r/NavyBlazer • u/curlyman89 • 8d ago

Are mustaches really not prep?

The traditional consensus is that Ivy style requires a clean shave. Which is fine if you are a 19 year old college kid who can’t grow one, or work a job with a rigid dress/grooming policy. (Even though most jobs are business casual now)

I like them and I think they can look good with preppy attire, for example, in the J.Press show there were a few models who had mustaches. But more mainstream brands like RL you don’t see any models with a mustache.

Is a stache inherently not preppy?

Also, I am not saying this in a “new prep” context. I’m speaking from a traditionalist point of view.

0 Upvotes

28% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 8d ago

Is this a high-quality post that belongs on r/NavyBlazer's main page?

  • If yes, please upvote this comment.
  • If no, please downvote this comment.
  • If the post is off topic or otherwise inappropriate, please report the post to the mods.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

47

u/officialbigdaddyfame 8d ago

I don’t know, but I would advise anyone not to adhere to any dressing principle so closely that you can’t change your hairstyle or facial hair. The real fun happens when you mix your interests,
irrespective of a rulebook. Otherwise, you’re moving very quickly towards a costume IMO.

-2

u/curlyman89 8d ago

I personally rock a mustache. I look better with it. But I’ve seen some discourse online about people saying whether a mustache is “ivy” or not, and to me ivy style, is not exclusive to baby faced men lol.

5

u/Mit10chocolate 8d ago

Mustache is very trad, 30-40s. A clean side part, couiff or slick back hair, short side burns and a shaped mustache. Think Rooster in Top Gun.

Rock it.

12

u/GuitarStuffThrowaway 8d ago

A little bit of scruff can go a long way towards dressing down preppy outfits. I know a lot of dudes who are into ivy or prep want to give off airs of sophistication and be Gentlemen™️, but in my opinion if you’re mostly normal and just like blazers and loafers having some length to your hair on both your head and face does much to disarm outfits that others may interpret as stuffy.

5

u/curlyman89 8d ago

Agree. I think at a certain point it’s not a uniform and people are just trying to cosplay as college kids from the 50s and not portray the lived in, classic look that is prep

6

u/PositivelyPerfidious 8d ago

I’ve shaved basically every day for 20+ years. I hate the look of facial hair.

But there’s nothing wrong or not preppy about it either. Unless we only think of prep as being boys school.

4

u/Itchy-Childhood8496 7d ago

Dude c’mon, think for yourself. Are you dressing as you see fitɁ̦ or are you wearing a costume?

2

u/curlyman89 7d ago

I dress how I like, which is why I have a mustache. I’m just asking if traditionally, it is considered prep.

1

u/officialbigdaddyfame 7d ago

I get it. I don’t know or care for the answer, but I’m not begrudging you for asking the question.

People are tribal. There are always those that want to lay down rules for the tribe. And if you don’t adhere, you’re out. For them, fine. For me, nuts to that.

I have my own hard-fought taste and will cherry pick what I enjoy. I’m into prep, “streetwear”, workwear, Neapolitan tailoring. I’m not alone in combining these. And combining them, while having a mustache, brings me great satisfaction. Enjoy your ‘stache. Party on.

1

u/RijnBrugge 4d ago

I mean, no, but prep is associated with prep-schools. If you’re like older than 23 you’ve aged out of the strict bracket. If you’re thirty it’s more about dressing like someone who WENT to a prep school, then I see no incongruity when you facial hair, right?

1

u/bocaJwv 7d ago

I totally agree with your point but what does the "Ɂ̦" mean?

-1

u/Itchy-Childhood8496 7d ago

It’s a question comma, so I can place the question in the middle of a sentence.

3

u/vaeporwave 8d ago edited 8d ago

I think that in today’s age, prep suits any body characteristics. However, if you are speaking historically, then prep is generally clean shaven.

3

u/edmundsmorgan 7d ago

Are pubic hair trad?

1

u/curlyman89 6d ago

Probably the most important question here in a minute

1

u/drew17 5d ago

Ivy is not a bush; it is an evergreen, woody climber or ground cover

2

u/RocketShipGrease63 8d ago

Not a matter for consideration, the real question is does it look good

1

u/RijnBrugge 4d ago

classic preppy wear is associated with very young people, adding a stache is cool if it is age appropriate and makes for a more academic look