Mustache Trends & Grooming Standards In The Old West

From the 1880s to the late 1890s, men's mustaches were at their peak of popularity. In fact, from the 1880s and really into the period just before World War I, mustache trends and popular facial hair fashion during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras can be boiled down to the "handlebar" mustache, which is worn long with curled ends, and the "walrus" mustache, which is worn thick, very bushy, and hanging over the mouth. 

The "handlebar" mustache and its variations were often associated with full, curled, or waxed "handlebar" mustaches, as well as the thick "walrus" mustache. These elaborate facial hairstyles were often maintained with specialized wax and grooming tools.  It ranged from the moderate, waxed tips to the extreme "mousetrap" style. It required maintenance, wax, and in some cases curlers, making it a sign of a man with time to focus on his appearance.

The "walrus" mustache was seen as the epitome of rugged, distinguished masculinity, often associated with intellectuals, outdoorsmen, manliness, and politicians like Theodore Roosevelt. It was deliberately unruly and signaled a "no-nonsense" attitude, despite often being meticulously groomed to look chaotic.

Why did these styles dominate the times? They served as a defining symbol of Victorian masculinity, social status, and maturity. But mostly, it was influenced by military fashion, emulating the dandier, athletic, or military look of the time. 

We have to keep in mind that, in many Western countries, military facial hair was widely used to distinguish rank and signify toughness. The "handlebar" and "walrus" mustache was a general reaction to the trends of the 1860s and 1870s. While beards had been popular earlier in the 19th century, by the 1880s the trend shifted toward men with "clean-shaven" cheeks and chins. So yes, men wore large "handlebar" and "walrus" mustaches, often with short-cropped hair and clean-shaven cheeks and chins.

While we've all seen Hollywood depict 19th-century figures and military troops of that era with long hair and thick, bushy mustaches, that's just more proof that Hollywood gets it wrong. Hollywood takes photos of Western figures such as Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill Hickok, George Custer, and a few others to sell that image to the public as the norm, as the common trend of the time, when in fact it wasn't.

In the Old West, if you couldn't get someone to cut your hair with whatever tool was on hand, "self-cut" hair was a practical, hygienic choice to manage lice, dirt, and grease. While some kept long hair, others used soapweed or harsh homemade soap to combat filth. Lice infestations were common, leading many to cut their hair short or use lye soap and whiskey to wash the lice out of their hair. 

If you think that's bad, men used kerosene and coal oil to kill their lice problems. It's true. Because of lice infestations, a common treatment was to take kerosene, or coal oil, and use it to kill lice. Yes, even though it posed risks of burns, men still did exactly that. Of course, when one thinks about it, since a lot of whiskeys in the Old West were made that day in the back room of a saloon, and were made in many cases with kerosene, or coal oil, with some tobacco spit added for coloring, it's no wonder that whiskey poured on someone's head may have worked. Of course, can you imagine washing your hair in gasoline? 

Lice control in the Old West, as it was during the Civil War, was tough. Because of living in such close quarters and limited sanitation, lice were rampant. That made short hair a necessary, pragmatic choice for survival. And as for washing one's hair, since bathing in general was rare due to water scarcity, often limited to when they could find rivers or ponds, washing one's hair was hardly done at all. 

For these reasons, long hair was seen as being so impractical that many cowboys and settlers opted for short, uneven cuts and all. In most cases, done with knives, a straight razor, or scissors. Though it produced a more rugged, short-cropped look for both men and women on the frontier, this is why keeping hair short or shaved was a functional necessity.

So, if you're reading this for the second or third time and have noticed that I've edited and added information, it's because you've sent me all sorts of questions about this. After I initially posted my short article on mustache trends in the Old West and, incidentally, mentioned that short hair was preferred at the time, you asked me to expand on that, so I have.

Today, I was asked if sheep shears were used to cut hair back then. Well, as I stated above, knives, shaving razors, and scissors were used. And yes, it is a fact that sheep shears were used a lot. That was especially the case in areas where barbers' tools were unavailable. And really, sheep shears were a common tool found on farms. Most homesteads had shears for all sorts of things. Besides being used for shearing sheep, which is said to have taken about 20 to 40 minutes per animal, and trimming wool, they were used for general farm, garden, and maintenance tasks. 

And no, I'm not kidding. In the 1800s, sheep shears, which are sharp, scissor-like tools with a double-bow handle, were sometimes used for cutting men's hair. Shears were easy to use since they are like scissors. Simply squeezing the double-bow handle closes the two sharp blades together, and you're cutting hair. 

If you remember "grass shears," then you remember that they are similar to sheep shears. As a kid, I used grass shears, built like sheep shears with a traditional U-shaped spring, to clip grass and do some light hedge trimming. Can you imagine using that to cut a man's hair? Well, they were. 

