10 Moustaches You Should Grow This Movember

This November, you can help raise money and awareness for men’s health issues, such as prostate and testicular cancer, by participating in the month-long event known as Movember. This global charity encourages men everywhere to sign up and grow a moustache for the entire month of November, helping bring attention to these important men’s health issues.

But how do you know which moustache works for you? Well, that’s where we come in. To prepare you to look your best, we’ve compiled 10 different moustaches you should grow this Movember. Don’t forget to register your Mo at Movember.com and give back this November—and look good while doing good.

Made famous by: Hulk Hogan, Joe Namath, John Travolta, Aaron Rodgers

There are few moustache styles as bold as the Horseshoe. It’s the ultimate sign of masculinity, and can often be seen in testosterone-fueled pro wresters, heavy metal icons, NFL players, and the occasional A-list actor. The main objective of this style is to get your moustache as thick and full as possible, and allow the hairs to run down past your mouth and hit your jawline. Think of it as a goatee with a bare chin. Remember: No goatees during Movember! So the horseshoe would be a good choice.

For ultimate effectiveness, it’s necessary for all of the other portions of your face to be as smooth as possible. You want your Horseshoe to stand out on its own without any other facial hair impeding it. This isn’t the easiest moustache to grow—especially if you can’t quite get those hairs to reach your chin—but if you’re one of the lucky ones that can do it flawlessly, you owe it to society to keep this look alive.

Made famous by: Tom Selleck, Freddie Mercury, Sam Elliott

They say the classics never go out of style, and the Chevron is living proof of that adage. Though this style was at its zenith in the ’70s and ’80s, the truth is that the Chevron is what any moustache aficionado should strive for. It’s bold and firm, without being too audacious or difficult to groom.

The main objective of the Chevron is to take a razor to your cheeks and chin in order for your moustache to stand out like a monument of perfect follicular architecture. Also, be sure that the hairs never go too far over your upper lip or past your mouth, because then you might wind up with an unruly cowboy moustache. Keep it neat, yet fierce, and one day maybe you will be mistaken for Tom Selleck.

Made famous by: Rollie Fingers, William Howard Taft, The Pringles Man

If you ever feel the urge to look like an 18th-century politician or a carnival strong man, a handlebar moustache is the look for you. Like the Dali (which you’ll read about later), this style also requires the wearer to wax the sides of the moustache and curl them upwards, but the Handlebar look is much thicker and lusher than its flamboyant counterpart.

The key to a memorable Handlebar moustache is pinpoint control. Without enough wax or an improper curling motion, you can wind up turning your sweet Rollie Fingers into a dreaded Gene Shalit in the blink of an eye. Curl carefully, everyone.

Made famous by: Teddy Roosevelt, Wilford Brimley

For the gregarious soul in us all, the Walrus is the perfect style to showcase your over-the-top personality and fully embrace the Movember tradition. The strategy behind the Walrus is simple: keep growing your moustache until your mouth is completely eclipsed by hairy excellence. Ideally, your Walrus should be thick enough to resemble a push broom under your nose.

Sure it requires some patience to get the proper length, and many can’t achieve this much growth within the 30 days of Movember, but those who grow the Walrus have a look that most people are too timid to even attempt. This is a style that has attracted everyone from ranchers to presidents, and we can’t think of a bolder way to celebrate Movember. We just don’t suggest you eat any soup or ice cream while sporting the Walrus. We suppose certain sacrifices must be made for moustache excellence, right?

Made famous by: Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, John Waters

This style can only be pulled off by the most sophisticated of Mo wearers, but if you are feeling particularly debonair, by all means go and get yourself a pencil-thin moustache. Made famous during Hollywood’s Golden Age, this brand of moustache is exclusively geared towards the martini crowd that likes their drinks as neat as their facial hair.

To pull off the perfect pencil-thin look, you will need the careful blades of your styler to trim your thick moustache into a thin line of hair right above your lip. This will give you the closely-cropped look that the likes of Errol Flynn and Clark Gable brought to Tinsel Town more than 70 years ago.

Made famous by: Super Mario, Ron Swanson

To the naked eye, the Paintbrush moustache might look exactly like the Chevron, but there are a few key differences that set this one apart. First off, the Paintbrush never extends past the mouth and is capped off with rounded edges by the sides of your lips. And secondly, the moustache needs to be neatly trimmed so it never dips below the top of the upper lip.

Although it is a thicker style of moustache, the Paintbrush is generally closely cropped and neat. While we’re not entirely convinced that this style resembles any paintbrush we have ever seen, it’s a timeless look that blends the masculinity of the Chevron with the precision of the pencil-thin look.

Made famous by: Salvador Dali

There is really only one man brave enough—or eccentric enough—to make this moustache work. The Dali is inspired by the moustache of legendary Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali, and it is unlike any other moustache on this list. The strands of waxed hair must be able to stand upwards on their own, but they can also roam freely from the face when given the opportunity.

The Dali isn’t as much a moustache as it is an experience. It requires your chin and cheeks to be completely smooth, as well as a bare patch directly beneath your nose. It’s also necessary for the hairs above your lip to grow long and wild, so you can tame them with a palm full of wax. Moustache novices dare not attempt the Dali, but we give major props to anyone that tries it.

Made famous by: Vincent Price, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

If you are looking to enjoy a refreshing mint julep or play a confusing game of cricket, you need to grow the English. This style of moustache is long overdue for a comeback, and with a little time and care you can successfully bring this antiquated style back to the mainstream. Similar to the Handlebar, the English requires the wearer to wax the sides of the mo in order to make it pop off the lips. But here you don’t curl the hairs upwards; instead, you style them straight out, creating a vertical line of flat hair under your nose.

The other trademark of the moustache is the parting in the middle that separates each half of the mo for the style’s distinct look. The English requires real skill to pull off properly, but it’s the perfect gentleman’s style for anyone trying to avoid the heavy metal vibe of American moustaches. And if you’re not a gentleman, the English is still fun to twirl after tying helpless damsels to train tracks.

Made famous by: Kaiser Wilhelm II, Árpád

Easily the largest moustache on this list, the Hungarian is the Mack Truck of facial hair. The objective here isn’t just to grow a moustache large enough to reach your lower lip; it must also be styled similar to the Handlebar with the volume turned all the way up. This is a hairy statement of pure mustachioed dominance, but it’s not for the faint of heart. The style requires one who can quickly grow, patience, and the self-confidence of a Viking to pull off.

For a time, this style was common amongst leaders and warriors in Northern and Eastern Europe. The Hungarian exudes power and commands respect, but it’s not for everyone. It takes months to get the proper length and the wearer must be disciplined enough to keep all other facial hair completely shaved as the moustache takes shape. If you’re up to the challenge, though, this is a classic style that will transform you into an instant alpha male and perhaps the next Emperor of Germany.

Made famous by: Dr. Fu Manchu, Ming the Merciless

We don’t envy the folks who try to grow out the legendary Fu Manchu moustache, but we applaud those willing to put in the time and effort. The main objective here is to grow out the sides of your moustache until they become long enough to flow freely below your chin.

The most important aspect of this whole look is the wearer’s patience and dedication to keeping the rest of his face completely clean-shaven. Only when your moustache hairs get a mind of their own and act independently from your face can you claim victory over the most difficult facial hair style of master.