DEAR HARRIETTE: I hate my boyfriend’s facial hair. I think his beard is way too long, but he refuses to cut it. I’ve told him so many times that I feel much more attracted to him when his beard is short and well-groomed, but he doesn’t care. I am not attracted to him with his super-long beard. He seems to care about the beard more than he cares about my opinion. What do I do? My disdain for his beard is starting to affect our relationship in all aspects. -- Shave It
DEAR SHAVE IT: I understand your opinion -- and his. Let me ask you something: Is there anything about the way that you present yourself that your boyfriend doesn’t like? Have you adjusted anything in your style to accommodate him? If you can strike a common-ground conversation with him where you point out something that you have compromised on for his pleasure, that may get him to open his eyes.
But it also may be that this is a time for you to exercise patience. Give him space to enjoy his full beard -- which is also a trend right now. If you really are repulsed by it, keep your distance. Your boyfriend will likely notice that you are acting differently around him. Being less romantic may alert him that it’s time for him to make an adjustment. Time will tell.