Shears have been around for ages, so they were readily available for purchase. They were designed for shearing wool, allowing for a fast, though rough cut. While hand shears were common for most of the century, Frederick Wolseley developed successful mechanical shearing machinery in the 1880s. His design preceded modern electric clippers. Shears were a practical tool for cutting hair throughout the 19th century.

As for short hair being a Victorian Era trend? It was. The Old West required short hair for hygiene. And yes, during that same period, the Victorian era also saw a "short hair craze" among women in the 1880s. But, while short hair was practical, it was less a conscious "fashion trend" and more a necessity for dealing with the harsh conditions of frontier life. 

Short hair was not merely a style choice but a practical necessity to control head lice, which were common due to poor living conditions. So yes, it is a fact that short practical haircuts were essential for survival and hygiene in the Old West, aimed at preventing rampant lice infestations. 

 

As for the cultural significance of those style mustaches? At the time, a man with a mustache was seen as being more self-confident, healthy, and someone dashing with an adventurous air, yet still mature. Presenting a well-groomed mustache was considered an essential style accessory for a gentleman. In an attempt to reflect strength, health, and self-confidence, it became very common to see men wearing either style of mustache. Young men often wore them to look more distinguished, mature, and credible. 

How prevalent were those two styles? By the end of the century, the fashion of men wearing a handlebar or walrus mustache was so common that it was sometimes seen as a requirement for men of a certain class. And as for what helped to push that as a cultural trend of the times? Those two styles were popularized by military figures, politicians like Theodore Roosevelt, and other upper-class figures. It was a widespread trend in both Europe and the United States.

Yes, from the 1880s to the late 1890s, men's mustaches were at their peak in popularity, often referred to as the "golden age" of the mustache. Following the decline of the full, bushy beard, the standalone, well-groomed mustache became a staple of masculinity, elegance, and social status in Western society, particularly in Victorian society. 

1880s Earp Brothers

As stated before, the iconic mustache styles of that era were defined by bold handlebar mustaches, waxed and curled at the ends, and thick, drooping walrus mustaches.

As for Grooming? Men used mustache wax to shape their mustaches and specialized tools like mustache cups, which featured a guard to protect the wax from hot tea or coffee, keeping their mustaches shaped and looking pristine. It's true, the popularity of these elaborate, waxed styles led to the invention of "mustache cups," which featured a ledge (guard) to protect the wax and style from hot liquids.

By the turn of the century, a transition was underway. As the 1890s ended and the 1900s approached, the trend shifted again toward being "completely clean-shaven." This shift was accelerated by the 1895 invention of the disposable safety razor by King Camp Gillette, which made shaving cheaper and easier.

So by the end of the 19th century, the era of the giant, waxed mustache was largely considered old-fashioned, though it remained popular throughout the 1900s and 1910s before World War I made clean-shaven faces standard. 

Let's also remember that, as World War I began, the fad of massive mustaches worn by men like the Earp brothers had already disappeared. The biggest reason was that they had become impractical for the military. That was largely because of the need for troops in the trenches to wear gas masks. It's true. Because of the trench warfare in Europe during World War I, a time when gas warfare was a real threat, men had to shave or significantly trim their facial hair to get a good seal on their masks. 

The grooming standards of soldiers, sailors, and Marines after World War I was that of troops with completely clean-shaven faces. A standard that lives on today.  

We forget that following World War I, the United States military grooming standards mandated clean-shaven faces and short haircuts, driven by the need for hygienic, louse-free troops and, crucially, to ensure a proper seal for gas masks. This "clean-cut" requirement, emphasizing uniformity and discipline, was established to remove individual identity, allowing soldiers to be rebuilt into a cohesive unit. While these regulations often relax slightly in combat scenarios, particularly for special operations, the standard largely persists today across all branches.

The post-World War I grooming evolution included eliminating beards to ensure gas masks functioned properly during chemical warfare, requiring troops to maintain short hair and clean-shaven faces to reduce the spread of lice, which were prevalent in trench warfare, and to create uniformity and discipline in the ranks. Regulations were designed to ensure a neat, standardized appearance, often strictly enforced through inspections. Of course, in the modern era, it's a standard that's enforced through the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Back when I was in the Marine Corps in the 1970s, the U.S. Navy allowed beards. Under Admiral Zumwalt, sailors could wear them. And sadly, some of those beards were sparse, ugly, unruly, and as unsightly as the day is long. The Navy returned to strict grooming standards in 1984. 

Today, the "high and tight" and similar short haircuts remain a standard for U.S. Marines. Of course, unlike in the 19th century, when the military strongly influenced men's grooming standards, we don't see military facial-hair standards or haircuts being applied to or influencing civilians today. Too bad, really, since many civilians these days look like they could use a shave and a haircut.

Tom Correa