“My ‘Movember’ moustache was never going to be as big as Nigel Mansell’s, but I tried my best. The amazing thing is that when you try to grow a moustache, you notice everyone else’s. There are some amazing moustaches on the grid.” — Jenson Button.
For a long time I thought I was a fan of guys with moustaches. Having reached my teens by the end of the 1960s, I was surrounded by all manner of hirsute fellows. Long, flowing locks adorned their heads, while thick, droopy moustaches graced their faces.
Given that (no great insight, here) teens seem particularly vulnerable to fads, for a 15-year-old girl captivated by the whole flower power culture, this was a great look and the dudes sporting it were considered pretty cool. A head of glossy, straight shoulder-length hair caught my eye every time and if the face that accompanied it was sporting a nice thick moustache I was hooked.
And then I wasn’t. It’s funny how your tastes change, sometimes without you even realizing it. That mine had, was definitely something of which I was unaware. That is until meeting my future husband, he of the brown curls that might have been described by my parents as long, but not by any self-respecting flower child, and of the clean-shaven face. One look, and much to my surprise, I was smitten. Suddenly gone from the daydreams were the hairy guys.
Don’t get me wrong. I still like long hair on men, as long as they can pull it off. There will always, I suspect, be something about gorgeous tresses that will get my attention. As the Cowsills so eloquently sang, “Give me a head with hair. Long, beautiful hair.”
Moustaches, on the other hand, have most definitely not stood the test of time. I’m not saying I’d run if my hubby grew one. A lot of men I love have them — my brother, brother-in-law and two nephews. However I’m quite content that my guy feels he couldn’t do one justice.
Even Movember won’t tempt him. And I have tried to convince him to give it a host. Just for fun. However, though there’s not a vain bone in his body, it seems he’s not comfortable with flaunting what he doesn’t have. You see, when it comes to whiskers he’s one of the lucky men who can get by with shaving every other day at most. Growing a moustache he feels would therefore result in little more than — well, than a poor excuse for one.
Our younger son, on the other hand, is not so concerned. With the sparsest of facial hair, freakishly so to be honest, he is happy to support the Movember movement by skipping his weekly shave. He also has no problem poking fun at himself over the pathetic results. What sprouts upon his handsome mug is little more than a smattering of short hairs with a lot of skin between. Since all the men in my family are all at least capable of growing a moustache, albeit with varying degrees of success, his attempt is a bit of a head shaker to me.
But kudos to him for putting himself and his shortcoming out there. Any cause that targets cancer, that specifically highlights men as the victims is worthy of support. Given the notice his lip and the few hair upon it get, he’s definitely drawing attention to the goal.
You would have had to spend the past several years in a secluded female commune to not know what Movember’s all about. But, just in case.. the focus is on men’s health, most specifically prostate cancer. It all began by encouraging men to raise funds by growing a mo. It now includes the opportunity to take on physical challenges or host and event as alternatives for finding support.
We love our guys, hairy or otherwise. So as we near the end of October’s calendar page, let’s set our sights on next month and do what we can to keep them from leaving us too soon.
Here are some terrific images to promote and support the Movember movement:
iCLIPART.com Images for Movember
iPHOTOS.com Moustaches for Movember
