Moustache
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226173793
2008-07-17T04:10:42Z
204.111.154.43
/* Notable examples */
[[Image:Stalin1.jpg|right|thumb|[[Joseph Stalin]], one of the most famous historical figures with a moustache]]
:''For the Swedish heavy metal band, see [[Mustasch]].''
A '''moustache''' (or '''mustache''') is [[facial hair]] grown on the upper [[lip]]. Often the term implies that the wearer grows only upper-lip hair while shaving the hair on his chin and cheeks. Growth of all facial hair would constitute a [[beard]].
==Etymology==
The word '''Moustache''' comes to the English language via the [[Middle French]] '''Moustache''' which in turn is derived from the Old [[Italian language|Italian]] '''Mustacchio''' which originates from the [[Middle Greek]] '''Moustaki''', a [[diminutive]] of Greek mystak-, mystax upper lip, mustache.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=mustache&query=mustache/ Encyclopædia Britannica Online - Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary]</ref>
==Vernacular names==
Some common abbreviations for the moustache are '''stache''', '''tache''', '''tash''', and '''mo'''.
There are numerous slang terms for the moustache mostly reflecting its resemblance to a variety of animals, its tendency to retain food and drink or its association with sexual activity, for example '''nose neighbor''', '''Lady Tickler''', '''trash stash''', '''fanny duster''', '''nose bug''' and '''mobile tea strainer'''.{{Fact|date=July 2008}}
==History==
[[Image:PazyrikHorseman.JPG|left|thumb|250px|Horseman, ''[[Pazyryk]]'' felt artifact, ca. 300 BC. horseman with wonsal style moustache and partially shaved head]]
[[Image:Nietzsche1882.jpg|125px|thumb|Philosopher [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]]]
[[Image:LewWallace.jpeg|125px|right|thumb|General [[Lew Wallace]] wore a full moustache and long goatee.]]
Shaving with stone razors was technologically possible from Neolithic times but the oldest portrait showing a shaved man with a mustache is a [[Scythian]] horseman from 300 BC.
In more modern history, moustaches have been worn by [[military]] men. The number of nations, [[regiment]]s and [[Military rank|rank]]s were equalled only by the number of styles and variations. Generally, the younger men and lower ranks wore the smaller and less elaborate moustaches. As a man advanced in rank, his moustache would become thicker and bushier, until he was permitted to wear a full beard.
In Western cultures women generally avoid the growth of facial hair; though many are capable, the majority of these women would use some form of depilation to remove it. However there are some women who choose to embrace this growth, often in the form of thin moustaches. The artist [[Frida Kahlo]] famously depicted herself with both a moustache and a [[unibrow]]. This tradition is followed by some contemporary women in the arts.<ref>{{cite web | last = Matheson | first = W | url = http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy/2005/12/let_us_now_prai.html | title=Let us now praise famous mustaches | work = USA TODAY | date = 2005-12-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last = Hoggard | first = L | url = http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sex/story/0,12550,1075949,00.html | title = Who says women can't be sexy with a five o'clock shadow? | work = The Observer | date = 2003-11-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/adrenal_virilism.jsp | title = Adrenal virilism | work = HealthAtoZ.com}}</ref>
An English moustache was formerly used in [[melodrama]]s, [[film|movies]] and [[comic book]]s as a shorthand indication of [[villain]]y. [[Snidely Whiplash]], for example, was characterized by his moustache and his [[cape]].
==In male adolescence==
The moustache forms its own stage in the development of [[facial hair]] in [[adolescence|adolescent]] males.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001304/130431eo.pdf | format = PDF | title = Adolescent Reproductive Health | work = UNESCO Regional Training Seminar on guidance and Counselling | date = 2002-06-01}}</ref> Facial hair in males normally appears in a specific order during [[Puberty#Body and facial hair in boys|puberty]]:
*The first facial hair to appear tends to grow at the corners of the upper lip,
*It then spreads to form a moustache over the entire upper lip,
*This is followed by the appearance of hair on the upper part of the cheeks, and the area under the lower lip,
*It eventually spreads to the sides and lower border of the chin, and the rest of the lower face to form a full beard.
