Why and when did beards go out of fashion?

In eras gone by, important men and Presidents sported beards. They were a sign of manliness and wisdom.

Nowadays, not so much. In fact they've come to be resented in modern society:

Women say they're too prickly, hipsters have made a mockery of their manly roots by pairing them with bird-pattern cardigans, fedoras and other forms of ironic clothing.

In fact, people have even gone so as far to suggest that beards are bringing about the downfall of the male grooming industry...

But when did beards stop being so common place?

The answer is... There is no answer. Or at least not a definitive one.

The truth about beards is that they've always come in and out of fashion throughout the ages - and maybe we're just on the verge of a turning tide in beard popularity!

The Ancient Romans weren't big on beards - it was seen as a mark of squalor and poverty by some.

On the other hand, the Ancient Greeks couldn't get enough of them it seems.

Then came Alexander the Great, who went beardless. Some say it was because he was a bit vain and didn't want to hide his face, others say it's because he was a practicing homosexual.

Either way, the beard trend has fluctuated like that throughout the ages and across cultures.

For example, WWI is blamed for a large decline in beards due to the unsanitary conditions of war. Beards made a great home for lice.

Instead, some people think beardlessness is actually the Devil's work...

I'm a little more skeptical, Satan clearly has a liking for facial hair!