The World's Greatest Moustache: Survey Research.

After asking the question "Which celebrity has your favourite moustache?" I recieved a wide variation of weird and wonderful answers in order to establish an idea of just what moustaches made people "tick", the results are as followed... (voting positions based upon people's votes)...

#20- Eugene Hutz, lead singer of band Gogol Bordello.

Unusually handsome, that is all.

#19- Oliver Jeffers, animator, illustrator and children's book author (creator of the BAFTA award-winning 'Lost and Found' animated film).

Yet again, further proof that moustaches CAN be dashing, however unusal and eccentric they may look.

Though I'm sure the rather handsome face behind it may just have something to do with that...

#18- Jimmy Edwards, English Screenwriter and Comic Actor, and proud owner of a dashing set of whiskers- the cupped chin in hand setting off the look to perfection.

#17- Brandon Flowers, lead singer of band The Killers- yet further proof that you either have to be a Granddad or alluring from the start to have your moustache taken seriously. Take note Chaps.

#16- Joseph Stalin, Russian Communist Leader, and full-on walrus chops. 

 

#15- Professor Robert Winston, British doctor, scientist, television presenter and politician. Aside from the "living legend" status that Lord Robert Winston has undoubtedly achieved, I always get a warm, fuzzy feeling when I see him on television, as he looks just like my Grandfather pre-grey days, mustache and all.

#14- Clark Gable, American actor and "King of Hollywood"- would Scarlet O' Hara have been as crazy for him without this oh-so-dandy moustache? I think not.

#13- Ringo Starr, Beatles drummer, musician and voice of Thomas the Tank Engine. They say that a moustache can hide a multitude of sins- sadly, Ringo's could not cover his entire face. The 60's eh...

#12- Sam Elliott, American actor and owner of one of the finest horseshoe moustaches the world has ever seen. 

 #11- Charlie Chaplin, Iconic American film and slapstick comedian. Apparently, for the majority of his career, his toothbrush Hitler-style moustache wasn't even real, yet enormously popular. What a scandal.

#10- Dick Van Dyke, American comic and actor. From a young age, I was convinced Dick Van Dyke would one day become my husband. Then again, I was judging him in his performance over forty years ago as the much-loved Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Mr Van Dyke has such a perfectly groomed and charming moustache, it's difficult for a man not to stand awed in it's presence, i'm sure.

#9- Tom Hardy as Charles Bronson (in the film 'Bronson'), considered to be the most violent prisioner in Britain. A past circus performer, Charles Bronson works the Romanian weightlifter look like a charm.

#8- Hercule Poirot, Agatha Chrstie's Belgian Detective, created for her novels (played here by actor David Suchet). Perhaps one of the most iconic moustaches of all time, Poirot's 'tache is curled, fancy and groomed to ultimate perfection.

#7- Super Mario, a celebrity in his own right, Nintendos very own podgy Italian-American plumber has captured the hearts and moustache-awe imaginations of people the world-over.

#6- Salvador Dali, Spanish Surrealist Painter and all-round genius. If I had my way, Salvador's grand moustache would be at number one- proof that sometimes a moustache really does make the man.

#5- Freddie Mercury, frontman of band Queen, oh, and perhaps the greatest man of all time. Known equally for his moustache as for his phenomenal talents and stage presence. 

#4- Adolf Hitler, Austrian WWII dictator. Friends opinions, not mine, yet, undoubtedly distinctive. 

#3- Barry and Paul "Chuckle", aka 'The Chuckle Brothers' of Chuckle Vision fame. Perhaps even more disturbing than the post above, these moustaches are of the rare few I have absolutely no time for. Sorry Bazza and Paul. 

#2- Burt Reynolds, American Actor, silver fox, and a lover of being nude on bearskin rugs. Burt made moustaches acceptable...and, dare i say it...attractive.

#1- Tom Selleck- American actor, Magnum PI and THE GOD of all things moustachioed. The ultimate moustache-wearing 70's pin-up stud, and judging by this picture, enough testosterone for ten average men. 

Chosen by friends, family and colleagues alike, Tom Selleck has been voted as having the greatest moustache...of all time.

During these early stages of research development I am considering lots of different avenues and outcomes of design that I can develop- some ideas include:

-top trumps moustache cards- will all your favourite moustached celebrities.

-a moustache growers guide- a wall chart of inspiration.

-moustache ettiquette post-it notes- how you and your moustache show behave in certain situations...

20 opinions of 'taches.

Secondary resource opinions found through various internet sources...

1. "I like them on the right guy, as long as they're well-groomed. I like goatees or other beard/moustache combos better, but it depends on the guy. I will say that kissing a guy with facial hair is a unique experience, and if it's over-grown, you do sort of feel like you're running the risk of a hairball. It's distracting."

2. "I think the only reason a guy should have a moustache is to cover a facial flaw like a bad lip or a mole...I think they are not attractive whatsoever!"

3. "Yuk. I could never be with a man with a moustache. Too 80's."

