Mustache Mania
In 1600s Europe, facial hair was believed to be a piece of bodily waste, an excretion of exhausted gas leftover from sperm in the body. Thankfully, we no longer believe this, but it proves that the mustache’s meanings have evolved significantly depending on historical context.
Recently, the mustache has been re-popularised, especially in the indie scene—as I’m sure you have realized if you spend any time with those producing testosterone—so it’s curious to ask, what does the mustache mean now? And why is it back?
Early 19th Century
In the 1850s, the, somehow, delicate and sturdy mustachio was a sign of high class and domineering masculinity in its wearers, as the aristocrats were richer and thus capable of regularly attending barbers. The ‘dandy’ stereotype, in particular, was portrayed as a middle-class man who used his manicured mustache and pretty nails to associate himself with the upper echelons. It was a communication of nostalgia for the feudal system and a portrayal of the wearer's own intellectual refinement. Nefariously, it, too, became a colonial vehicle, a mediation of the perceived weak and feminine civility of the clean-shaven and the barbarianism of untamed hair growth.
Later 19th Century and Early 20th Century
Later in the century, conflicts—such as the Franco-Prussian War—enlisted many upperclassmen, particularly as captains and generals. Consequently, the mustache became symbolic of the "military man," becoming more coarse and walrus-like, and stayed that way through the following world wars. Though the archetypical young soldier, regardless of nationality, was often depicted in propaganda as clean-shaven, its perceived cleanliness symbolically represented moral cleanliness and trustworthiness.
Simply put, the archetype was this: the patriarch was hairy and the young progressive was not. It is curious how we have come to a reversion of this, the mustache now representing the young, enlightened liberal.
Post-War(s) Era
One may observe the beginnings of this transition in the post-war generation; the 1950s generally saw clean-shaven looks for men, eager to shed the seriousness of the wars and disillusioned by 'true-reason' nationalism. They found mustaches severely outdated and—due to the likes of Hitler and Stalin—symbols of fascism. This idea was championed, and thus ridiculed, by the comedies of Charlie Chaplin, connoting the mustache with a non-serious individuality. This association was furthered by figures like Salvador Dali, Groucho Marx, and Jimmy Edwards.
In the late ‘60s, the mustache became experimental and artsy; the goatee came in (and out just as fast), and the pencil mustache resided a little longer (ex., Jimi Hendrix and two of the four Beatles).
In the ‘70s, facial hair was in full force, an assertion of manhood due to (what felt like) gender absolution. As society left the ideals of the ‘50s nuclear family further behind and shed the teddy boy and Mary Quant styles of the '60s, the popularized hippie style gained slightly more stylistic ambiguity between the genders. With the Vietnam War—and the U.S.’s involvement in it, plus the release of the Pentagon Papers—in full force, many Americans sought to rebel against the government in whatever way they could, thus, kickstarting the whole “hippie” movement. So, men grew wild and voluminous facial hair to assert that they could discard conventions and still retain a prehistoric idea of manhood.
21st Century
In a more generalized scope, a study has shown that mustaches are recorded to become more prevalent when there is a higher number of single men who are having difficulty obtaining spouses; facial hair is meant to implicitly increase attractiveness. In contrast, when there are fewer single men, clean-shavenness becomes more popular, to signify trust-worthiness. The silly mustache, here, becomes an agent of desire; a sign of masculine status and virility.
We might also observe that the current mustache often accompanies a mullet, a style distinctly popular in Australia, aligning with that of the loveable larrikin. The larrikin stereotype is a hooligan; a mischievous youth who is meant to be naturalistic and fun-loving.
Although often overlooked, the larrikin persona can be rooted in misogyny, with its light-heartedness serving as a tool in Australian 'bloke culture' to evade accountability. This ties into discussions about the mustache, suggesting that it aligns with male dominance. Despite its role in fueling sexual dimorphism and using humor as a cover, studies suggest that sexist attitudes actually decrease among men with facial hair.
The mustache acts as a simultaneous acceptance of social androgyny while also reclaiming an inoffensive, attractive manhood, as it did in the 1970s. We can connect several historical mustache stereotypes to the mustache-wearing person of today: the hippie mustache-grower—rebellious and peace-loving— and the mullet-wearing, larrikin-esque—artsy and entrepreneurial—both promoting rebellion against the conventional and serious. Its individualized ridiculousness allows a commentary on the previous bigoted assumptions of ‘ideal manhood.’
Or, perhaps the mustache is so back simply because Miles Teller looked hot in Top Gun Maverick.
