Welcome to our epic mustache styles article, chart (above) and illustrations. Learn all the different mustache styles and names associated with illustrations as examples.
Chevron
This is really the ideal mustache if you want a full look that is bushy and large, but don’t want it to completely cover your upper lip. While you can generally leave this mustache alone once you have started growing it, you will need to give it some care from time to time to keep it looking its absolute best, but that is the case with any mustache, and this one is generally low maintenance. This angular and sharp mustache shape is recently enjoying a comeback and only looks best on grown men who are confident and not afraid to make a statement with their facial hair. The Chevron is not something that jokes around, and usually more serious men gravitate towards this style. It looks great on any face shape, making it one that you will probably see more and more often as men realize how versatile it is. You can grow out this mustache style by allowing all of the hair on your upper lip to grow freely before you begin to trim it. Make sure that during this time you keep your chin and cheeks clean so that the main focus is on the mustache. After it has grown enough that you can trim it without losing a lot of the length or fullness, you want to keep it up off of your lips, but allow the edges to slope down gently around the mouth. Be careful that it doesn’t get too long on the ends, or it will venture into appearing like a horseshoe mustache, which is a completely different look.
Dali
Most everyone, even people who are not big fans of art, can recognize the Dali from other mustache styles. It is basically a very extreme version of a handlebar mustache and practically seems to defy gravity when the wearer knows exactly how to style it to the extreme. The corners are incredibly thin and are waxed so that they can extend out, up, in loops, or just stretched to the sides of the face. This mustache is most popular on artists and others who aren’t afraid to make a very bold statement. While it looks best on oval or oblong faces, the type of man who wants to wear the Dali mustache won’t be overly concerned with their face shape and will wear this mustache regardless of what society thinks. It’s imperative that you give your mustache ample time to grow very, very long. Start by growing it longer than you think it needs to be, and then allow it to grow even more for the best effect. You will want a well-defined part under the nose that you can create either by combing the mustache to the sides or by very carefully shaving away some of the hair. You will need to use a fair amount of wax each day to style your mustache, and it may require touch-ups during the day, especially if it is very hot outside. One of the fun things about this mustache is how you can change it up from day to day, depending on your mood and how you want your mustache to be styled.
Fu Manchu
This is an iconic mustache that is just as easily recognizable as the Dali is, but has a very different look. Even if you weren’t able to name this mustache when you saw it, you most likely remember it because of the impact that it makes on the viewer. It is a very full mustache and is left long and straight, with both sides of the mustache growing well past the chin. Longer seems to be better with this style, but you don’t want the ends to become too wispy, so you will want to regularly trim them to keep it looking their best. If your mustache isn’t long enough, it tends to look more like a horseshoe mustache, so if this happens just keep growing out your hair. This facial hair is probably not going to be HR approved, but it is a very creative style that works for some men in more relaxed work settings. It looks best on men who have diamond or oval faces due to the length of the hair. While you can grow this style by shaving down a full beard, most men simply allow their mustache to grow and grow until it reaches the desired length. Make sure you keep the chin, cheeks, and jawline nice and clean so the focus is on the mustache itself. Shaving a part between the two sides of the mustache right below the nose ensures that it looks kempt and purposeful.
Imperial
Similar to the Walrus and Chevron mustaches in that this facial hair is incredibly bold and daring, the Imperial is a little more daring and works well on men who have authority. While you do have to have confidence to pull off any one of those three styles, the Imperial sets itself apart because the mustache includes some of the hair on the upper cheeks. This ensures that you have a nice, full look and that you have enough hair to give the ends of your mustache a slight twist up and in. Don’t use wax or the look will border on the Dali mustache, but simply train your mustache to curl and you’ll be all set. It’s important that you temper the confidence that comes with this mustache with a little humility, or it can come across as cocky. Men who have square or larger faces will be able to easily pull off this look without problems. It can be tricky to get the hair on the upper cheeks and upper lip to grow at the same rate, but don’t trim too early or you will lose your progress. Many men like to start from a full beard and then trim down to their desired shape, as this ensures a clean look even while growing out their upper cheeks. Never trim your mustache ends until you can train them to go up or you will only set yourself back. With a comb and a little wax you can train your mustache, just be careful not to apply too much wax to the ends.
