Mustaches were mandatory for British soldiers between 1860 and 1916 due to a military rule that prohibited shaving above the upper lip. The directive was influenced by French soldiers who believed mustaches represented virility. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that soldiers were allowed to keep the upper lip area clean-shaven.
Mustaches are fads. For the most part, they’ve been unfashionable since the 1970s, when they were all the rage thanks to mustachioed stars like Burt Reynolds and Tom Selleck. But if you were a British soldier between 1860 and 1916, you almost certainly would have had a moustache. This was because it was a military rule that you weren’t allowed to shave above your upper lip. Hence, most men in the British Army had moustaches, if they were able to grow one. The directive arose at least in part due to the influence of French soldiers who boasted of their moustaches, which they believed translated into virility and virility. Although beards became popular among British servicemen in the second half of the 19th century, by the early 20th century, it was all about the moustache. According to a 19th British Army order, the hair on the head should be kept short and the chin and lower lip area should be shaved, but the area above the upper lip should be left untouched. You could also grow a “moustache,” but it had to be kept trimmed. It was not until the 20th that soldiers were allowed to keep the upper lip area clean. This was soon followed by General Sir Nevil Macready, who had never liked growing a moustache. General Macready went to the barber to have his mustache shaved the day of the order.
Read more about mustaches:
On average, a man will spend around 3,000 hours in his lifetime shaving and combing his facial hair, if he has any.
The longest mustache ever recorded was 14 feet (4.2m) long and grown by Ram Singh Chauhan.
Many famous men have worn mustaches, including Albert Einstein, who grew one for at least 50 years.
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