October 15, 1860
How a little girl’s “beauty advice” to Abraham Lincoln may have shaped the future (& face) of America.
“If you let your whiskers grow, I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you. You would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President.”
“Some three months ago, I received a letter from a young lady here; it was a very pretty letter, and she advised me to let my whiskers grow, as it would improve my personal appearance; acting partly upon her suggestion, I have done so; and now, if she is here, I would like to see her.”
Guided By Grace?
Grace wrote the letter in Oct 1860, just weeks before Election Day.
In his response to Grace, Lincoln asked whether he might be made fun of for suddenly growing a beard; he was!
The beard likely didn’t impact his victory, BUT it did affect his appearance as the 16th President and his legacy.
Pres. Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have one thing going for both of them this Election Day — NO facial hair. Researchers say beards are perceived as a sign of masculinity and self-confidence, yet no sitting president has sported facial hair in over a century.
Sources
See the letter: CLICK HERE
Pres. Lincoln’s journey from candidate to President: READ MORE
When he met little Grace: CLICK HERE
Are Men With Beards More Desirable? READ FOR FUN