Modern military train soldiers to shave and keep clean in the field. I think it will be important to keep up with things like cutting hair and beards, even if it's a No.1 all over, and just a neatly trimmed beard (neatly trimmed legs for ladies, no enemy rib bone weaving for reasons that will be mentioned later.)
After SHTF, we will be making quick judgement of people based on appearance. Say for example, whilst scanning the horizon on lookout, you spy a stranger. They have dirty, torn clothes, messy beard and hair, and dirty skin. To me, this says cannibal raider, possibly psychotic or carrying a disease.
Now compare this to seeing somebody with worn cloths that have been kept in good condition, recently cut, reasonably clean hair, clean shaven or obviously well kept/trimmed facial hair and clean skin. What does that say? It says that they have the discipline and state of mind to stay clean in the field, or maybe are a member of a well organized group, with the ability to clean and repair clothes, and provide adequate hygiene for multiple people.
What are your thoughts on this? What do you plan to do? For me personally, the length of my hair serves as a pretty accurate BIKINI State warning, the shorter the hair the more serious, as one of the last things I'd try to do before things get mad is get my head shaved.
Interesting perspective.
For me, if everything has gone down hill, and someone's walking about looking clean and well shaven, that would set off warning signs.
I'd probably resemble a posh Robinson Crusoe. Well kept beard, maybe stubble, but ever too clean shaven. Hair will probably be dreadlocked (learned to do dreads for this reason). Clothing will be very much practical, without thought on style really.
The image I'd want to portray: Not to be messed with, but you definitely want this guy on your side and not against you.
How I'd probably look: Ragged clothed stranger that seems to be doing alright for himself.
From a military perspective keeping clean and shaven in the field has more to do with health and hygiene and the effectiveness of a respirator fit than it has to do with looks, in a shtf situation I would be wary of anyone regardless of what they look like, don't be fooled by appearances.
I will be suspicious of anyone post SHTF, but someone who looks clean, well groomed, tidy will stand out from the crowd, hardly grey man! when most will be gaunt, dirty and starving. I will look the same as I always do, full beard and long hair.
These broad generalizations are greatly misleading.
We are not supposed to base our opinions on looks today but SHTF we will/can/should?
How about my blue haired grandson? He's a good kid but looks scary as hell!
Military cleanliness is to prevent disease carrying body lice, fleas and ticks, as was stated already. WW2 was the first war we fought where we lost more people in combat than to disease.
Situation also has an affect. I remember going on patrols and wearing the same duds for 2-6 weeks, no shaves, no showers. We would have been considered a disgrace on the parade ground but were a highly effective unit because we could endure the filth and misery and accomplish our missions.
I know that there are days when I am working around my place and at day's end I look like I have rolled in crap. Sometimes I have actually rolled in crap, it's part of farm life. Just attempt to clean a chicken house and remain neat and clean! I have to clean up before I enter the house!
I wear ragged clothes because I don't want to ruin my good togs while working, and I often do not shave until the end of the day when I know there is heavy work ahead. Do all the clean up at once.
Average day like today, when I drove to the village for stock feed first thing I am clean, neat and well trimmed, but I am doing some remodeling and I will again look like crap before the end of the night.
The guy I am worried about is the one I do not see at all, until it is too late!
shaved head ,beard ,will use non smelly soap ,for my hands and other things that need to be clean for heath ,my teeth will be cleaned daily ,bad teeth and tooth ache wtshtf is not going to be pretty ,cloths are strong ,but will be dirty ,I have a good set of foot care clippers ingrowing toe nails are a pain in the ass
These scenarios seem to me to be focused and more applicable to cities where people are more conscious of appearance due to their nature of work. In the sticks where folks survive through dirty manual labour the norm is to be covered in Mud, shit and Oil from Sun up to Sundown, only changing clothes after the days work is done. The gulf between town and country is now so wide that your average Farmer would get stared at if he walked down the street in any major UK city in his Dungarees/overalls and Wellies, not forgetting his flat cap lol.
post SHTF maintaining a "presentable" appearance will be the least of my problems( some people say it never was !), this as has been said is and always was something for the city and office jobs in particular, not someone living in a rural back country environment when the world had "gone to hell in a handcart"!!
I imagine that once people's stocks of washing powder / soap / razors run out, it won't be one of the things high on their list of getting, especially if it means risking life and limb to visit a town or store on the off-chance of it being available. I also wonder how much water people would be prepared to use for showering etc if living off what they had stored.
On the other hand, if you wish to keep up appearances, I remember doing the morning routine (brushing teeth, shaving and trying to keep the hair down) using a half cup of water when in the field on army reserve exercises. Having an old-fashioned cutthroat razor would probably be the way to go go, meanwhile providing something to do at night (stropping to keep it sharp) when bored of a night.