Master the Modern Van Dyke Beard: Variations & Styling

Chin hair + moustache = Van Dyke. This style is named after the flemish artist, Anthony Van Dyck, who is seen with this style in his self-portraits.

Adhering to simple rules is not something most men tend to do. And this tendency of the masculine gave rise to the multiple variations of a Van Dyke beard. This blog is thus dedicated to exploring the various Van-Dyke beard styles you can go for, given your affinity towards them.

 

What does a Van Dyke beard originally look like?

A simple Van Dyke beard style is the T-shape formed by a floating moustache & chin hair. While this description fits a Goatee, what distinguishes the two styles is the disconnection of chin hair and moustache in a Van Dyke, as opposed to the connection in a Goatee. 

An authentic Van Dyke style is depicted in the self-portrait of its original owner below.

Van Dyke beard
Anthony Van Dyck

 

Modern variations of Van Dyke Beard Style

Anthony Van Dyck lived in the first half of the 17th century. It’s been four centuries since the origination of this beard style. A transformation was obviously underway, and clearly, it has taken place. Depicted below are the best of these variations brought to the screen by some famous celebrities.

  • Classic Van Dyke: Disconnected moustache and pointed goatee.

  • Extended Van Dyke: Goatee extends further along the jawline.
Pierce Brosnan's Van Dyke beard style
Pierce Brosnan
Christian Bale's Beard Style
Christian Bale

  • Imperial Van Dyke: Distinguished moustache styles to style with chin hair.
Classic Van Dyke beard style
David Beckham
Van Dyke beard style
Pierce Brosnan

 

Anthony Van Dyck didn’t have the right tools to create elegant looks from his style. But you do. Use a good quality trimmer to create the best distinguished looks which suit you & intimidate others.

Summary

While there isn’t a hard and fast rule, some facial structures benefit more from a Van Dyke than others. Keep experimenting various Beard Styles to find your right fit as per your preferences.

Also, choosing the right style is crucial, but grooming properly is equally important. Neatly trimmed edges and using a razor wherever necessary are a few of the important grooming habits one should incorporate to bring out the best in any beard style.