FOUND MOUSTACHE NUMBER 1

WHAT DO WE THINK OF THE MODERN MOUSTACHE THEN?

Well, views anyone?  I must confess – it rests uneasily with me.  I am a massive fan of the beard.  I am a massive fan of the massive beard in fact.  I am also a massive fan of massive hair in most formats BUT…I am NOT a massive fan of the tache (massive or otherwise) as a solo piece of facial hair.

In recent months, I have noticed that young men’s top lips are starting to become adorned with an array of different moustache types.  At first, it was simply the odd dandy partaking in this new wave facial hair – but now, its hit the general public and men the length and breadth of the country are hanging up their razors to champion a tache.

Personally I say no.  You do not wear a moustache on its own.  Wear a full beard and tache combination.  If you must, wear a designer beard alongside a moustache, but surely, you should never, ever, consider going solo.  Just check out the 70’s and 80’s for proof.

The question therefore is who is right?  Me and the don’t fly it solo gang, or them, who wear one with pride.  Shall we do some proper research?

BRING ON THE MOUSTACHIOD MEN…

Example #1 - random man with classic tache. NO	Example #2 - the more modern pencil thin street tache - NO
Example # 3 - The ever hansom Mr Pitt with tache - NO, you look like a fool	Example # 4 - Burt Reynolds with a smokin' tache - MAYBE...alright, so this one is quite good and I am a bit jealous
Example # 5 - Hitler sans his infamous tache...HMMMM - he looks much more friendly and approachable	THE HARD FACTS… So look, lets talk serious here.  It is plain to see from these samples, that, generally speaking – its a bad idea! NUMBER 1 – he looks like an 80’s stockbroker…and not in a good way. NUMBER 2 – No words can describe what a bad fashion choice this moustache was NUMBER 3 – No, No, No.  You look like a joke man – pull yourself together. NUMBER 4 – I accept this as firm evidence that some men, can unquestionably pull off a moustache. BUT, my caveat is that its Burt Reynolds.  We are not all Burt Reynolds – one man in a million is.  So, unless your that man – don’t consider it. NUMBER 5 – This is like my wild card.  Hitler is famous for his tache…remover it and what do you got? A slightly evil looking maths teacher, that’s who.  If Hitler hadn’t worn a moustache, imagine how different the world could have been.

WHAT DO STREET STYLE BLOGS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE MOUSTACHE?

So, I wonder if you are convinced yet?  Please don’t get me wrong – I am a fashion fan, but I am not a dedicated follower of fashion.  Sometimes a new trend comes in and I think it looks a bit stupid – then, over time, come around and join in (skinny jeans on bandy legged men like myself par example).  BUT…I am quite, quite confident in knowing that I shall never, ever, come round to the idea of wearing a moustache as a solo project.

Moustached Dandy from copenhagenstreetstyle.dk

I thought I would check out a few of the street style blogs to see what living samples I could find.

I was surprised at the turn out I got…I thought they would be littered with fine samples to prove my point – but those street style snappers were not playing ball.

THE STYLE SCOUT (stylescout.blogspot.com/) – NO TACHE

HEL LOOKS (www.hel-looks.com/) – NO TACHE

THE SARTORIALIST (www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com/) – NO TACHE

FACEHUNTER (facehunter.blogspot.com/) – NO TACHE

I thought I was going mad – I knew the tache had made a come back, I knew I had seen many samples in the fair city of Brighton – but this was not represented on the fashion blogs.  Had I got it all wrong?

But then, as I was about to abandon my post in shame, I checked out Copenhagen Street Style (copenhagenstreetstyle.dk) and YES, my patience was rewarded with this little beauty to my left.

They are a dapper couple – the lad looks interestingly turned out – nice boots, nice bow tie, nice scarf and shirt combination.  But that moustache – NO.  It was all going so well until that point, it just looks bad.

THE MOUSTACHE IS SIMPLY A COMEDY ACCESSORY

I think I have more than proved my point now.  The Moustache can be a comedy item, to be worn to a party, festival or perhaps for charity – but as a stand alone fashion item, its a bad show.  UNLESS you are Burt Reynolds – in which case, you can just about pull it off.

The main benefit of the moustache is as a comedy item, and that is how it should be.  Take Moustache Me (http://moustacheme.com/) for example, who comically apply moustaches to adverts, famous people and other such media.

It just so happened that as I was pondering the heady world of facial hair, I came across the two fine drawings which you can see in this post – which have been neatly illustrated with a stick on moustache.

Whilst I would love to claim them as my own work, sadly they were just something that I found and seemed to be rather appropriate.

Obviously, if one can grow a moustache such as the one to the right here, then we are entering into a whole new conversation about acceptance.  Once the realm of the cool tache has been passed – and the wearer is firmly and securely deposited into the realm of the comedy tache, then everything is acceptable.

As a final thought for you – take heed of the note scribbled under this moustache:

“I want to look rich because that is what my character wants to be”

I ask you – would that moustache make anyone look rich?

Related posts:

1. SHOW STUDIO – FASHION REVOLUTION – NICK KNIGHT @ SOMERSET HOUSE
2. SHOW STUDIO – FASHION REVOLUTION – COMEDY CASTING