Presidential Facial Hair: The Good, The Bad And The Grizzly (SLIDESHOW, POLL)

The President of the United States has to put his best face forward...and sometimes it's covered in hair. President Obama claims he can't grow a beard, but in the nineteenth century, facial hair flourished on executives from Martin Van Buren to William Howard Taft in the forms of sideburns, mustaches and beards. Which whiskers do you think are well-groomed? And who needs a good shave?

Now Make Your Own Top 5 And Share with Your Friends

Martin Van Buren

1 of 10

HuffPost Community Top 5 Slides: « »

:

Become a fan

Vote and Share Choose Your Top 5 No, no, no. Let it grow! Now Make Your Own Top 5 And Share with Your Friends RANK: AVERAGE:  OUT OF 10 The President of the United States has to put his best face forward...and sometimes it's covered in hair. President Obama claims he can't grow a beard, but in the nineteenth century, facial hair flourished on executives from Martin Van Buren (at left) to William Howard Taft in the forms of sideburns, mustaches and beards. Which whiskers do you think are well-groomed? And who needs a good shave? Voting will take you to the next slide as you go.

Recent HuffPost Users Who Voted on this Slide:

Current Top Five

*Follow Huffington Post Style on Twitter and become a fan of Huffington Post Style on Facebook*

Comments

[henrypapillon]

Grant was one goodlooking sonofagun in his uniform with his very nicely trimmed beard.

[KLordsha]

They need to bring mutton chops back..

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

Van Buren may not have achieved much as a president, but you really can't argue against his haircut. Very classy. :-)

[henrypapillon]

Oh sure! Fright Night !

[Artamentous]

Arthur has some a sweet mutton chops with that stash connected to it.

[NevaforLeadership]

All creepy as hell. Poor women.

[PresidentRobertBooth]

Obama should grow a goatee and wear glasses.

It would look kinda cool

[UncleJimbo]

Just a thought: Taft was the last President to sport facial hair,does anyone think the American people will ever elect another bearder or 'stashed Prez?

[Artamentous]

Yes. Facial hair really has gone out of style lately. Places like Disney World don't even allow anything except a stash.

Fashion will change, and facial hair will make a come back.

[lillibelle]

Great photos but they all look so dour. Van Buren looks like one unbalanced Dutchman. Hayes looks like a Hatfield or a McCoy (never could get them straight.) Grant looks the best but that may be because of the uniform. Family legend has it that he proposed to an ancestor who had concerns about his imbibing. Well, they certainly all led interesting lives.

[JScott]

Mighta been they needed long exposure times and it's hard to be still and smiling for a few minutes because if you look at a lot of old photos most people are not smiling in them.

So wonder if ZZtop can get elected prez eh?

[lillibelle]

I like your reasoning better... (I had been thinking about their teeth - bad visual!) ZZtop? Who knows when the pendulum will swing back this way again? Still, they always make me smile ;-)

[libwingoflibwing]

Grant in the uniform means we're talking about General Grant not President Grant, so we've got a younger Grant.

He does look sexy, with his nice, trim, black beard that doesn't look like it's all bristles. I think his beard when he was Prez wasn't so nice. But anyway, my vote is for U.S., definitely. He's the only one I'd consider kissing.

[DeeW]

good grief. And to think now-a-days men trim everything