They are everywhere, not only on faces, but they have been spotted on stickers, jewelry, and even on clothes; no doubt mustaches have become a pop-culture phenomenon. We have appreciated them for centuries, although, why the sudden outburst of admiration for this humorous looking facial hair? With the increasing infatuation for mustaches, society will realize that they are a unique significance of personality and individuality in America.
The origin of the mustache dates back to the B.C.’s, but lets speed up a few years to the classy 19th century where the mustache makes its appearance. Throughout this age, men sported the mustache to gain stature in the community; it provided a way to make the man appear desirable and wealthy. Though there are numerous forms of mustaches, the “handlebar” and the “toothbrush” were the most common to wear. The “handlebar” mustache appears just like its given name, it is shaped as an “M” and twirls at the ends, giving it a distinctive style for men. Then, there is the ever so popular “toothbrush” mustache Adolf Hitler donned during WWII. Just like the “handlebar” it too appears like its given name. The mustache from afar looks like a small square on the man’s upper lip, giving it a very powerful, leader-like, appearance. Dictators wore mustaches to look powerful and mighty, wealthy men wore them to show status, regular men wore it because of the style. “Obviously with this kind of history to the mustache it grew in infamy and power – becoming a true symbol of decision making men, gun wielding men, and of course, the type of men that incite genocidal terror. It took many years for the mustache to redeem itself from this elitist group and become an item of regular wear for the common, every day citizens of the world” ("History Of The Mustache: A Mustache Evolution"). No matter the man or mustache, it was truly a significant aspect of the man’s personality. Stature was the primary purpose of the 19th
Cited: "History Of The Mustache: A Mustache Evolution."Bachelor. Bachelor, 05 Nov 2012. Web. 4 Mar 2013. <http://www.bachelor.com/history-of-the-mustache-a-mustache-evolution/>. Nelson, D.. "What Is a Hipster Mustache?." wiseGEEK. Conjecture Coporation. Web. 4 Mar 2013. <http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-hipster-mustache.htm>.