As with most human biological processes, this specific order may vary among some individuals depending on one's genetic heritage and although less prominent, one's environment which can also play a role in development.{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
==Care==
Most men with a normal or strong [[beard]] tend it daily, by [[shaving]] the hair of the [[chin]] and [[cheeks]], to prevent it from becoming a [[Beard#Beard Styles|full beard]]. A variety of tools have been developed for the care moustachees, including [[moustache wax]], moustache nets ([[snood]]s), moustache [[brush]]es, moustache [[comb]]s and moustache [[scissors]].
==Styles==
At The World Beard & Moustache Championships 2007 there were 6 subcategories in the moustache category:<ref>[http://www.handlebarclub.co.uk/wbmccatergoriesf.html The World Beard & Moustache Championships]</ref>
*Natural – Moustache may be styled but without aids. The hairs are allowed to start growing from up to a maximum of 1.5 cm beyond the end of the upper lip. No aids are allowed.
*Hungarian – Big and bushy, beginning from the middle of the upper lip and pulled to the side. The hairs are allowed to start growing from up to a maximum of 1.5 cm beyond the end of the upper lip. Aids are allowed.
*[[Dalí]] – narrow, long points bent or curved steeply upward; areas past the corner of the mouth must be shaved. Artificial styling aids needed. Named after [[Salvador Dalí]] who was known to sport such a style in his later days.
*[[English moustache|English]] – narrow, beginning at the middle of the upper lip the whiskers are very long and pulled to the side, slightly curled; the ends are pointed slightly upward; areas past the corner of the mouth usually shaved. Artificial styling may be needed.
*[[Imperial moustache|Imperial]] – whiskers growing from both the upper lip and cheeks, curled upward (distinct from the [[Goatee|''royale'']], or ''impériale'')
*Freestyle – All moustaches that do not match other classes. The hairs are allowed to start growing from up to a maximum of 1.5 cm beyond the end of the upper lip. Aids are allowed.
Other types of moustache include:
*[[Fu Manchu moustache|Fu Manchu]] – long, downward pointing ends, generally beyond the chin;
*'Pancho Villa' moustache – similar to the Fu Manchu but thicker; also known as a "droopy moustache", generally much more so than that normally worn by the historical [[Pancho Villa]].
*[[Handlebar moustache|Handlebar]] – bushy, with small upward pointing ends. See baseball pitcher [[Rollie Fingers]]. Also known as a "spaghetti moustache", because of its stereotypical association with Italian men.
*Horseshoe – Often confused with the Fu Manchu style, the horseshoe was possibly popularized by modern [[cowboys]] and consists of a full moustache with vertical extensions from the corners of the lips down to the jawline and resembling an upside-down [[horseshoe]].
*Taylor moustache – a thin row of fine dark hairs along the upper lip. Sometimes known as the Lilibrow.
*Pencil moustache – narrow, straight and thin like a [[pencil]], closely clipped, outlining the upper lip, with a wide shaven gap between the nose and moustache. Also known as a Mouthbrow, worn by [[John Waters (filmmaker)|John Waters]].
*[[Toothbrush moustache|Toothbrush]] – thick, but shaved except for about an inch (2.5 cm) in the center; associated with [[Adolf Hitler]], [[Charlie Chaplin]], [[Oliver Hardy]], and [[Robert Mugabe]].
*[[Walrus moustache|Walrus]] – bushy, hanging down over the lips, often entirely covering the mouth. Worn by [[Wilford Brimley]]
*The GG – bushy hair grown only over the corners of the mouth, shaved in the middle. Named after musician and performing artist [[GG Allin]], the most well-known wearer of the style. It is a shortened version of the one worn by [[Ghengis Khan]].
