Lower nose forest lovers: this one’s for you/me/us. Some say that mustaches are an acquired taste, and luckily it seems to be one I picked up along the way, probably in a barber shop’s back alley when I wasn’t paying attention. I’ve come around to love and respect a properly grown and tended mustache, the same way I also used to hate wearing shorts and then BAM they’re back again and how’d they get so cute all of a sudden. If you do something right, it can be a magical thing.
Whether you’re a fan or not, there’s no denying that some men can pull off the power and the glory of the mustache better than others. Is it genetics? Innate charisma? Careful grooming? Here are the celebrity mustaches I don’t ever want to see those upper lips without, may they grow full and strong forever.
Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds has been proudly rocking one of the most iconic celebrity mustaches of all time since his Smokey and the Bandit days in the 70′s. Reynolds’ ‘stache is credited with inspiring many a young mustache grower, though few can match him for rock solid consistency. He’s even been declared by the American Mustache Institute as, “a leader in American mustache culture and a consistent idol for young mustached Americans.” Indeed.
Sam Elliott
Sam Elliott has had a career awash in westerns, though he’s done plenty of other things along the way, including that strange picture (above left) where he seems to be riding a motorcycle with Cher (awhaaa?) and The Big Lebowski. His mustache has followed a similar career path. It’s what cowboys everywhere have always dreamed a lip caterpillar could be: a testament to the stern beautiful power of the prairie sunset.
Nick Offerman (as Ron Swanson)
Ron Swanson has sprung out of nowhere to be one of the stand-out characters on NBC’s sitcom Parks and Recreation. He’s a serious, staunch libertarian with a no-nonsense deadpan attitude– and so are his whiskers. This is the continued lip power of ‘Merica, in the great tradition of William Howard Taft and Teddy Roosevelt.
Titus Welliver
Titus Welliver is a relative unknown, at least in the world of mustache big names, but he shouldn’t be. If you’re like me you probably recognize him most as the Man in Black from Lost, but he’s also done some remarkable roles requiring a huge, glorious mustache and man can he ever grow one. Recognize the man’s skill, people, I won’t take no for an answer.
Daniel Day Lewis
Daniel Day Lewis can grow a mustache that would make a grown man cry deep salty tears of envy. His impressive facial efforts in both Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood are nothing less than legendary, but what do you expect from a genius half-insane method actor? When he sets out to do something, he’s going to do it fucking right, down to the perfect, curly little tips. *tear*
Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck‘s facial hair has amassed such a following it could probably field its own sitcom. He’s gone without a few times, but it always seems to come back. Ain’t it funny how that happens? You can’t fight your destiny. He said once of the mustache, “There was a time I could have been mistaken for Burt Reynolds. I had a mustache and so did he. But he was the number one star in the world, so there wasn’t really much confusion.” Tom, I think it’s time you give your trademark the respect it has already earned the world over.
Now who else needs an honorable mention for their nose-tickling flavor saver?
About Jamie Jamerson
