The establishment of the Gillette Safety Razor Company in 1901 marked a significant innovation in personal grooming. King Camp Gillette's invention of the thin, double-edged disposable razor blade introduced the 'razor and blades' business model, where inexpensive razor handles were sold alongside costly replacement blades. This model not only transformed shaving practices but also influenced marketing strategies in consumer goods.

The establishment of the Gillette Safety Razor Company popularized a clean-shaven aesthetic, altering depictions of masculinity in lyric poetry. Poets began to reflect on changing ideals of manhood, moving away from traditional representations of facial hair to embrace modernity.