# Soulpatch - cool or stupid? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 30, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107 "2009-09-30T14:59:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107/61 "2009-10-02T14:40:51Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > No, sorry. I meant the OP. > > Having searched around a bit, it seems an imperial may be a soul patch with extra beard aound it. From the pictures I found, the soul patch is the _only_ facial hair. When you have that plus a beard/moustache, you have an imperial. Moustache plus soulpatch is the original imperial. Think Frank Zappa and sheriff on Deadwood. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107/62 "2009-10-02T15:11:32Z")
The first time I ever heard the term imperial used in relation to beards was some story about Zappa. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107/63 "2009-10-02T15:17:23Z")
I like 'em. I think they either look cool, cute, sexy or funky. Any of which is fine by me. But hey, I still like goatees, so there. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![SweetLucy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@SweetLucy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetLucy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107/64 "2009-10-02T23:13:37Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > It worked for President Lincoln. And the Amish ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107/65 "2009-10-02T23:51:12Z")
And [Mose.](http://images.nymag.com/daily/entertainment/20090403_mose_250x250.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107/66 "2009-10-03T00:28:34Z")
It depends on the face. On mine, they don’t work at all. Generally, they’re like tattoos: cool AND stupid. I still have a tattoo that I like very much, though 🙂 also: [Tom Waits](http://properblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/483px-tom-waits.jpg), anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107/67 "2009-10-03T01:55:08Z")
I wouldn’t say “cool” or “stupid” so much as “dated”. It’s very 1993. Like **ZipperJJ** , my biggest association with this look is the Pearl Jam posters that covered my wall at that time. IMHO 1993 was a pretty good year and I still love Pearl Jam so I’m not criticizing the soul patch on those grounds, but it’s not a look that strikes me as either “classic” or “contemporary”. Beyond that, I think it looks fine on some men and stupid on others. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107/68 "2009-10-05T13:58:54Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I wouldn’t say “cool” or “stupid” so much as “dated”. It’s very 1993. Like **ZipperJJ** , my biggest association with this look is the Pearl Jam posters that covered my wall at that time. IMHO 1993 was a pretty good year and I still love Pearl Jam so I’m not criticizing the soul patch on those grounds, but it’s not a look that strikes me as either “classic” or “contemporary”. > > Beyond that, I think it looks fine on some men and stupid on others. Yep, 1993 was when my friends had the aforementioned cottonball contest. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107/69 "2009-10-05T18:57:02Z")
My son grew one recently. At first I didn’t even notice it. His isn’t sharply defined - I guess he only shaves about twice a week. This past week while I was out of town he also grew a mustache and goatee. I was a bit surprised but it all looks fine on him. I liked the soulpatch by itself okay too. He has a very angular face and his hair is very dark brown, maybe that helps. Short answer: on the right guy, they look fine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soulpatch-cool-or-stupid/512107.md?page=3)