van Dyke
Mature and aged men with grey hair like American actor Mel Gibson can rock this salt and pepper Van Dyke beard style well. It’s a combination of Van Dyke style with black and grey hair. With this, you can rock any style of Van Dyke you want. Here, we have the pointed goatee and bushy facial hair.
Other celebrities who have rocked this style include Steve Carell, Matt Leblanc, George Clooney, and Pierce Brosnan. It suits all facial structures as the beauty lies in the combination of color and style.
Van Dyke Beard vs Goatee
Van dyke and goatee occupy the same position on the face. However, there is a difference between a vandyke and a goatee. The Van Dyke beard is a pointed hair on the jaw of the face, while the goatee is a rounded beard on the jaw. Another difference is that Van Dyke goes with a mustache while the goatee does not.
This is the original vandyke style; however, over the years, the difference has melted away since there are no definite rules on the vandyke beard style.
How To Grow A Van Dyke Beard and Mustache
For one to grow a Van Dyke beard, he must be ready and determined for the task ahead. He will have to grow a considerable amount of hair around his mouth. This could be a herculean task for those that have stunted hair growth. Whereas it will be easier for those who are hairy. For this reason, there is no definite growth period for it will vary from one individual to another.
Consequently, your look might be a bit different and weird when you are beginning to grow the hair for it to look unstylish. However, the simplest way to achieve this is by growing a full beard. Once the length is okay by you, then you can make the cut and give it the Van Dyke style you’ve always wanted. You can now shave off the unwanted growth and look your best. The Van Dyke beard style goes perfectly with some of the cool haircuts there are today.
However, if you don’t want to grow a full beard, the alternative is that you can grow a goatee beard, without trimming it. Once they are all grown, you can shave the excesses and rock that Van Dyke beard you love.
Here’s an easy step on how to achieve a Van Dyke beard style
- Allow your beard to grow for 2 to 4 weeks or to a minimum of 2 cm.
- Once it’s all grown, dampen the beard and comb it very well before going for the cuts.
- Use lines to define the shape and size of the Van Dyke style you have chosen.
- Shave the hairs that are in excess and cave out the chosen Van Dyke shape.
- Finally, finish the shaving by clearing the other parts that are meant to be clear, rinse well, and comb the beard.