@idrankseawater - I have family in Jamaica and in some PARTS of Jamaica they can have goatees where as in the areas with more tourists the brothers are more apprehensive about having them. On a small island such as that there are TWO differing ideas on something like facial hair. So I can imagine if there are those from other countries who look at you and say things like that they are basing thier views on what they see on a day to day basis in thier own small world.
If no one is harrassing you about what you are wearing locally do not worry about what people outside your community are saying about you