Paul Slosar of Summerville, South Carolina, US, is feeling fan-tache-tic after being recognized for having the longest moustache on a living person (male).
The “English” style moustache measured 63.5 cm (2 ft 1 in) when submitted for competition in the US National Beard and Moustache Championships in Casper, Wyoming, US, on 12 November 2022.
That’s about the same length as a four-month-old baby!
It was a particularly proud moment for Paul, who has been perfecting his facial hair for the last three decades.
In competitive moustache-growing, a moustache is defined as hair growing only from the top lip, with whiskers growing from up to a maximum of 1.5 cm beyond the end of the upper lip.
The moustache must also be combable, although styling products may be used in competition.
The “English” is defined by The Handlebar Club as “Slender, beginning from the middle of the upper lip with the hairs extremely long and pulled to the side. Tips may be lifted slightly.”
Paul has had his moustache just shy of 30 years.
“As the story goes…I used to keep my moustache short. One day after I trimmed the moustache, I went to kiss my wife and she pushed me away and complained,” said Paul.
“She stated, ‘Don’t kiss me after you have trimmed your moustache because it’s just like kissing a wire brush!’ So, from that day on I just let it go.”
Paul says he never trimmed his moustache and let it grow to see how long it would get.
One day, he was singled out at a local motorcycle event in Tacoma, Washington and was asked to compete in a facial hair competition.
“At the county fair, there was a moustache category along with a few beard categories,” said Paul.
“There were six contestants in the moustache category, and I happened to take first place.”
Being that it was his first moustache competition, Paul thought he was done and could leave.
“Then I was told that there was a Best of Show award and that I had to stay for that,” he said.
“Well, much to my surprise, I won the Best of Show award.”
After moving to Charleston, South Carolina in 2011, Paul met a gentleman by the name of Paul Roof who suggested he compete in the September 2017 World Beard and Moustache Championships taking place in Austin, Texas.
“We met a couple of times before then and he told me that I had to acquire a costume as it would enhance the moustache,” said Paul.
“He also told me that I should compete in the English moustache category.”
The competition was attended by 790 competitors from 33 countries across 26 facial hair categories.
By WBMA standards, competitors were restricted to competing in just one category each.
“There were around a dozen competitors in the English Moustache Category,” said Paul.
“All of which had podiumed in regional, national, and/or world competitions. I was the true dark horse.”
Paul says the current length of his moustache allows him to “feel” the walls as he passes by them if he is close enough.
“I refuse to work an engine that is running,” he joked.
“Also, I must be aware of battery terminals and paper shredders.”
Paul does not have a specific styling regimen other than using Clubman Moustache Wax.
Most individuals with such long moustaches can spend upwards of 15 to 30 minutes or longer on styling, but it actually takes Paul longer to heat the wax than to style his moustache.
“In fact, the 1st and 2nd place winners in the 2017 WBMC in Austin, Texas, spent at least a week waxing their moustaches,” said Paul.
“Mine was a 4:00 a.m. style on the day of the competition.”
Paul says people who see him either like his moustache or hate it.
However, he has found that most of the folks that he encounters like it.
“Of course, those are the folks that are bold enough to say anything,” he said.
“In addition, when I am out of the house there is not a day that goes by when someone doesn’t ask to take a picture.”
Paul submitted for the Guinness World Records record attempt for the longest moustache on a living person (male) in September 2022, admitting that it was a very difficult and demanding process.
“I had to submit specific pictures documenting the exact length as well as some head shots,” said Paul.
“The European community (WBMA) was contacted regarding my submission for the record attempt and after a few weeks it was determined that no one in the WBMA currently had an English moustache as long as mine.”
Paul says he does not intend to ever cut or shave his moustache.
In fact, he has been asked if he would shave or trim his moustache for employment and his answer has always been no.
“In addition, my wife has told me that if I were to come home with the moustache trimmed or removed, she would serve me with divorce papers,” said Paul.
“I believe that it is safe to say she likes it.”
Paul also has a few tips and tricks for those looking to grow their very own long English moustache.
He says alcohol actually works as fertilizer to promote growth.
“What worked for me was Guinness Beer for starters,” said Paul.
“Then when I could not drink the beer due to the carbonation, I switched to Jack Daniels Whiskey.”
But most of all, Paul says the key to growing a long moustache is plenty of persistence and perseverance.
“Don’t ever trim the moustache and be patient,” said Paul.
“I did make note of the longest moustache as a kid and never dreamed that I would be in the same category.”