4. "They used to be a sign of masculinity, now they're kind of just symbolic of a wannabe porn star or redneck."

5. "First of all, having a moustache has NOTHING whatsoever to do with being a porn star or redneck! Every man I have ever been with had a moustache. I love them on men! They make men look masculine and handsome. They can change a man's look completely. If they are well taken care of and kept clean then they are awesome! There are men out there who do not keep them trimmed and do not clean them with soap and water. Those are the type of men that don't need a moustache. That is gross! But if they are kept up...they are a sure turn-on, at least they are for me! It's a matter of preference."

6. "Nasty. Moustaches on women are even worse."

7. "Oh! You know what I am really a sucker for? Pencil moustaches, that little thin moustache like John Water or Gomez Addams (Raul Julia). I have no ide why, but I just find it dashing."

8. "Only a few can pull off the moustache, like Tom Selleck looks sexy with one. Goatees are sexy though!"

9."Gross. If you think about it, imagine the stuff that gets stuck in it? Food. Ewe."

10. "I love Clint Eastwood with a moustache. *Sighs dreamily*."

11. "Personally, I kind of like them if they are clean and well groomed."

12. "I hate moustaches!"

13. "I have had a moustache for over forty-five years and my wife would shoot me if I shaved it off."

14. "I think guys look creepy with moustaches."

15. "Moustaches are cute."

16. "Moustaches remind me of 70's cop shows...all the time, on anyone."

17. "I hate moustaches! They are stupid looking..."

18. "I don't like them very much. I have very sensitive skin and it comes out in a rash."

19. "Moustaches are great- well the ones that are all curled and fancy!"

20. "Moustaches can look quite sexy."

20 words about 'taches...

20 words associated with moustaches that sprang to mind...

1. Hair.

2. Fuzz.

3. Dali.

4. Razors.

5. Horseshoe.

6. Handlebar.

7. Gentlemen.

8. Movember.

9. Distinguished.

10. Groomed.

11. Preened.

12.  Victorianna.

13. Scissors.

14. Poirot.

15. Chaps.

16. Barbers. 

17. Tweeked.

18. Brushed.

19. 'Tache.

20. Western.

20 facts about 'taches.

1. In a deck of cards, the King of Hearts in the only King whom does not have a moustache.

2. For many years in his career on stage and film, Groucho Marx's moustache was achieved by applying greasepaint to his upper lip, until he decided to grow one in real life.

3. In 1967, The Beatles gave away cardboard moustaches with their album 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts club Band'.

4. In the 1972 April issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, Burt Reynolds posed nude on a bearskin rug with nothing but his moustache covering his dignity. Afterwards, he vowed never to remove his moustache as it was his claim to fame. 

5. Eight types of moustache are recognised at the World Beard and Moustache Championships. These are called: Natural, English, Dali, Handlebar, Wild West, Fu Manchu, Imperial, and Freestyle.

6. According to research by drinks producer, Guiness, the average moustached Guiness drinker traps a pint and a half of the drink in his facial hair every year.

7. Firemen are not allowed to have facial hair, as this prevents breathing equiptment from fitting properly.

8. In the 1960's, long and facial hair was considered to be "a sign of hippies", which the Disney empire did not wish to be associated with, therefore, a policy was set in place in which all male employees had to have short hair and no facial hair at the theme parks. It took until 2000 for the theme parks to remove this policy- now male employees are allowed to have neatly trimmed moustaches.

9. Shaving with stone razors was potentially possible from Neolithic times, but the oldest portrait showing a shaved man with a moustache is an acient Iranian (Scythian) horseman from 300 BC in a cave painting.

10. In Western cultures, women have generally avoided the growth of facial hair- some are (unfortunately) capable, but most use a form of depilation to remove it. Mexican artist Frida Kahlo embraced her facial hair and often depicted it in self portraits, along with a unibrow. Her distinctive style and empanicated style has been followed by many contemporary females working within the arts today.

11. The longest recorded moustache belongs to Bajansinh Juwansinh Gurjar of Ahmedabad, India. It had not been cut for 22 years and it was 12 ft, 6 in long in 2004.

12. Salvador Dali published a book, solely dedicated to his famed moustache.

13. Swimmer Mark Spitz won seven gold medals whilst sporting a moustache, when swimmers usually shaved all of their body hair to decrease drag. When other competitors questioned the moustache and the potential increased drag, he claimed that it helped to create a pocket of air to breathe.

14. Movember is an annual month-long event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November, concieved in 1999 by a male group in Adelaide, Australia, the event supports men's health issues and charities, most notably, supporting research and care in prostate cancer.  

15. The French actor, Francois-Alexandre Galipedes used the stage name "Moustache" in reference to his facial hair.

16. A variety of tools have been developed for the care of moustaches, including moustache wax, moustache nets (snoods), moustache brushes, moustache combs and moustache scissors. 

17. The moustache cup is a drinking cup with a semi-circular ledge inside, which provides a guard to keep the moustache dry from the cup's liquids, and was thought to have been invented by British potter Harvey Adams.

