One local group of facial hair aficionados are taking "Movember" to another level.
For at least one member of the Fresno Beard and Moustache Club expressing oneself through facial hair came with big plans.
"I want a show - my own little public access show called 'fun with facial hair.' this was years ago," FBMC Vice President Aaron Holley said.
Now a little more than a week into the month of "Movember" Holley and some fellow members are getting their chance on a national stage.
"It's the third annual national beard and mustache competition in Vegas. I'm excited because this is my first participation in nationals," Holley said.
The club has around 30 members with just as many beard and mustache styles. There's the Verdi - "it's a round groomed beard with the styled mustache," FBMC Vice President Shawn Hasson said.
A little broader of a category is the partial beard freestyle where anything goes - really.
"Some of the guys I compete against - there's no way they would conduct their daily business looking like this. I conduct my daily business looking like this," Holley said.
And as far as mustaches go, Dustin Reese prefers the English style.
"That's where the middle of the mustache is grown out long and it grows into the handlebars and is really straight and narrow and sleek," Reese said.
The guys say their facial hair has taught them a lot about themselves.
"It takes courage. It takes courage to sport this. And you look across the room and you see another guy like that and you're like hey - we can relate," Holley said.
And hasn't hurt them with the ladies - in fact, quite the opposite.
"She'll get little lady mustache jewelry and rings and cute stuff like that," Hasson said.
"She likes that it's more of a dress-up dog and pony show than anything. That's her favorite aspect of it all," Reese said.
"Once one grows a handlebar mustache you don't go back," Holley said.
"Just kind of a blend. You never want to twist. Never roll, because it will break the hair," Reese said.
"This was about 20 minutes just to spray the handlebar in the right spot and sculpt the beard," Hasson said.
The best part of competitive bearding? For these guys the answer is simple.
"It's almost like a hat tip to other gentlemen when you see them with a beard and you just kind of see them across the room and you're just like, 'nice!'" Hasson said,
A sentiment I'm sure echoed by the rest of us unable to pull off our own freestyle 'stache.
