The Handlebar Club Forum

Anyone else notice that mustaches are making a comeback? I know there are people from all over the world on these forums so what's it like with a mustache over there. I'll tell you that Southern California is very very conducive to mustache wearing. Every day someone either tells me "Wow, what a great mustache", "my friend has a huge mustache too!", or "I want to grow one just like that." It's uncanny. Although I have yet to meet any of these said friends of friends who have large mustaches. But alas, San Diego is a HUGE city. Also, anyone ever heard the word "hipster"? It seems that ever since I had a mustache people call me a hipster. I'd heard the term used to describe people in cities like San Fran, New York, and Seattle. I guess San Diego has a thriving urban culture too. But I live in the boonies on the border of Tijuana, Mexico. I can see Mexico from my house. I'm at least 20 minutes from downtown where all the cool people hang. If you google the term "hipster" the descriptions are fairly hilarious, as are the pictures. Apparently, the stereotypes are that they have a penchant for fixed gear track bikes, crappy beer, handlebar mustaches, and old fashioned clothing. I'm not cool enough to ride a fixed gear bike (or brave for that matter. No brakes? Are you kidding me?). But, have you guys ever dealt with labels like hipster? Or, Pancho Villa, 80s porn star, etc.?

The only reason I ask this is because the majority of the sociological mustache posts I've read here thus far seem to concern one's courage as they brave the world with a unique extremity like the mustache. I'd been preparing myself for the barrage of questions, concerns, and general "what the hell is that on your face?" comments. I haven't had to fight ANY of those kinds of sentiments. Most people think I'm the most badass individual since Tom Selleck. The popularity has been a little disarming to say the least.

So, to wrap it up. Do a lot of people have mustaches in your city (I know this has been talked about before), have you been called a hipster, and what other stereotypes have you dealt with?

Thanks,

Nate the Great

Well, I have mentioned before that handlebar moustaches are not all that uncommon here in Norway - in fact, they are relatively common in a specific area, which is about a 6-9 hour car drive from where I live. Even so, every time I go out to the mall, I see at least one other guy with a handlebar moustache... so not so many comments here.

That being said, when I first started on my moustache about a year and a half ago, I was aware of "hipsters" wearing this kind of moustache. I could not be called a hipster by any stretch of the imagination, but I do remember telling my wife that the moustache was hip and cool; so cool, in fact that I was a hipster - defining trends before they are mainstream. I told her that in a couple of years everyone will have (or want) a handlebar moustache... we can only hope

When you have a new moustache you notice other moustaches. It's like noticing the number of vehicles driven that are like the one you just bought - seems there's more of them once you start looking. When you have a Handlebar Moustache you tend to only notice other handlebars - ordinary moustaches generally don't merit a second glance. I notice a few handlebars around when I'm in town - same fellows that have always had them and not likely to give them up either. I'm not in the right age group to be labelled as a hipster and am more likely labelled as old git. I tend to be less influenced by trends - worn a standlone moustache ten years while most everyone else wears a goat(ee).

@Smedstad

That's fairly ironic because the essence of hipsterism is liking things before they are mainstream. At least that's what I've noticed.

@Schnauzer

I know you are right. Because every time I fancy the idea to quit cigarettes I'll go an entire day noticing EVERY SINGLE person who smokes cigarettes, which feels like everyone, even though it's not like everyone decided to smoke that day.

Here in Tel Aviv, A city of ~ 400,000, It seems like I'm the only one with a handlebar, although regular mustaches are common.
The funny thing is people find my handlebar so unusual around here I actually get
free drinks and discounts in stores! (happened more than a couple of times)

that's awesome haha!

nah, Schnauzer. You are the definition of hipster...

Indeed; modern hipsters care too much to really be hip. Too much self-interest is never cool... Schnauzer is setting trends that won't be mainstream for years

Mustaches in the younger generation are seen as ironic, which is why they are associated with hipsters. Like Nate said, if you are under 60 and sporting a mustache, most people will think that you own a fixed gear bike and a death cab for cutie album. As far as comments i have personally received, it is usually the "you look like a cop/pornstar/cop pornstar." but that never really seems to bother me.