It's long been known that wearing a mustache is not fashionable, but what I was wondering is, when did this become the case? When I had my old job, I was forced to shave off the goatee portion of my facial hair, which was devastating to me. I left the 'stache only, apparently only to be ridiculed by friends and called "Magnum". Well, Thomas Magnum was one of my earliest TV heroes... So what then, biznatch? Still, I admittedly felt like it was a neutered goatee. Eventually I shaved it all off, only to lose that crappy job later and grow back the full deal. Going back to the mustache, though, why has it been decided that the average male, i.e. not Tom Selleck or Peter Cullen, cannot have a mustache? I saw this on "Undateable" on VH1 as well. Having one makes you undateable in the eyes of pretentious fashion people! I mean, is it really that bad? How did this happen?
I also sport a gotee and shave it off on occasion, I only left the mustache once and will never do that again because it looked very gay. No offense intended to any homosexuals. There are very few who a mustache looks good on and it's also a matter of whether or not people are accustomed to seeing it on them.
When I was working in camp up north, the boys and I decided to start a "campstache" club. Boy you should have seen the looks we'd get walking down the hall at camp! I had some mean ass handlebars going on, but it looked horrible while growing it in. Just picture a dozen young guys walking around sporting campstaches in varying degrees of growth. That mental image alone should answer your question as to why they are not stylish.
This is why I say fuck the media, trying to get us all looking us all looking the same. Now I have absolutely no problem with it, but it seems that so many folks, especially men, whether someones shaven or not. First it was mustaches, then our pubic regions. I bet you more than anything that sooner or later some asshole will try to turn baldness into a fashion statement and before you know it, people will label you an animal if you so have such a strain of hair on your person. I'm sorry, I'm just really pissed off how so many people will deliberately allow the media to form their own perspective on how humans should act and look.
Personally I have no problem with anyone doing what they want with their own bodies, just as long as they're the ones making the decision and not the decision of others, especially the media whom seems to have such an obsession with stick thin models (not natural skinny folks, mind you, just those that deliberately starve themselves).
If my job would allow it, I would grow a mustache. Fuck social stanards. I also sport my hairy chest whenever possible. I know you wanted to know that.
If I could grow one thick enough I would. I've been rocking a full beard for a while now but it would be nice to have the mustache area grow in better. It is over time though so when it happens I'm shaving the rest of the beard to celebrate
Take it from a man who wears full on mutton chops (complete with connecting 'tache). Fashion is what you make it, if you can pull it off in a way you feel good about, then people will notice that it suits you. It's a cliche, but true - if you feel good you look good. I feel good in tweed jackets, bow ties, mutton chops and deerstalker caps. Occassionally with my e-pipe and a fine brandy. It's not what popular culture says is good (hell, it's not what most sane people think is good), but I like it, and that makes it work in a crazy sort of way.
I've never been able to grow the connecting bits between the mustache and the goatee, so I've got this sort of Shakespearian van dyke thing going on. Kind of a pain to keep it trimmed, but it beats shaving my chin.
I can't wait until mongloid neck beards become fashionable, then I'll be totally styling since that's where I get the best growth Hell yes! Sounds like my Brother in law. He shaved himself into a hair tube top once.
I think it really comes down to the way your face is structured. The moustache shows up so regularly on the faces of mugshot'd lawbreakers - especially those that do the really gross stuff - that I think it has become culturally more as "creepy" and less as "cool." Totally off the top of my head, but I'd say that, generally, the following matrix should help young and aspiring men decide whether or not to grow a moustache:
I've had one off and on (mostly on) since High School. As long as it doesn't get too wild, and you can still eat through the damn thing who cares what other people think?
To be honest, if you're single and looking, then you should TOTALLY care what other people think, particularly women...and most women believe that a moustache is a turn-off. Again, this is mostly due to the creep factor that got tacked onto the moustache thanks to countless paedos and murderers showing up with one in their mugshots. Don't get me wrong, I LIKE wearing a moustache. I think they get a bad rap. I wouldn't mind wearing a 'stache either - I think they look cool - but you REALLY have to have the right type of face to truly pimp one and be single & looking. If you're already in a committed relationship though, fuck it - grow your facial hair any damn way you want.
I rocked the Ron Jeremy stache in my 20's Can pull off the Val Kilmer in Tombstone with ease. I usually just go the babyface route cause it's easier.
Why has it become a faux pa to have hair? Some people can pull one off (Selleck, Cullen, Sam Elliot) and some can't (David Crosby).
I had one back in the early 2000's and just decided to shave it off one day. I've kept it off since. It was my own choice, there was no outside influence I can think of. I simply felt it looked douche-y.