What happened to him... (Hint: Its Stubble).

We’ve all experienced that moment of seeing someone we know and thinking, “Something’s different… what happened to him?”

Often, the answer is surprisingly simple: he simply let his facial hair go untouched for a few weeks.

Maybe that’s why it is noticed as being so striking. When everyone is trying so hard to look their absolute best, there’s something about someone who has a few imperfections, a bit of stubble, or a skinny moustache, something unexpected, that just stands out. Or potentially a patchy beard or some unruly stubble. Messiness is sexy and almost intimate, and it’s not just “messy is sexy,” it’s “messy is sexy because it also breaks predictability.”

Walking into the office with a bit of stubble can be more attractive than showing up perfectly shaved. It’s rough or rugged and effortless, and it breaks the corporate sameness so that it actually makes people feel more relaxed.

And that’s really the point, these small, imperfect details are what make someone stand out without even trying. A clean shave can look good, sure, but a bit of natural roughness has its own pull.