The 17 Best Mustache Styles You Should Actually Try This Year

Tom Selleck

Name a more iconic mustache, we’ll wait. The Daddy is not only the father of all mustache styles, but it’s the favorite of, well, dads. This isn’t a light dusting of hair—it’s full, and robust, and extends the full length of the upper lip with a slight diagonal from nose-to-mouth. It’s trimmed well enough to just barely cover the upper lip without getting into unkempt territory, but not so groomed that it doesn’t look natural.

Read more: Best Beard Trimmers

Brad Pitt

Can a mustache be subtle? The Pencil makes the case that with a little careful shaping, a mustache doesn’t have to overwhelm your face. What keeps this style looking intentional is length—this is not just a dusting of hair because you forgot to shave. Trimmed just above the lip and never outside the corners of the mouth, a pencil mustache is all about maintenance.

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Nick Offerman

A close cousin to the Daddy, the Comb mustache gets its authority from volume; it depends on a good amount of hair to really get the job done. But instead of gentle, natural diagonal lines, the Comb is more rounded at the edges and turns down at the corners of your mouth. It’s a little bit of a softer look, but as Ron Swanson will tell you, no less manly.

Rollie Fingers

At one point, the handlebar mustache was basically a must for any mustachioed dude. Nowadays, it’s a riskier look mostly favored by professional facial hair competitors and hipster bartenders who make their own “creative” bitters. But if you’re going to try a mustache, why not go all in. To get a handlebar, keep the middle point (under your nose) trimmed and let the corners grow long. Then, use a strong mustache wax or balm to twirl the ends and keep them stiff.

Sam Elliott

Think of the Walrus as a longer version of the Comb. It’s a style favored by Wild West outlaws (or guys that play them in movies) because it requires a little less consistent maintenance than the other styles on this list. Let your hair grow long enough to completely cover your upper lip and don’t be quite so obsessive about keeping the edges in line with your mouth. The secret to the Walrus is for it to look intentional, but not like you care all that much.

Hulk Hogan

Truly, this style might as well be called the Hulk because no one has put it on the map as much as Hogan himself. The Horseshoe is not for the faint of heart, but honestly, it’s pretty badass. It’s basically a goatee without chin hair, so the easiest way to get it is to grow a goatee and then, you know, shave the chin. Keep it trimmed (not too long) and the lines maintained for optimal effect.

Henry Cavill

Also known as the beginner’s mustache, this style is halfway between a beard and a full-blown mustache. And it looks great! It’s all about playing with length, so as your entire beard grows out gradually trim it shorter and shorter while leaving the upper lip alone. Eventually the mustache will start to pop out and you’ll be able to play with how prominent the mustache is depending on how long you keep the rest of your facial hair.

Michael B. Jordan

Sometimes a mustache can look a little lonely, especially if it’s new. Why not give it a friend? Adding some chin hair keeps the mustache front and center but smooths the effect. Keep both the mustache and goatee well-maintained and on the short side—and don’t let them ever, ever meet. This look is best with no stubble on the rest of the face and with crisp, clean lines.

Read more: Best Beard Balms

The Weeknd

Maybe you’re not ready to go full-on Horseshoe, but you can still experiment with a more in-your-face style. The Modern Horseshoe takes its cues from the classic, but in a shorter length that doesn’t fall over your top lip and with ends that don’t go down as far. Allow the hair to grow around and down the corners of your mouth, but cut it off before it goes beyond the edge of your bottom lip.

Clark Gable

The classic Leading Man mustache requires commitment, but not necessarily in the growth category. Sure, you need to have some length to it to get adequate coverage, but more than that you need to be willing to really maintain it. Like the pencil, the Leading Man is meticulously groomed, with absolutely no overhang on the top lip, and sometimes even a little divot in the middle for extra measure.

Burt Reynolds

How did mustaches get their bow-chica-bow-bow connotation? You can thank the Sex Symbol, which is loose, free, and ready to get down. It’s groomed but not too groomed, long but not shaggy, and has enough volume to tickle the lips without completely obscuring them. The edges dip around the corners of your mouth slightly, but without getting into Horseshoe territory, which gives it a casual lothario look.

Freddie Mercury

Instead of the diagonal lines of the Daddy or the rounded edges of the Comb, the Rectangle mustache is boxy. It still looks best when it’s full and robust, but is all about angles. When trimming, don’t follow the natural lines of your mouth—take the hair to the corners of your mouth and square the corners. You can even let a little dangle on the sides, as shown here on Freddie Mercury, but not too much.

Billy Dee Williams

Think of the Lando as a more swashbuckling version of the Leading Man—a little larger, a little swaggier, but the same general idea. Keep the hairs a long, but no longer than your upper lip, and taper the sides out to a point that meets the edges of your mouth. The center divot is essential, so gently carve that in to keep both sides of the mustache distinct.

Chris Evans

Whether you’re on your way to a full Walrus or just aren’t ready to commit, the Baby Walrus gives you the same vibes, but with a shorter length and more trimmed sides. Sometimes also referred to as the Cop Stache, this shape (whether short or long) carries authority due to its fullness and subtle, but not overly groomed, shape.

Charlie Chaplin

A square mustache smack-dab in the middle of your lip may be a look popularized by the iconic comedian, but thanks to it’s adoption by a certain other person, we say just don’t do it.

Eddie Murphy

This exceptionally funny man is serious about his 'stache. He's had the same perfectly groomed mustache since his first special "Delirious" debuted in 1983. He keeps it fairly short, just enough to know it's there. He pairs it with a soul patch—a tuft of hair just under the bottom lip—to balance out the shape.

Salvador Dali

It's safe to say that surrealist Spanish painter Salvador Dali was a kooky guy. His work is rich in symbolism, and his legacy wasn't limited to the dreamlike imagery he painted on canvases. Dali was equally famous for his trademark pointed mustache, which is styled in a "10-past-10" position, if you were to imagine his face as a clock. He wore it in this unique style up until his death in 1989. When Dalí's body was exhumed in 2017, 28 years after the artist's death, the iconic mustache was still in perfect shape. Now, that's what you call a timeless look!

Salvador Dali

It's safe to say that surrealist Spanish painter Salvador Dali was a kooky guy. His work is rich in symbolism, and his legacy wasn't limited to the dreamlike imagery he painted on canvases. Dali was equally famous for his trademark pointed mustache, which is styled in a "10-past-10" position, if you were to imagine his face as a clock. He wore it in this unique style up until his death in 1989. When Dalí's body was exhumed in 2017, 28 years after the artist's death, the iconic mustache was still in perfect shape. Now, that's what you call a timeless look!