Bankruptcy beard:Facial hair for the financially challenged? That's right. There's a growing trend for face fuzz, and it's directly linked to the downturn. You may have noticed an increase in the number of beardy blokes lately - many of these are former high-flying executives who have lost their jobs. Now they're hightailing it down to the dole queue, writes Kevin Courtney

I thought they were queuing up for a job a department store Santa.

These were once clean-shaven masters of the universe, well-groomed and well-heeled. They presented an image of barefaced arrogance to the world, but since the credit crunch has taken hold, they're not feeling so invincible any more. They need a different kind of armour to shield them from the harsh financial realities they face.

Well, the beard will go nicely with the hair shirt.

Now that these execs are out of a job, there's no need to for them to get suited up for the office every day. And there's little incentive to shave.

So they schlep around the house in their bathrobes, letting their five o'clock shadows grow into five-day stubble, and then into a full-blown beard.

Kinda like that Brian Wilson guy from the Beach Boys when he stayed in bed for a couple of years?

For many people who got fat off the bloated financial market, the downturn has been a bigger comedown that quitting drugs. They put all their faith in the banking system, but now that it's turned out to have been built on sand, they need a different belief system to keep them grounded. By embracing hippie ideals, they can absolve themselves of their financial sins, and save themselves a fortune on grooming products into the bargain. Kids, if you see your beardie dad rolling joints at three in the afternoon and listening to his old CSNY records, you'll know he's been canned.

Well, at least he doesn't have to do the M50 commute any more.

Some positive-thinking types have seen the downturn as a chance to escape the rat race and live a more holistic lifestyle. They'll be more likely to refer to their bankruptcy beard as the "face of freedom".

So, has anyone been keeping tabs on this new sub-species of hairy bankrupts?

Claire Black, a writer for The Scotsman, identified this growing section of society in an article headlined "Stubble 'n' Strife". She noted that people who were once city slickers are now looking more like country bumpkins, as they let their beards grow long, and let their razors rust on the bathroom shelf.

Rather than look down in the mouth, these men are keeping their chins up. And the chin usually has a big pointy tuft of hair sticking out of it. She also interviewed a couple of beardie businessmen who have held onto their big jobs despite the facial fuzz. "I just look a little bit more like a creative type," said one.

Well, at least the beard trend hasn't spread beyond Wall Street.

Actually, beards are big in Hollywood, with the likes of Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Daniel Craig sporting advanced stubble. Perhaps they're anticipating future box-office disasters. The music industry, however, seems to be ignoring the omens, with former beardies Kings of Leon leading the born-again smoothie brigade. When Arctic Monkeys come back with full-length Moses beards, however, you'll know the music biz is bunched.

Try at work: After He made the world, He's had nothing to do for aeons, so the beard has gone completely out of control.

Try at home: Thank God Derek found another job - this beard rash is driving me mad.