English
This is a classic looking mustache that looks great on men who have longer faces. It’s imperative that the mustache is well trimmed or it will quickly become too bushy and will look like a different kind of mustache altogether. By parting the mustache in the middle and allowing the ends to come out towards the cheeks, you create a striking mustache that speaks volumes about your personality. Men need to make sure they shave around the mouth, on the chin and cheeks, and the jawline every day or the look won’t make the same impression. This mustache is all about clean lines that stand out, so regular trims and maintenance are both very important.
Handlebar
This is a classic mustache and consists of a full mustache with smaller, thinned out edges that are carefully turned up. It has always been a fashion statement, and while not the most popular mustache choice today, is sure to be appreciated by most people. One of the main benefits of this mustache is that it can be worn together with a variety of different facial hair without looking out of place. It looks equally as great by itself as with a full beard or goatee, and its versatility means that it looks great on most men. This mustache does require a little more upkeep than other types, but once you have your morning routine established, it will begin to train to go into shape on its own. Begin by growing as thick of a mustache as possible and then combing it in opposite directions under the nose and waxing it into shape. Again, be careful with the amount of wax, and don’t let the mustache grow too long or you will border on a Dali mustache without meaning to.
Pencil
There are as many different variations of the pencil mustache as there are men who wear them, making this one of the most easily customizable mustaches out there. It’s not a complicated type of facial hair, even though it is relatively unassuming it still makes quite an impact. They conjure up images of elegant men drinking martinis, so it’s important that you wear the right clothes with your pencil mustache or it will just look out of place. Even though you may be comfortable in sweatpants, this is not the best facial hair to pair with that outfit. This mustache sets the men who wear it apart as being a little more classy than others. It looks like great square, round, and oval faces and does require a little effort to grow. By starting with a thick mustache, you will have plenty of hair to trim off without making the pencil too thin. Make sure that all of the hairs are the same length and don’t be afraid to use a comb to help you examine all of the lengths. Because it’s such a small amount of facial hair, you have to make sure each hair is perfectly trimmed and lays where it needs to in order to get the impact you want.
Horseshoe
This is a very full mustache shaped like an upside down horseshoe on the face. It looks great on rugged, outdoorsy-type men and bikers and isn’t something that you will usually see worn inside an office. While any man can wear this mustache, it will look its best on wider faces, particularly on oval ones or rounder faces. It needs a fair amount of room to spread and look its best. It’s a good idea to work your way into the horseshoe mustache by first growing a full beard and then shaving away the cheeks and chin. This will leave behind a full mustache that blends in with hair down the sides of your mouth and to your chin. Keep it at a reasonable length, however, or people will begin to think you’re trying to grow a Fu Manchu and it hasn’t reached its full length yet.
Lampshade
A great choice for men who have a strong jawline and want to show it off the best they can, the Lampshade mustache is a very thick mustache that sits right on top of the upper lip. You don’t want it to have a rectangular shape, so it’s important that you trim the sides to give the whole mustache a slight angle down. This not only draws attention to the mouth and the jawline, but also ensures that the mustache improves the wearer’s appearance and doesn’t detract from it. Since this is a full mustache, it’s a good idea to grow a nice thick mustache on the upper lip and then carefully trim it into this shape. This is the best way to get the desired final look without the awkward growing out stage that is so common with shaped mustaches such as this one.
Petit Handlebar
Perfect for men who are interested in growing a handlebar mustache but aren’t ready to make the full commitment, this petite version is the same type of mustache, but simply a little bit shorter. This means you can have a great mustache style without all of the work of growing it out and that you don’t have to spend as much time each day caring for your facial hair. This mustache looks great on any longer face and can also easily be paired with any sort of beard you want. Because of its extreme versatility, you are likely to see this mustache many times throughout the day, but not realize what it is. It can complement so many different beards that it will look a little different each time that you see it, but it also looks amazing just by itself. Part of the fun of this mustache is curling the ends up, so make sure that you invest in some quality wax that will hold your mustache in this shape all day long. It won’t have to be retouched the way that a full handlebar may because there is a lot less weight in the hair that you are curling up, making it ideal for the man who is busy and doesn’t want to spend a lot of time fussing with facial hair.
