Over the last few years there has emerged a trend among young and youngish men appearing on the telly to wear a faceful of stubble, somewhat more than the 7 o'clock shadow. Presumably the intention is to enhance the macho component of their image, perhaps a reaction to the ongoing emancipation of women.
What puzzles me is how they manage to appear at any time with an absolutely constant length of growth, or so it seems. I envisage three possible solutions:
1. They maintain a very carefully calculated schedule such that having appeared on one occasion, they have a shave then hide away until the new growth is ripe.
2. There exists a type of razor, unknown to me since I have not bought a new razor for at least fifty years, which operates on the principle of a lawn mower, being adjustable to leave a measured crop.
3. They ingest a hormone supplement which arrests growth.
The last would be an ironic counter to the macho element. But who knows how far a fashion freak will go?
Anyway, regardless of how they achieve it, they look to me like a bunch of scruffy s*ds.
Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Robert Kenyon, Reform's candidate for Makerfield. Would you let him in your house?
What are you reading at the moment?
