The “Movember” movement started in 2003 by a few guys in Australia who decided to raise awareness for men’s health issues by growing a mustache. At that time, mustaches were so deeply uncool that sporting one was definitely going to grab everyone’s attention!
Fast-forward 20+ years, and mustaches are back in a big way. Today, growing a mustache while raising funds for the Movember Foundation is a worldwide effort. Mustaches still get lots of attention, but now it’s because guys are discovering how good they can look when they change up their facial hair. As a barber that is an amazing bonus to an already great cause!
The three hottest mustache styles I’m giving my clients these days are modern twists on classic looks. They are:
1. THE TRAVIS KELCE
The Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end has worn his facial hair lots of ways, but it’s the clean, classic handlebar that’s been renamed the “Travis Kelce mustache” (above). This style pairs well with a buzz cut or even a French crop fade.
Pro Tip: Use a high-performance electric razor to keep the rest of the face clean (I use the Wahl Vanish Shaver). It covers more surface area and makes that shave time a little quicker when covering the whole face.
2. THE TOP GUN
The inverted-V or chevron mustache has had a chokehold on us since Miles Fuller rocked one in “Top Gun: Maverick" (above). The look pairs well with a mullet or some sort of textured cut that keeps the edgy style alive from front to back.
Pro Tip: When maintaining a mustache, it’s important to keep the lip line clean — that way you can enjoy meals and beverages with no mess!
Using a trimmer (I use Wahl High-Viz) you want to perfectly line the edge of the blade parallel to the top of the lip and trim the line away. Do this every 1-3 days to keep the hair from growing out. I personally walk my clients through this process behind the chair, and I recommend other barbers to do the same.
3. THE ITALIAN BEARD
This look (on Timothée Chalamet, above) pairs a low, faded beard with a disconnected mustache that’s longer, making it the key focus. It’s a versatile style that compliments just about any haircut as well as any type of beard density.
Pro Tip: The goal is never letting the lines get away from you. I always recommend that my clients follow the beard lines I created, every other day after getting it cut — that way they never have to deal with the beard growing out of hand and those sharp lines disappearing.
I do this with the Wahl Micro Power Shaver on the cheek and neck area, to keep it skin-tight and avoiding cutting any unwanted longer hair.
Movember is a great reason to convince clients to try different facial hair looks, but keep that encouragement going year round! There's never a right or wrong time to grow a mustache or beard. For barbers it's always worth the effort to help your clients discover new ways of looking good.
Trevor Moots is an award-winning Orlando, FL-based barber educator for Wahl Professional and Hattori Hanzo Shears; a platform artist; and one of the top barbers working in the U.S. today.
