Goatee Styles for Grown Men: Which One Suits You?
The goatee that suits you depends mainly on your face shape and how much hair grows on your chin and upper lip. As a rough guide: a round or full face suits a longer goatee that adds length, such as a Van Dyke or extended goatee. A long or narrow face suits a shorter, wider style such as the circle beard. A square jaw works with almost anything, but a slightly rounded goatee softens it. Patchy cheeks are not a problem, because the goatee keeps them shaved anyway. The rest is detail, and detail is what separates a deliberate goatee from one that looks like a beard you gave up on.
What counts as a goatee
Strictly, a goatee is hair on the chin only, with no moustache, like the tuft on a goat. In everyday use, the word covers any chin-focused style with shaved cheeks, with or without a moustache. That broader definition is what barbers usually mean, and it is what we use here.
The main goatee styles
Style | What it is | Tends to suit |
|---|---|---|
Classic (chin) goatee | Chin hair only, roughly the width of the mouth, no moustache | Oval and square faces |
Circle beard | Moustache joined to a rounded chin beard | Long or narrow faces, square jaws |
Van Dyke | Pointed chin beard plus a separate, often styled, moustache | Round faces, men who want a more formal look |
Anchor | Chin beard tracing the jaw slightly, with a separate moustache, shaped like a ship’s anchor | Round and oval faces |
Extended goatee | Circle beard widened along the jaw, stopping short of the sideburns | Round faces, men with a weaker chin |
Soul patch | A small patch under the lower lip only | Best kept as a deliberate statement; rarely a first choice |
The circle beard
This is the most common goatee in an office setting and the easiest to live with. The moustache curves down at the corners of the mouth and joins a rounded chin beard. It adds width to the lower face, which balances a long face, and frames the mouth without drawing attention. If you are trying a goatee for the first time, start here.
The Van Dyke
A pointed chin beard and a separate moustache, with clean skin between them at the corners of the mouth. It reads as considered and slightly old-world. The point lengthens the face, which helps a round face look more defined. It does require reasonable moustache growth, and the gap needs keeping clean every couple of days.
The anchor
Similar to the Van Dyke, but the chin section extends a little along the jawline, like the flukes of an anchor. It sharpens a soft jaw and suits men whose chin growth is good but whose cheeks are thin.
The extended goatee
A middle ground between a goatee and a short beard. Useful if you have decent growth on the jaw near the chin but sparse growth towards the ears. It gives the impression of a fuller beard with clean, defined edges.
Matching the style to your face
Round face: add length. Van Dyke, anchor or an extended goatee kept a little longer at the chin. Avoid a wide circle beard, which adds width.
Long or narrow face: add width, keep length down. A short circle beard works well. Avoid a long pointed chin.
Square face: most styles work. A slightly rounded circle beard softens a very angular jaw.
Weak or receding chin: a goatee is one of the best tools for this. Keep a little more length at the chin to build it forward.
Double chin or soft jawline: an anchor or extended goatee, with a clean line under the jaw, creates definition.
Face shape is a starting point, not a rule. The barber’s assessment at the start of each Highgate Cuts visit is where the real decision gets made: they look at your growth, your face and how you wear your hair, then recommend a shape. You can see the beard services on our barbers page.
Growing and shaping one
Grow everything for three to four weeks. It is tempting to shave the cheeks immediately and grow only the chin. Resist it. Growing out gives you, or your barber, the full picture of where the hair is dense enough to work with.
Get the first shape done by a barber. The edges of a goatee are what make it look intentional, and the first set of lines is the hardest to get symmetrical. Once they exist, keeping them at home is straightforward.
Maintain the outline every two to three days. Shave or trim the cheeks and neck back to the line.
Trim the length weekly. Use a trimmer with a guard. Most office-friendly goatees sit somewhere between a short guard and a medium one; our beard trimmer length guide explains what the numbers mean in practice.
Return to the barber every three to five weeks to reset the outline before it drifts.
The details that make it look deliberate
The neckline
The most common mistake is a goatee that stops at the chin with a soft, undefined underside. Decide where the bottom edge sits. For most styles, it should follow the underside of the chin and be shaved clean beneath. The same principles as a full beard neckline apply, just over a narrower area.
Width
A classic goatee is usually about as wide as the mouth, or slightly wider. Too narrow and it looks thin. Too wide and it starts to look like a beard with the cheeks missing.
Symmetry
Few faces are symmetrical and few beards grow evenly. Trim in good light, look straight into the mirror, and take a little from each side in turn rather than finishing one side completely.
The moustache
Keep the moustache off the top lip. Trim it along the lip line with small scissors. A moustache that hangs over the lip makes even a sharp goatee look untidy.
Common mistakes
Letting the cheeks creep. If you shave a little higher each time, the goatee slowly shrinks. Keep the lines consistent, ideally using the barber’s outline as a guide.
Too much length for the face. A long goatee on a long face exaggerates it.
Neglecting the skin. Shaved cheeks around a goatee mean more frequent shaving. If you get irritation, our guide to razor burn covers how to calm it.
Ignoring grey. Goatees often grey at the chin first. Many men like it. If not, it is worth discussing before reaching for dye.
If a shaved area becomes repeatedly inflamed or infected, the British Association of Dermatologists' guidance on folliculitis explains what to look for and when to speak to a pharmacist.
Questions we get asked
Is a goatee professional?
A neat, well-edged goatee is generally fine in most workplaces. The circle beard is the most conservative choice. What matters is clean lines and regular upkeep.
How long does it take to grow a goatee?
Allow three to four weeks of full growth before shaping, longer if your hair grows slowly. A Van Dyke with a styled moustache can take a couple of months to fill out.
Can I have a goatee with a patchy beard?
Yes. Goatees suit patchy growth because the cheeks, where gaps are most common, are shaved. You need reasonable density on the chin and, for most styles, the upper lip.
Should a goatee match my haircut?
It should feel consistent. A sharp, short goatee pairs well with a short or faded cut; a longer goatee suits a longer, softer haircut. The barber can balance both in one visit.
Read more about the building on The Highgate House homepage, or see the beard trims and shaves in Highgate we offer.
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The Highgate House, Archway Road, Highgate, London N6.
