Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the rock band Queen, had a moustache tied to his stage persona. Photo: AFP
Once written off as a relic of the 1970s, the moustache is staging a confident return, fuelled by a new generation of style-savvy men reclaiming the upper lip.
From Jacob Elordi to Timothee Chalamet, celebrities are starting to sport this contentious facial hair more and more on the red carpet.
But getting a moustache right is easier said than done. It requires patience, care and – perhaps most importantly – confidence.
As November rolls in, so too does Movember, when upper lips across the nation are conscripted into service for men’s health.
So if you’re looking for inspiration, here are eight of the best moustaches throughout history.
Albert Einstein
Perhaps the most famous moustache in science, Albert Einstein’s facial hair was a chevron-style moustache: full, bushy, covering the upper lip and extending past the corners of the mouth.
Born in 1879 in Ulm, Germany, Einstein was a physicist who transformed our concept of space, time and energy with his theories on relativity (he died in 1955).
Despite his reputation as an absent-minded genius, his moustache remained reliably present in almost all his famous portraits.
Some accounts say that by the 1930s he actually trimmed it less, letting it grow more freely than earlier in life, forming the wild and wiry tash we now associate with the scientist.
Read more: Movember calls for men to grow a moustache, but some just struggle with it
Clark Gable
Clark Gable’s moustache is a textbook example of the pencil moustache. Photo: Collection ChristopheL via AFPClark Gable’s moustache is a textbook example of the pencil moustache – thin, neat and sharply defined. The style leaves a narrow line above the lip, often with a clean gap to the nose.
Gable (1901-1960), the ultimate leading man of old Hollywood, first grew a moustache in 1930 for a stage role (where a fake one was too unreliable) but afterwards decided to keep evolving it for his film persona.
Gable’s moustache felt like the finishing touch to his suave and rakish countenance – carefully groomed, never overpowering the face, but giving a strong line of character.
Freddie Mercury
The moustache most associated with 80s rock – and with Freddie Mercury’s legendary stage persona – was a thick, classic, full moustache, often described as part of the "pornstache" family (that is, bold and statement-making).
Born in 1946, real name Farrokh Bulsara, Mercury fronted Queen with flamboyance and flair.
His moustache became almost as iconic as his vocals. In the 1980s and early 1990s (up until his death in 1991), it punctuated his stage presence: strong, dark and striking.
Because he often paired it with stubble or light beard growth, the moustache dominated – a sign of his enduring confidence and swagger.
Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie is perhaps less commonly lauded for facial hair, but in the 80s and early 90s he sported a full moustache, thick but well-groomed, with neat borders.
Born in 1949, Richie rose to fame with the Commodores and then as a solo artiste.
His moustache offered a smooth contrast to his silky voice – a bit of edge around the sides of his soulful expression.
While less theatrical than Mercury’s, it was nevertheless a strong facial signature in his time.
Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck’s moustache is iconic – large, thick, expressive and often called the definitive "Magnum" moustache.
Many regard it as one of the most recognisable in showbiz.
Selleck, born in 1945, became a household name via the popular television drama Magnum, PI in the 1980s.
His moustache is not delicate or subtle – it’s bold, full and synonymous with Selleck’s look. It sits squarely as part of his face, balancing out his bold facial features.
Selleck managed to revive a trend of bushier, masculine moustaches throughout his time on the show.
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan’s moustache is textbook horseshoe moustache territory: the full moustache plus vertical extensions down the sides of the mouth, giving an upside-down U (or horseshoe) shape.
Born Terry Bollea in 1953, Hulk Hogan became a wrestling and pop-culture icon in the 80s and 90s.
His moustache, coupled with a shaved head and his trademark handlebar-style blondness, became inseparable from his persona.
The horseshoe style is certainly an aggressive statement – perfect for a performer whose presence is all about physicality and projection.
Read more: Six-pack abs, nice skin, full head of hair? How men fret about their looks too
Timothee Chalamet
Timothee Chalamet's sparse upper-lip growth is otherwise known as the shadow moustache. Photo: dpa
Timothee Chalamet’s moustache is a little more subtle than Hogan’s.
His sparse upper-lip growth is otherwise known as the shadow moustache – delicate, almost timid but deliberate in style.
Born in 1995, actor Chalamet is often cast in introspective, sensitive roles.
His decision to adopt a light moustache in certain appearances (like when channelling Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown) feels like an artistic gesture as opposed to a mandatory masculine accessory.
Jacob Elordi
The newest addition to the moustachioed hall of fame, Jacob Elordi has helped usher the tash into Gen Z trending territory.
The Australian actor – best known for Euphoria and his turn as Elvis Presley in Priscilla – has been spotted sporting a sleek, minimalist moustache that feels more Riviera than retro throwback.
His style nods to the pencil moustaches of Hollywood’s golden age, yet his laid-back styling and slightly scruffy hair gives it a thoroughly modern twist.
Elordi’s upper lip has become something of a cultural talking point, proving that a well-timed moustache can still send social media (and barbers) into overdrive. – dpa
