The Plan - Growing the Mustache, Removing the Goatee and No Trimming

In my research, I saw that there were two competing ideas on how to grow a handlebar mustache.  One involves trimming the area immediately above the mouth, and letting the sides grow out.  The other is to NEVER trim the center of the mustache but comb all hairs to the outside.  I have decided to go with the latter approach.

While I certainly could have shorter hair over the lip, and let the sides grow out, to me that does not seem sustainable.  The problem with doing it that way, is that my mustache is alive, and will continue to grow.  Well it may look good when first attempted, what happens when the sides begin to grow and the area above the lip continues to need to be trimmed?  In some ways, growing a mustache this way is actually growing three separate mustaches: one in the center which is trimmed, and ones on the right and left that are allowed to grow long.  These three mustaches must be coordinated to compliment each other.  Trimming the center and not the sides will eventually lead a huge gap in hair length where they meet which will look weird and be a maintenance nightmare.  Over time, the long hairs will not be replaced and resulting in thinner tips.  An over-trim in one section will require adjustments in all of the others.  No thank you.

The downside of not trimming the center, is that there will be a long awkward time when the hairs we all tend to hang down in front of my mouth instead of flowing to the sides when they are too short to easily comb, but too long to be ignored.  I will have to force these hairs to go the right directions using waxes or other products.  Eventually, these hairs will work there way to the ends and create a thick and sustainable stache.  I will take you through this process and its frustrations with me as they happen on this blog.

I will keep the goatee until the handlebar mustache can stand on its own.  How will I know the right time for this? ... stay tuned.