18. The distinct style of moustache known as the pencil moustache is thin and found adjacend or a little above the lip. The style is neatly clipped so the moustache takes a pencil drawn appearance, whereupon a large gap is left between the nose and the moustache, usually breaking across the philtrum, or continues unbroken. Famous examples include director John Waters and television personality, Bruce Forsyth.

19. A horseshoe moustache is a full moustache with vertical extensions grown on the corners of the lips and down the sides of the mouth to the jawline, resembling an upside down U or a horseshoe. The whiskers grow along the sides of the mouth in the horseshoe are sometimes referred to as "pipes".

20. The styles of moustache include: natural, mexican, dali, english, imperial, freestyle, fu manchu, handlebar, rollie fingers, horseshow, pencil moustache, chevron, toothbrush, and walrus.

Famous Bros. with Famous Mo's: 20 portraits of moustaches.

It's a well-known fact that moustaches can be more than a little bit awesome- distinguished, charismatic and playful...but then again they can go so, so wrong.

Here, I showcase some of the most notable and famed moustaches from the world of celebrity- those that did it so right, and those that are more than a little bit odd.

Everyone's favourite genius, Albert Einstein- showcasing a traditional style which suited his eccentricty perfectly.

Basil Fawlty- everything was faulty bar the wonderful 'tache.

Personally, I'm not a lover of The Killers frontman, Brandon Flower's facial fuzz phase, but he still undoubtedly works the tache like a trooper... a very, very handsome trooper.

Charlie Chaplin...another iconic moustache, this time from the legendary slapstick comedian- worn in a "toothbrush" style.

Freddie Mercury- king (or queen...) of rock. Freddie went through smooth phases throughout his career, but definately was remembered for the upper lip adorement the most- also, a glowing example of how well a moustache can disguise a prominent upper jaw!

Groucho Marx- another legendary moustache-wearing comic, truly distinctive and parodied the world-over.

David Suchet as Agatha Christie's Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot- perhaps with one of my favourite moustaches of all time- sleek and elegant, true European moustache chic.

Howard "Don't be mocking my Mocha" Moon- Julian Barratt here in surrealist comedy show, The Mighty Boosh, showcasing what is undoubtedly one of the most attractive moustaches in the modern day (this is not up for disagreement).

When the 70's had it's wicked way with Lionel...enough said.

Manuel, the "adorable" waiter in the Fawlty Towers hotel, as if the moustache needed any more of an excuse, "he's from Barcelona..."

Nick Cave- the true example that the man makes the moustache. Never in the history of the world has a horseshoe moustache been anything but laughable, until this man came along, and gave the horseshoe an avantegarde and uber-trendy edge...obviously.

Salvador Dali...I just haven't the words. The true moustahce-d messiah.

If I could create an entire project on his without exhausting every avenue of this fantastic man's life, i would.

"Just like the word "Marco" implies "Polo", the phrase "Attractive moustache" implies Tom Selleck"- the wonderful response from an annonymus 'Yahoo! Answers' member summarises it all really- one of the few men in the world who may infact look BETTER with facial fuzz, believe it or not...

Moustaches don't escape the cartoon world either, with some of culture and "celebritie's" most notable 'taches being adorned through images of animation and illustration.

Here, Ned Flanders has a BMD (Bad Moustache Day) in Springfield (from television show 'The Simpsons').

Super Mario- everyone's favourite Italian moustached character, putting moustaches on the virtual map.

...and when moustaches go bad...

 

I'm sorry Mr Hogan, but there really is no excuse for this bleach-blonde horsey monstosity. A true lover of moustaches, this just makes me shake my head and wonder...why?

Adolf Hitler, WWII dictator and the owner of the world's most infamous moustache.

Contreversial Russian communist leader, Joseph Stalin- like Adolf Hitler, the less said about him the better...

Not neccessarily evil, but pretty darn close. The 'Go Compare' man is undoubtedly gracing many advertisers hit-lists right about now.

The most disturbing crime to facial fuzz known to mankind. The Chuckle Brothers certainly gave me nothing to chuckle about as a child...

...pure terror.

'3' sequence development and ideas.

'3' sequence development and ideas.

Here, I began thinking about sequence and how I could apply it to objects.

When taking photographs both around the Uni building and out in Leeds city centre, I found the opportunity to capture sequence in "3's" quite lacking and uninspiring. I started to wonder how I could apply this in more of a "set-up" sequence, and was reminded of an advert I loved as a child...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi49wGwnagw

"full moon...half moon...total eclipse!"

I thought it would be fun to try and re-create some of these sequences with other food- a gluttonous practice which I'm sure everyone can both relate to, and salivate over!

I really hope that I can go on to develop and explore the ideas of sequence (and particularly through food!) in the near future- though I will undoubtedly still hope to keep an open mind about the paths I could potentially follow, and will take as many photographs as humanely possible in the forthcoming weeks!