# Mustaches. Why??? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2010, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427 "2010-10-17T09:01:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/41 "2010-10-17T22:28:41Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I haven’t seen my upper lip since 1963. I’ve had 'staches, goatees, full beards, sideburns, Fu-Manchus . . . but always a 'stache. And the way guys are destroying their eyebrows these days (don’t get me started), it’s nice to see guys with some hair on their faces. You seem to be a couple of years older than I am. Get in touch with me ifever you are in Sweden and I’ll buy you a beer. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/42 "2010-10-18T03:54:18Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Since you seem to be an expert on the subject of amazing facial hair: Which of these styles should I adopt? > > [A](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vLbMuPkqGIw/SHaNiE7daYI/AAAAAAAADEU/UAYq3CQ4Ryc/s400/circleBeardBM_468x407.jpg), [B](http://www.cynicallyoptimistic.com/blog/Files/CrazyBeard1.jpg) or [C](http://www.collegesurfing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/crazy-beard.jpg)? I’d go for A. It doesn’t look overly high-maintenance. At least not compared to a 1963 Jaguar. With 400,000 miles on it. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/43 "2010-10-18T04:16:16Z")
I’m a woman and I MUCH prefer facial hair, both moustache and beard, both because of the way it looks, and, more importantly the way it feels. “Clean -shaven” is pretty much a lie, since most men have some stubble most of the time, to the touch if not the eye. I’d rather kiss a hairy face than a stubbly one every time. ---
**Author:** ![Khaki\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Khaki\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khaki_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/44 "2010-10-18T05:49:37Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Well, some people (obviously not you) find them attractive. So a man who thinks he looks good with a 'stache might grow one and possibly attracting a mate who like them could be a bonus. Well, did it ever occur to you that we men groom and change styles because we feel good that way, for ourselves, not for attracting you women :rolleyes: ? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/45 "2010-10-18T05:57:29Z")
> [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Well, did it ever occur to you that we men groom and change styles because we feel good that way, for ourselves, not for attracting you women :rolleyes: ? Yeah, and wouldn’t it be a good little **bonus** if some girls happened to find it attractive :rolleyes:? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/46 "2010-10-18T06:02:41Z")
> [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Well, did it ever occur to you that we men groom and change styles because we feel good that way, for ourselves, not for attracting you women :rolleyes: ? That’s why it’s referred to as a bonus. As in, you grow it for yourself, and if women happen to like it, that’s just extra. * * * Anyways, I have a mustache because a goatee looks silly without one. I have a goatee because it suits my face. Plus, I get told I look like my mom when I don’t. Well, for the 5 hours I have before bluebeard/stubble kicks in. ---
**Author:** ![Khaki\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Khaki\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khaki_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/47 "2010-10-18T09:28:03Z")
Oh, but I won’t deny there’s some “trying to get her panties wet” component. I was just parodying the “We don’t do it for men !!1!!11!!!” comment in female sexy fashion threads. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/48 "2010-10-18T09:37:31Z")
It may be a UL, but I heard that José María Aznar, the previous president of Spain, grew it on the advice that it would make the partial paralysis of his upper lip (caused by an infection on a nerve) less noticeable. He also did a lot of work to make his face more expressive, there was a visible difference between his expressiveness when he got elected and a few years later. When my uncle I. shaved his beard off, the family’s youngest generations (none of us had known him beardless) reached the conclusion that he had had it for so long so we’d be able to distinguish him from his brother FJ. In pics from when they were kids they’re easy to tell apart, but as grown men and both beardless, they can pass for twins. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/49 "2010-10-18T09:54:13Z")
> [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Oh, but I won’t deny there’s some “trying to get her panties wet” component. I was just parodying the “We don’t do it for men !!1!!11!!!” comment in female sexy fashion threads. It whooshed straight over my head, I admit. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/50 "2010-10-18T12:26:50Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Oh god, chinstrap beards are even worse. Certainly the attempted masculinity of this particular beard may be hurt by the fact that it looks like it was put on with mascara. When come back, bring androgen. I will often grow a full beard … but as I have curlyish blond hair and wear glasses, if I try for the moustache-only thing, I immediate look exactly like a fucking extra on _The Paper Chase,_ one corduroy jacket with elbow patches away from a serious law student with sincere liberal beliefs circa 1975. Tom Selleck it ain’t. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/51 "2010-10-18T13:00:36Z")
> [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Well, did it ever occur to you that we men groom and change styles because we feel good that way, for ourselves, not for attracting you women :rolleyes: ? Well, sure. And some men even groom and change styles to attract _other men_ which is why I kept my statement gender neutral, _you’re_ the one who assumed I meant exclusively women. And I offered it as just ONE reason, not THE reason. So, chill. Yep, I’m sure plenty of men groom and style to please themselves as well. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427/52 "2010-10-18T14:01:30Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > I have a full beard. The only reason is because I got tired of shaving my face everyday. I usually have a mustache. The only reason is because I hate shaving my lip. The reasons I don’t have one now is because I’m keeping it off until I go to the memorial service for Mom–she always preferred me clean-shaven–and I lost the guide comb to my trimmer a while back. > [@Tengu](#): > > I call shenanigans on that site’s classification system. > > I don’t know what to call what that Lidell guy is wearing, but it sure as hell ain’t no [Fu Manchu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu_Manchu_moustache). I think the proper name for that is “Horseshoe”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mustaches-why/557427.md?page=2)