*The 'Chops' – similar to the horseshoe, varying from somewhat thin to somewhat bushy, with a more pronounced open-bottomed-square shape. This style is often seen on characterizations of police and highway patrolmen.
==Growing competitions==
[[Image:Grutte Pier (Pier Gerlofs Donia), 1622, book illustration.JPG|thumb|Etching of Grutte Pier with a walrus-moustache]]
In North America and the UK, many groups of men (co-workers, friends, and students) sometimes partake in moustache growing competitions. The ultimate goal is to grow the most full and well-groomed moustache in the least amount of time, or over a fixed period.
In more serious competitions, the moustaches are seen as a symbol of male virility and the winner is usually seen as the most manly of the competitors. Some competitions are run as charity fund-raising events, with participants being sponsored for their moustache-growing and the money raised being donated to a selected cause. The rules for such competitions vary, but often include "forfeits" (eg donation-matching) for competitors who shave off their moustaches before the end of the competition.
*"[[Movember]]" is a charity event held each year in November. It aims to promote and raise awareness of Men's Health issues, notably prostate cancer.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.movember.com.au/ | title = Official Movember website | accessdate = 2008-05-06 }}</ref>
* [[World Beard and Moustache Championships]], international biennial competition.
In the early 1970s, [[Major League Baseball]] players seldom, if ever, wore facial hair. The practice had been widespread in the 19th Century, but by the early 20th Century it was rare for a player to sport a mustache or beard. As detailed in the book ''Mustache Gang'', [[Oakland Athletics]]' eccentric owner Charlie Finley decided to hold a mustache-growing contest within his team. When the A's faced the [[Cincinnati Reds]], whose team rules forbade facial hair, in the 1972 [[World Series]], facial hair was still sufficiently unusual in baseball that the Series was dubbed by media as "The hairs vs. the squares". Thanks in part to the on-field success of the A's in the early 1970s, along with changing fashions, facial hair has again become very common among baseball players in the intervening years.
==Notable examples==
In some cases, the moustaches are so prominently identified with a single individual that it could be identified with them without any further identifying traits, such as in the case of [[Adolf Hitler]] or [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]. In some cases, such as with [[Groucho Marx]] and [[Charlie Chaplin]], the moustache in question was not even real for most of their lives.
[[Image:Zappa.jpg|right|thumb|[[Frank Zappa]] in concert with his trademark moustache.]][[Mahatma Gandhi]] also sported a moustache for most of his life.
The [[United States|American]] [[composer]] and [[musician]] [[Frank Zappa]] is also very closely associated with his trademark imperial moustache. Zappa became so identifiable by his moustache that after his death its image was actually copyrighted by the Zappa Family Trust.
Other famous and praised musicians famous for sporting moustaches at some time include [[George Harrison]], [[Dennis DeYoung]], [[Steve Perry]], [[Freddie Mercury]], [[John Oates]], [[Chuck Panozzo]], and [[James Young]] (JY).
The longest recorded moustache belongs to Bajansinh Juwansinh Gurjar of [[Ahmedabad]], India. It had not been cut for 22 years and was 12 feet 6 inches long in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/long125.html|title=Longest moustache ever in the world|work=The longest list of the longest stuff at the longest domain name|accessyear=2006}}</ref>
U.S. Air Force ace [[Robin Olds]] became celebrated for a flowing handlebar moustache he grew while commanding the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing "Wolfpack" during the Vietnam War, and when forced to shave it by his superior became the source of an Air Force tradition known as "Moustache March".<ref name="mm"> {{cite web | last = Byrne | first = Stacy | authorlink = | coauthors = | date = 2007-03-30 | url = http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070330/LIFESTYLE/703300320| title = The facial hair protest is an Air Force tradition| format = | work = Great Falls Tribune | publisher = | accessdaymonth = 25 April | accessyear = 2007}}</ref>
Another famous moustache is the one of former Gonzaga basketball player and current Charlotte Bobcat [[Adam Morrison]]. He is actually nicknamed The Stache for it.
