A Ned Kelly beard is a style of facial hair named after 19th-century Australian bushranger and outlaw Ned Kelly. It consists of a full, luxuriant beard and a moustache, and is typically accompanied by short, styled hair. Although the term dates back to the early 20th century, it gained currency in Australia in the 2000s to refer to a trend in hipster fashion, and was named word of the month in March 2014 by the Australian National Dictionary Centre.

Description The Ned Kelly is said to require a high degree of maintenance and grooming.

History The full beard became popular among men in Western countries in the mid-19th-century,"Beards were cool long before hipsters" (3 December 2017), Sunshine Coast Daily. Retrieved 7 July 2018. and was worn by many Australian bushrangers, including Ned Kelly, who was hanged in Melbourne in 1880 after he and his gang killed policemen. The day before his execution at Old Melbourne Gaol, Kelly posed for a photographic portrait by Charles Nettleton, which has since become a recognisable image to generations of Australians.Gordon, Harry (1975). Famous Australian News Pictures. Macmillan Publishers. , pp. 6–11. The Australian National Dictionary Centre cites this photograph as the inspiration for the term Ned Kelly beard."Word of the Month: Ned Kelly Beard" (March 2018), Oxford University Press Australia. Retrieved 7 July 2018.

The term was shortlisted in the Australian National Dictionary Centre's 2014 word of the year competition, but lost to shirtfront, an Australian rules football term.Trembath, Brendan (10 December 2014). "'Shirtfront' named Australia's word of the year by National Dictionary Centre". ABC News. Retrieved 7 July 2018.

Examples Celebrities who have been said to sport the Ned Kelly beard style include Australian rules football player Jimmy Bartel,Dennehy, Luke (6 September 2016). "Jimmy Bartel’s domestic violence campaign nears its hairy end", Herald Sun. Retrieved 7 July 2018. politician Phil Cleary,Mueller, Ross (30 September 2015). "Ross Mueller: Old softie and footy legend Phil Cleary still the hard man in defence of women", Geelong Advertiser. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak,Gatt, Ray (17 November 2017). "World Cup: Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak never lost the faith". The Australian. Retrieved 7 July 2018. and freestyle skier Anton Grimus."Australian ski cross racer Anton ‘The Beard’ Grimus crashed out in Sochi" (20 February 2014), news.com.au. Retrieved 7 July 2018. In 2008, journalist Mark Willacy described Hamas military leader Salah Shehade as having a "square Ned Kelly beard".Willacy, Mark (2008). The View From Valley of Hell. Macmillan Publishers. , p. 19.

See also List of facial hairstyles

References