Pyramidal
Just like Pencil mustaches, Pyramidal mustaches come in a variety of different styles, which means that no two mustaches have to be exactly alike. They are narrower on the top and then wide on the bottom, just like a pyramid resting on the upper lip. How you choose to shape it will depend on your own personal preference, and it may take some time to find the style that best compliments your face. When done correctly, this mustache can really complement the facial features of the wearer. It looks great on men with all facial types, but especially on those who have square, rectangular, or oval faces. You don’t want the point of the mustache to juxtapose too much with a pointed chin, so be careful if you have a sharp and angular face. While some men grow this mustache and begin to shape it right from the beginning, it’s best to work your way backwards from a full mustache. This ensures that the facial hair is thick and keeps it from looking sparse. When the pyramidal mustache looks too thin, it will make the wearer appear very young and detract from their maturity.
Painter’s Brush
This mustache is commonly mistaken for the Chevron mustache, although there are a number of major differences that will clue you in as to which kind you are looking at. Men who have solidly square faces look great with this style mustache, and it does a great job making every man who wears it appear a little bit manlier. This mustache will never grow down past the mouth and has to be kept shorter and trimmed in order to stay in this style, and it also has rounded edges right at the edge of the mouth. This mustache does not have the typical narrowing of the Chevron mustache, and when you trim it you will have to make sure it does not extend over the lip. It’s incredibly easy to keep this mustache looking great, and because of its clean appearance it is often accepted not only in office situations, but also in the military. The rest of the face needs to be clean, and while you can pair this mustache with a beard, it is often the only facial hair that a man needs to make an impression.
Toothbrush
You have to be very careful if you decide to grow a toothbrush mustache, as it generally has a negative connotation since it was most famously worn by Hitler. Unfortunately, this is a great style that was once very popular before it was so famously worn, but if you do decide to wear this mustache, you will need to prepare yourself for the comments that are sure to come. This style involves a clean shaven face and looks almost like you have your soul patch moved to above the lips instead of below them. This mustache looks great on men with round faces, but if you are thick skinned enough to wear this provocative style, you likely don’t care what kind of face shape you have and if it flatters your face or not. While most people associate this mustache with Hitler, both Charlie Chaplin and Michael Jordan have worn it and looked great doing it, showing the world that this style can look great on men who choose to wear it. You will want to make sure your mustache is nice and thick so that it looks its best, as a thin Toothbrush mustache will not improve your appearance. It’s best to begin by growing a full mustache and then carefully trimming it into shape, taking care that it does not touch the upper lips. Because of the sharp lines of this mustache, it does require regular upkeep, but doesn’t need to be waxes to look its best.
Walrus
This mustache is more of a beard for your mouth than anything else, and will make quite a statement whether by itself or paired with hair on the chin. It’s generally worn alone because it is so large and in charge, and it’s one of the best styles to grow if you are able to grow a lot of mustache hair and want to flaunt that fact. Much bushier than the Chevron, this mustache was named after the animal it so closely resembles, and because of that, requires a fair amount of confidence to pull off well. It’s important that if you are committed to this style mustache that you’re not afraid to really let it grow and even take on a life of its own. It is generally worn by older men, as younger ones either can’t grow the amount of facial hair that it takes to form this mustache, or simply don’t have the rugged features and patience that it demands. It looks great on men who have larger faces, but anyone really can wear it with enough confidence. Begin by allowing all of the mustache to grow as long and thick as possible for a few months before you even begin to shave it. Once it covers the entire mouth you will be able to trim it into the shape that you desire. It will need to be combed every single day or it won’t stay in shape, and you want to avoid trimming it unless absolutely necessary, as it’s easy to accidentally take too much off. Arguably the most famous man to wear this mustache was President Roosevelt, which speaks a lot to the character and reserve of the men who choose this style.
El Bandito
Professor
Plumber/Mario
Asterix
