Handlebar moustache grooming. Ready to Face Movember? - Truefitt Hill Canada

Choose the Mustache Style that Best Suits Your Face – Our Guide

In today’s world, a solo mustache is a pretty strong style statement. In the bearded times we live in, it's rare that a mustache is seen without the company of a beard or goatee. However, when November begins tomorrow, the mustache takes on a whole different meaning. For 30 days, sporting a mustache shows your support for Movember, a worldwide movement to build awareness around men’s health matters like prostate and testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Narrow mustache.

Even with such an honorable cause behind you, what might really be scaring you this Halloween is the anticipation of attempting to grow the best mustache you can over the next month with nowhere to hide from the prying eyes of friends, family and colleagues.

Never fear, at Truefitt & Hill we know that just as a beard can do wonders to redefine your face, so too can a mustache. Many of our most legendary patrons like Laurence Olivier and Cary Grant sported a mustache, so whether you’re aiming for shoelace-thin whiskers or a full-blown grandiose ‘stache, we can guide you to mustache success. As a mustache can add amazing character and balance to your features in ways a beard cannot, we might even convince you to keep the look well beyond when Movember is over.

First, it is important to consider the size of your facial features. The right mustache style can minimize large features or accentuate and extend smaller ones. Take a mirror and study your face shape, look at your nose, mouth and other features and imagine what will work best for you. The right style should complement your face, not overpower it.

A long or narrow face?

Stay away from styles with vertical lines, such as the horseshoe that will only accentuate the length of your face. Instead opt for a narrow-to-medium-sized mustache that’s not too heavy in length or design. The ‘Clark Gable’ or pencil mustache will counterbalance the vertical shape of the face with some horizontal action.

Clark Gable made the pencil mustache stylish on the silver screen of the 1930’s and 1940’s

Another one for narrower faces to consider is the handlebar mustache like Daniel Day Lewis wore in Gangs of New York. Sharp and well-manicured, this mustache can broaden your mouth and add width to your face. It can be grown wide or narrow so although it is naturally suited to narrow faces, it can be adapted to many face types.

How to grow big moustache

A style with a load of personality, after a few weeks of growth, use mustache wax to achieve this standout style.

Daniel Day Lewis pulling off the handlebar mustache in the movie Gangs of New York

Small features?

If you have a small nose, avoid a big and bushy mo which will make the nose look even smaller. Instead, go for a shorter style, like the elegant, minimal and very stylish pencil mustache like that worn by actors like Orlando Bloom and Daniel Craig.

Similarly, don’t overpower a smallish mouth with a big, bushy mustache. The pencil mo will broaden the mouth without taking over half your face. In fact, growing the ‘stache a little past the corners of your mouth will make your mouth appear a bit larger.

Suited to a face either broad or narrow the pencil mustache is a great mustache to grow quickly, but it takes some daily attention to maintain the look.

James Bond actor Daniel Craig wearing a pencil mustache

Movember designs

Large features?

If you have a prominent nose, consider a larger, thicker mustache such as a chevron mustache like that of actor Will Ferrell in The Anchorman movies. It can add a lot of bulk to counterbalance large features (nose, mouth, chin, eyes, ears) without dominating the face

A classic mustache, especially associated with the 70s and 80s owing to stars like Freddie Mercury, the chevron remains popular among first-timers and is likely the style you will attain if you just grow a mustache with no other style in mind.

Will Ferrell sported the chevron mustache playing Ron Burgandy in The Anchorman movies

Round or square face?

While the weighty walrus has potential for vertical lines that add favor to wide, square and round faces, these faces will particularly benefit from the upturned U that is the horseshoemustache. Synonymous with Hulk Hogan, its great for adding length to the face, the two lines descending past the mouth making the face appear longer. Worn bushy, it can also add weight to the face.

Hulk Hogan and his signature horseshoe mo.

While it can be kept neat and trim for everyday life, if you want to achieve an edgier look, grow the bristled ends down to the jaw line, like Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction.

Trimming handlebar moustache

Here to help

To fully ensure you achieve the perfectly groomed and stylish this Movember, we have created a series of short films with advice from our master barbers. These tips will ensure that you are able to grow your mustache with the utmost care and style.

See the Movember Preparation video below and watch out for our upcoming Movember Styling videos on social media (@truefitthillman) this month.