How to Get a Goatee That Looks as Good as Jacob Elordi’s

A few years ago, Jacob Elordi became the poster boy of the mullet. Now, the Wuthering Heights actor is rehabbing the reputation of another divisive look: the goatee.Over the weekend, the Aussie was seen sitting front row at the Bottega Veneta show, decked head-to-toe in the Italian label. His hair was typically wavy but the new goatee shook up his look. Only a month earlier, he'd stepped out at The Dog Stars premiere clean shaven from the bottom lip down.“I immediately was like, ‘I swear, have seen a few of these little goatee things around recently’” says Time Shoreditch barber TJ Hunt. “I think it plays into the fashions at the moment for hair, which is leaning towards that early 2000s look,” he says. “It links with that skater-y, surfer-y grunge scene of the early 2000s, when there was Limp Bizkit and those guys. There was a lot of those soul patches with mustaches. We used to call it like a disconnected goatee, because obviously it doesn't go all the way round.”“He paired his goatee with a mustache, using the shape to add definition around the jaw while keeping the overall look relaxed and modern,” adds Maxwell Oakley, co-founder of barbers Supply 91. He notes that “Adam Driver and Austin Butler are good examples” for other goatees.“I think another good thing about this look is that it brings weight and definition to the chin and central area of the face, which can make the face look more angular,” says Hunt. “Obviously, Jacob Elordi and handsome devils like that don't need to worry about making themselves look more chiseled. But for the average guy who's maybe not got such a defined jawline or cheekbones, it can give the effect that you've got a more masculine profile.”Hunt says you shouldn't be put off if you're lacking in facial hair, too. “A lot of guys grow quite a bit hair around the goatee area bit of the sideburns, and then it's a bit sparse or patchy in between, so this is a really good style for that.”“The key to a good goatee is definition,” says Oakley. To start, Hunt recommends getting rid of any tuft on your cheeks and jawline: “Clean shave those, or with the bare blade of a detail clipper, take all that off until you get down to that chin area. Some guys don't grow hair there, so obviously if you don't, then no need to work work on that.”At The Dog Stars premiere Neil MockfordFrom what Hunt can see, it seems Elordi has trimmed his with a number two hair clipper guard (AKA six millimeters) to keep it looking neat and tidy. That goes for your mustache, too. “Doesn't have to be crazy neat, but obviously you don't want like a big bushy walrus mustache to go with your disconnected goatee,” he says.Then it's about creating the shape. Use a trimmer without the guard on to create the goatee. To copy Elordi's, make sure there's a bit of facial hair directly under your lip, but more of it covering your chin. “Once you've got the original shape in, it should be relatively easy to keep it neat because you've got that guideline. Then it's a case of clearing the stray hairs that grow.”“Symmetry is particularly important with a goatee, so take your time when outlining each side and check your shape as you go,” adds Oakley. “My advice is always to trim gradually —you can take more off, but you can’t put it back. Finish with a razor or precision trimmer to clean up the edges and remove any stray hairs.”But if you're nervous about chopping away at your facial hair, then head to the barbers. “They will make the shape is there, and you can just upkeep that," says Hunt. "It will save you if you're not feeling too confident with the bare blade of a clipper, or the wet razor to get that neat line.”A version of this story originally appeared in British GQ.