[Rain Man]

I think beards are a matter of mood and taste. I've had everything from a mountain man beard (college - early 80s), full beard (first job - late 80s), very closely trimmed beard (at least thrice since the late 80s), and clean-shaven (most points in between). I think they were all "right for the time." I look reeruned if I'm only wearing a moustache, so I've never gone that route other than a short experiment in late college.

I accidentally took off a chunk of my beard in a trimming accident last year, so I was clean-shaven until about 3 months ago when my wife demanded that I grow it back. I now sport "the Abe Lincoln/Amish Farmer" look - mid-length beard with no moustache, and I think I'm pretty darn cool.