FASHIONS IN WHISKERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3687, 23 November 1912, Page 3

FASHIONS IN WHISKERS.

German residents in London have been much disturbed by the report that the Kaiser had announced his intention of changing the angle »of his nboustiacho. “Englishmen, nowadays p’ease themselves in these matters,” a West End 1 hair artist has informed an interviewer. “They ignore fads and fashions altogether, and wear such hirsito adornment as suits them best. In this respect they show better taste and judgment than in former years. 'Hie long, flowing heard is now rarely seen, except on a few eccentric old men and an occasional farmer, while the chin whiskers are practically obsolete. Even the once famous Vandyke heard is seldom in evidence, especially a moil" Englishman and Americans. Its vogue among the French and other Continentals . is also vanishing.”

We are told that at the present time the short, closely trimmed 1 moustache is very generally popular among the younger and middle aged men, though the cleau-slmven face seems to be slowly .gaining favor. 'File moustaches, too, are nearly all of one type. The moustaches, too, are nearly all of one tyjie. Anything like curled or spiked ends of ..the aggressive military style affected by the German Emperor are no longer tolerated by men who lay the least claim to breeding and. gentility. Even in dross uniformity of <juiet simplicity is so widely affected that it is almost impossible to judge the nationality of the wearers,' except, of course, in the case of the German, who patterns his appearance after the example of his beloved war lord'. From time to time many attempts have been made to introduce some new fashion in face trimmings, but those movements have all died in inrancy. Recently a certain coterie of artistic impressionists tried to revive the unsightly side whiskers so popular during the early Victorian era. hut those also went the wav of all others, and barring a few painters who seek advertisement through their eccentricities, holkxlv would have anything to do with them. Side whiskers never were becoming, and seem always to suggest a reversion of type to the monkey forbear or the age of the wild cave man, when hair on the face was necessary as a protection against the weather. Even the cave man would’ have shaved off his sometimes too luxuriant whiskers if he. could have, devised an instrument sharper than a stone hatchet. The short, moderate moustache will probably always remain, because it often serves to conceal some unpleasant fine <;r formation about the mouth. "Whiskers, however, have gone out. and tliov won’t come back, for many generations at any rate.