Van Dyke
A disconnected moustache and chin patch.
What it is
The moustache and the chin beard are kept deliberately separate, leaving the jaw fully exposed. It draws a strong vertical through the centre of the face, lengthening a wide one, and it asks nothing of cheek growth.
Who it suits
- Round
Face length and width are close, with a soft jaw angle and full cheeks. Styles that add height on top and keep the sides tight will make the face read longer and more angular.
- Square
Jaw, cheekbones and forehead are close in width, with a pronounced jaw angle. The structure is already strong, so the job is either to show it off or to soften its corners.
- Oval
Slightly longer than wide, with the cheekbones as the widest point and a gently rounded jaw. The most forgiving shape — most cuts work, so the decision comes down to hair texture and how much effort you want to spend.
When to think twice
- long face
- professional dress code
Show this to your barber
Shape a defined moustache, and a separate soul-patch-to-chin section. Leave 5 mm gaps at the corners of the mouth. Everything else shaved.
Related styles
- Short Boxed Beard
Full but close-cropped, with defined cheek and neck lines.
- Heavy Stubble
Three to five millimetres, everywhere, all the time.
- Extended Goatee
Chin and moustache connected, cheeks clean.
- Full Beard
Grown out, shaped, not sculpted.