Billionaire-aviator [[Howard Hughes]] was known for his iconic pencil moustache, which he grew after a 1946 plane crash.
[[John L. Sullivan]], the last bare knuckle heavyweight boxing champion and first gloved boxing heavyweight champion, was well known for sporting a handlebar mustache. Many iconic photos and paintings of Sullivan feature him with a handlebar mustache.
Hall of Fame pitchers [[Rollie Fingers]], [[Rich "Goose" Gossage]], and [[Dennis Eckersley]] all sported mustaches during their playing days.
[[Jason Giambi]], the [[New York Yankees]] firstbasemen, grew an incredibly thick mustache throughout the first half of the 2008 season, which he claimed would bring him luck with his batting performance. So far it seems to have worked. Giambi started the "Support the Stache" campaign to help him get voted into the 2008 all star game.
Swimmer [[Mark Spitz]] won a world record 7 gold medals while sporting a mustache. When other competitors question whether the mustache would generate unwanted drag in the water, he claimed that it helped create a pocket of air to breathe. After the Olympics, many European swimmers began growing mustaches.
==In art and fiction==
[[Image:Marcel Duchamp Mona Lisa LHOOQ.jpg|right|thumb|[[Marcel Duchamp|Duchamp's]] parody of the [[Mona Lisa]] adds a [[goatee]] and moustache.]]
Moustaches have long been used by artists to make characters distinctive as with [[Snidely Whiplash]] and [[Dick Dastardly]], the video game character [[Mario]], [[Sonic the Hedgehog (series)|Sonic the Hedgehog]] villain [[Dr. Robotnik]], and Agatha Christie's fictional detective [[Hercule Poirot]]. They have also been used to make a social or political point as with [[Marcel Duchamp]]'s parody of the [[Mona Lisa]] which adds a goatee and moustache or the moustachioed self portraits of [[Frida Kahlo]]. At least one fictional moustache has been so notable that a whole style has been named after it, the [[Fu Manchu moustache]].
However, the most notable moustache in art, and history for that matter, belonged to [[Salvador Dalí]]. He dedicated paintings to it, and even published a book of just his moustache.{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
==In Sport==
The Liverpool sides of the late 1970s to late 1980s were famously notable for numbers of moustachio players, notably [[Mark Lawrenson]], [[Graham Souness]], [[Bruce Grobelaar]], [[Terry McDermott]] and [[Ian Rush]].
==See also==
* [[Beard]]
* [[Goatee]]
* [[Sideburns]]
* [[Whisker]]s
* [[Bearded woman]]
* [[American Mustache Institute]]
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Moustachein.JPG
Image:Crazy john01.jpg
Image:Iqbal Youth.jpg
Image:2007 Keith Haubrich at Coney Island.jpg
</gallery>
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
{{commonscat|Moustaches}}
{{Illustrated Wikipedia|Facial Hair comic.jpg}}
* [http://gloriusmustache.com The Glorius Mustache Challenge: A Film About The Under 30 Mustache]
* [http://fuzzy-ink.com Fuzzy Ink: It'll Grow On You!]
* [http://www.thechap.net/moustaches.html Moustache grooming with ''The Chap'' magazine]
* [http://archive.salon.com/mwt/feature/2003/04/10/mustache/index_np.html Shana Ting Lipton's moustache article for Salon.com]
* [http://usachi.narod.ru/en/index-en.htm Site "Stache men - native pueblo"] - moustache in society, history as a matter of masculine self-identification
* [http://thesevenyearplan.com/wordpress/?p=19 Video "Bristled Inspiration"] - A cinematic look at the profound effect a moustache can have.
* [http://www.ubeard.com Moustache Information and Community Site]
* [http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org American Mustache Institute]
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