Presidential Whiskers

Rutherford B. Hayes

I enjoy biographies and consider them an important staple of my annual reading requirements. Among my favorites are the ones written by or about American presidents. One fascinating aspect is the gentleman’s facial hair – who sported whiskers, who did not?

Four presidents had a notable mustache: Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland, Chester K. Arthur and William Howard Taft. Arthur also had impressive sideburns.

Four presidents had full beards, including lip whiskers: Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield and Benjamin Harrison. After 1913 our presidents have been clean shaven.

Facial hair can hide a multitude of flaws. I believe two past-presidents would have benefited from a lush growth of whiskers: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. A full beard and mustache might have helped George disguise his ill-fitting false teeth. Abe could have used them to hide his prominent moles and deep wrinkles.

Mustaches (handle-bar or trimmed), as well as Vandykes, full-face, goatees and mutton chops made our early executive officers look wise and distinguished.

Why have whiskers been ignored and unfashionable for one hundred years?