Since the Taliban swept to power in mid-August, Afghans have little cash to spare and fear of being punished for supporting short or fashionable haircuts.
During the Taliban's first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, the hardliners banned flamboyant hairstyles and insisted men grow beards.
After they were ousted, being clean-shaven was often considered a sign of modernity, including in the relatively cosmopolitan western city of Herat. Now, suddenly people like to make themselves look like the Taliban.
