"Fashion" is most definitely never an issue for me ! I reckon it's more of a "wonder what I'd look like with a beard" thing.........that and "embracing my grey-ness"
Just to add -when you say "keep up the trips to the barber", I haven't been to a barber since 1994 ! (Shaved head)
I too have a shaved head but if I didnt have me beard tidied it looked IS
Just grow it then, don't like it shave the thing off. Simples