1950s THE SOUL PATCH

Clean-shaven faces dominated the 1950s, though one particular facial hair style bucked the norm: a defiantly funky tuft which came to be known as the soul patch. It owes its name to the artistic milieu from which it emerged—jazz great Dizzy Gillespie claimed it helped his trumpet playing, and is often credited with popularising the style.

Though less prevalent today, the soul patch has seen a number of popular resurgences over the decades. Beatniks, grunge stars and nu metal bands alike have all cultivated iconic under-lip fuzz, with each era providing its own stylistic spin—cementing its place as an enduring facial hair staple.