Words: Jonathan Wells
In case you’d missed the news, Henry Cavill has joined the likes of Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg in the Mission: Impossible franchise, and is currently jet-setting about the world filming the sixth instalment. But, as on-set pictures flooded the internet last week, revealing Paris and India as locations for the sequel, bigger news has broken – and it sits atop Henry Cavill’s lip.
After two turns as an impeccably-groomed Superman, and cropping up smoothly – in both chin and charm – as Napoleon Solo in The Man From U.N.C.L.E, Cavill has stayed away from the razor long enough to sprout a Hemingway-like chevron moustache for the as-yet undisclosed role in the new film. And what a moustache it is.
Taking centre stage amidst a sprinkling of stubble, this handsome example of facial hair is lusciously thick, not too styled and, above all, doesn’t look too gimmicky or affected. Like a more masculine Clark Gable, it’s a man’s man’s moustache – the sort you’d imagine ‘Dirty’ Harry Callaghan would grow, or Indiana Jones.
And, whilst you may think this focus on Cavill’s whiskers is a little contrived, this tip-top lip-topper is more important than you know – because, for the first time in a very long time, the moustache is cool.
After suffering at the hands of hipsters, and their seemingly unending supply of both moustache wax and ludicrous styles, the moustache was at an all-time low. Associated with spivs and posers, you’re more likely to see a twisted and twirled ‘tache in the street than a rugged and masculine one.
Like a more masculine Clark Gable, it’s a man’s man’s moustache - the sort you’d imagine ‘Dirty’ Harry Callaghan would grow, or Indiana Jones
But now look at Cavill. Could his facial fur mark a move back towards the moustache of old – of Battle of Britain Air Force pilots and tortured 20th-century novelists? We certainly hope so.
Don’t get us wrong, the beard craze was fun. We all enjoyed oiling our facial hair and experimenting with styles. But it’s not 2013 anymore and, as the beard is shaved from the zeitgeist, the moustache is the sensible – not to mention logical – stepping stone back towards clean-shaven style. And, with ‘tache-toters such as Cavill now championing the look (Patrick Grant is another proponent) surely it’s only a matter of time before the must-have moustache becomes the next big thing.
Still unsure? We’re not 100 per cent ourselves – not everyone has the rugged charm, not to mention follicular faculties of Cavill. But even if its a slow slog back into style, we’re convinced the actor’s attempt can only be a positive milestone in the quest for the manly moustache.
And, come summer 2018, Cavill’s chevron will appear several metres long and in glorious 4K on the silver screen – quite literally the next big thing. And, by that time – we wouldn’t be surprised if the moustache isn’t just in our faces, but on them as well.
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