Chaplin Mustache in Modern Day Society?

StetsonHomburg · Sep 7, 2010

Hi,

This is a question that has been floting in the
back of my mind for a long time and I just
decieded to ask it:

What would you think the reaction of someone would be
if they saw someone in modern day society with a chaplin
mustache/ Toothbrush Mustache? (and they had
a fedora, homburg, or even bowler on with a suit and
other dressy items on?)

Yeps · Sep 7, 2010

I somehow think it wouldn't go over well.

James71 · Sep 7, 2010

Adolf killed that particular aesthetic.

Do you have a lot of Jewish friends? Might be a good look to miss.

StetsonHomburg · Sep 7, 2010

James71 said:
Adolf killed that particular aesthetic.

Do you have a lot of Jewish friends? Might be a good look to miss.

I was not asking about me wearing it I more meant it as just a curious
question to see some opionions. In the first world war alot of soldiers on all sides had that mustache because of chaplin just for laughs but unfortunetly hitler also adapted it

cooncatbob · Sep 7, 2010

StetsonHomburg said:
I was not asking about me wearing it I more meant it as just a curious
question to see some opionions. In the first world war alot of soldiers on all sides had that mustache because of chaplin just for laughs but unfortunetly hitler also adapted it

I thought WW1 soldiers had toothbrush mustaches because they fit under their gas mask, with a regular mustache your gas mask would not seal on your face.

StetsonHomburg · Sep 7, 2010

cooncatbob said:
I thought WW1 soldiers had toothbrush mustaches because they fit under their gas mask, with a regular mustache your gas mask would not seal on your face.

That too, but I do remember reading something about chaplin and
the writer mensioned that...[huh]

Qirrel · Sep 7, 2010

Have anyone ever seen a man with such a mustache after WWII? Unfortunately the toothbrush mustache has become the number one recognized feature of Hitler, i mean, you could make a toothbrush mustache on any stick-figure and everyone would think Hitler.

Creeping Past · Sep 7, 2010

Silly, really, to imbue facial hair with symbolic force. Many men still wear their hair like Hitler wore it, and that's not considered an odd, authoritarian or anti-Jewish statment - and it's not called the 'Hitler fringe'.

And strange that the wearing of a Stalin moustache never attracts such opprobrium, despite his regime's murdering millions. In fact, it remains as a symbolic beacon of virility and freedom: viz. various members of The Byrds and other more counter-cultural bands and Sam Elliot's cowboy in The Big Lebowski.

The Wolf · Sep 7, 2010

J. Jonah Jameson might be the last guy to have that look.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

Torpedo · Sep 7, 2010

Whatever the reason, it is Hitler's style of moustache what has endured, and the feature anyone immediately associates with him.

So, it's a no-no, because of this. Not even the fact Chaplin wore one offsets this. At most, if you wore the full, or part of, Chaplin attire, you would be thought of as someone in a Chaplin's costume. I do not think you can use a "tootbrush" for everyday. Bad luck.

Regarding the gas mask question, I believe this is just an urban legend. The rubber adapts around your face, so the style of moustache would not be an issue - beards would be, on the other hand.

IIRC, Hitler did not sport his trademark style of moustache during WW1, anyway - he wore a full one at that time. He adopted the "toothbrush" later.

Regards!

Pompidou · Sep 7, 2010

It would take a whole society of people breaking the mold and sporting one to reverse the effect. I bet if Johnny Depp started wearing one, he could probably beat the stigma too - especially if a few other A list stars followed suit. If Hollywood went Hitler, it wouldn't be such a bad thing in the eyes of the public.

grundie · Sep 7, 2010

Last year British comedian Richard Herring did a show called 'Hitler Moustache' in which he attempted to reclaim the toothbrush moustache for comedy.

Evidently, it caused some controversy - http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...r-moustache-underbelly-edinburgh-1773849.html

Nick D · Sep 7, 2010

Qirrel said:
Have anyone ever seen a man with such a mustache after WWII? Unfortunately the toothbrush mustache has become the number one recognized feature of Hitler, i mean, you could make a toothbrush mustache on any stick-figure and everyone would think Hitler.

Well, Robert Mugabe, but I don't think that helps the image of the toothbrush moustache.

I've seen it a couple times, on older men, one of whom was in a suit and bowler.

Spitfire · Sep 7, 2010

Bad idear! That's all there is to say.

Edward · Sep 7, 2010

Yip, it's now the Hitler 'tache, and I can't see that changing. Similar to wearing a swastika - no Westerner these days will look at that and think 'oh, Hindu symbol of peace and harmony...'. The original 'meaning' of both has been irretrievably subverted in this part of the world.

matei · Sep 7, 2010

It isn't really a look that works nowadays. Certain styles don't survive the test of time, except in niche groups.

I think that the Hitler/Chaplin moustache has been consigned, together with Norman-style haircuts, skull binding etc, to the dustbin of history.

Maybe I'm wrong... perhaps it'll make a comeback.

An aside... I worked with (thankfully not for) a manager who not only had the Hitleresque 'tache, but also a floppy fringe like the Fuhrer.

He had a bigoted, close-minded racist attitude to match his unfortunate choice of facial hair and hairstyle, however I think that it was a mere coincidence.

I don't think he went out of his way to emulate Hitler, at least I hope not.

Creeping Past · Sep 7, 2010

Edward said:
no Westerner these days will look at that and think 'oh, Hindu symbol of peace and harmony...'

Speak for yourself, mate! Also heard regularly is, 'a widely used symbol, of undetermined meaning, from pre-antiquity'.

Dav · Sep 7, 2010

Qirrel said:
Have anyone ever seen a man with such a mustache after WWII?

Yes I had a school teacher who sported one plus an 80 year old chap(it was his birthday on thursday) who lives on a local farm both would have been alive during WW2 so I'm not sure why they choose to wear it, but hey each to their own.

Unlucky Berman · Sep 7, 2010

Qirrel said:
Have anyone ever seen a man with such a mustache after WWII?

Yes, three times and all of them are members of the german NPD, a neo-nazi party known to be extremly reactonary and a hoard for dumb and brutish "orc-like beings".

So wearing this means for everyone else you sympathize with them and that's why no one dares to do so except those nazis.

Feraud · Sep 7, 2010

The return is imminent..

Chaplin Mustache in Modern Day Society?

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