Mustache and the Eldridge Knot

Mustache and necktie with Eldridge knot

As mentioned in my last post, I make myself unique among the staff at the restaurant by wearing and awesome handlebar mustache and using fancy knots for my necktie.  Here is how I looked at the restaurant tonight with the mustache in curls and the necktie in an Eldridge knot.

After Sam's rather brutal suggestion that I lose the mustache earlier in the day, I was starting to ask questions of myself.  Does wearing both unusual facial hair and strangely tied neckwear make me look cool or eccentric?  Have I crossed a line to where I am weird and a freak show which cannot be taken seriously? 

Then tonight I had a really good mustache night at the restaurant.  First a man in his fifties whom was not in my section upon leaving made it a point to come over and compliment me on my mustache and ask how long I had been growing it.  Next I had an older couple stop me when I was walking by their table to tell me how much they liked my mustache.  The wife turned to her bearded husband and suggested that he grow a mustache like mine and perhaps I could show him how.  I just said to grow it out and then showed him the glue stick that I keep in my apron property for mustache emergencies. 

Finally one of my tables told me what an outstanding waiter that they thought that I was.  I am sure that they were sincere and really thought so in spite of the fact that I really did not consider my service to them as being one of my better efforts of the evening.  While this was not a direct mustache compliment, it tells me that at least in this profession, I can wear my flashy mustache and be taken seriously.  If I had looked like a clown, I doubt that I would have received this complement even if I had provided the most superb level of service.

I think that a handlebar mustache represents the style and elegance of a bygone era where men where gentlemen in behavior, dress, and grooming.  To appear in a public place in anything less than dapper attire would be a source of shame.  Contrast that with today where men go to five star restaurants in tee shirts, shorts, and flipflops.  Society now looks at the man who dresses up in a suit to dine at such an establishment as the odd one.  Certainly the comfort and convenience of casual dress can be appreciated, and you can sometimes find me in public occasionally wearing shorts and a tee shirt.  But there are still places where it would be nice to see people taking pride and care in their appearance.

Have you ever seen a handlebar mustache on a man standing by the road with a "will work for food" sign?  How about in recent mug shots by the police?  Do the rioters sport them?  How about looters?  No,  instead you expect see him wearing a nice clothing opening a door for a lady at the opera.  He may be wearing a vest, hat, and other items that show a deliberate effort to have style.

If I wanted to look like a clown, I would put on clown shoes, a funny wig, strange makeup, and a big red false nose much rather than a handlebar mustache.  Instead, I desire to look like a gentleman.  There still is a place for men who care about their appearance and the handlebar mustache shows the commitment to this ideal.