UrbanUpdate

Tom Hardy can suit up like the best of them in Hollywood, and has been since he embarked on the press tour for his new TV show, Taboo. But at a more casual event in California yesterday the actor let his guard down and rolled up in the gear we’ve come to know he favors IRL; nondescript staples that look good but also don’t stand out a style perspective. He wore a white T-shirt, a black hoodie, baggy jeans, and some Adidas NMD sneakers—the kind of outfit every fifth guy in America has on at the moment.

But there’s something that’s giving the look some much-needed excitement, other than the fact that Tom Hardy is Tom Hardy—an incredibly swole, British-accented, highly mysterious famous person—and that’s his grooming game. His fade is freshly trimmed and he’s clearly used some product to keep it nicely slicked back, and his beard, while it could use a trim, looks like it’s been combed through with some consideration. On top of that, his eyebrows are under control and his skin looks clean and fresh. All in all, it’s A- grooming look. Combined with his C+ outfit that brings his average up to a solid B. And there’s nothing wrong with a B.

So if you just can’t (literally or figuratively) with Pitti Uomo-level menswear, get yourself to the barber and find a haircut and beard strategy that’s above-average good. It’s the ultimate style hack and one that anyone can pull off.

Up Next: Three GQ Editors Take the 30-Day Beard ChallengeRelated Stories for GQTom HardyBeardsHair