Growing A Beard

So I'm attempting to grow a beard.  That's right a full beard.  Call me Grizzly Adams, I don't mind.  The reason for my wanting to grow a beard?  I hate shaving.  It's true.  It hurts my face and I'm tired of nicking my skin and bleeding for hours on end because of a tiny cut on my chin.  The problem is I'm in the itchy stage of the beard and it's driving me crazy.  Plus my wife isn't a big fan of it but I've come this far...almost two weeks now...and I don't feel like it would be right to shave it off now. 

I'm sure the people at my work are a little concerned about the beard.  But no one's really asked me about it.  They just seem to have accepted that I'm a lazy slob who doesn't want to bother with shaving.  And frankly at this point I'm fine with coming off that way. 

But my wife made a truly excellent point today and it's really bugging me.  She says I don't have the right hairdo for a beard and I fear that she's right.  I mean, I look at some of the truly excellent beards throughout history and in the movies:  Jesus Christ, Gandalf, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Santa Claus.  The first two had long, flowing hair that seemed to compliment their beards.  The latter were grey haired.  I don't fit into either of those categories (although I'm getting closer to the grey hair...closer than I'd like to admit at times).

Anyway, she feels that my swoop to the right style just isn't going to cut it with a beard.  But I don't think I'd have the stamina to let my hair grow out long either.  I do need a haircut but I'm afraid that cutting away the hair will only emphasize the oddity of having a beard.   So I find myself in a bit of a quandary.