Let's Mullet Over: The Divisive Hairstyle is Back On The Rise

Some love it, some hate it, but all hairstylists know-- it seems to never die. The short on top, long in the back hairstyle has persisted through generations and has a fan-following unlike any other hairstyle out there. But where did it all begin? And as it takes position to make yet another comeback, how has it evolved? 

Humble Beginnings: The World's First Mullet

To tell the story of this surprisingly enduring hairstyle, we must head back to the very beginning. In 2018, a metal figurine dated back to 1st century AD was found during construction in England. The figurine depicts life for native residents of England during the Roman Occupation, and their totally rad hairstyles that archaeologists have hypothesized were commonplace for that era. 

Throughout the antiquity era there are mentions of mullet-like hairstyles. In the 6th era scholars noted young males wearing their hair this way and experts have said the hairstyle was, among being totally tubular, practical. After all, it keeps hair out of your face, but your neck warm and protected. Wins all around! 

Mullets Emerge in Popular Culture

Mullets continued to emerge throughout history for practical reasons or in the case of Indigenous Americans, for cultural reasons. But we had yet to see a breakthrough for the humble mullet on a large scale. That is, until a few edgy musicians changed the course of hair-story. 

1960s

"It's Not Unusual" singer Tom Jones wore a mullet during two of his performances on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1965. He may have been the first musician to rock the look on television, but he certainly wasn't the last. 

1970s

While we might most closely associate it with the 80s, the 1970s are where the public really began to see The Mullet gaining momentum. Rockers like Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Keith Richards, and more started rocking the style on stage. This push through the mid-to-late 70s set up the style for a boom throughout the following decade. 

1980s

Mullets. Are. Everywhere. They spread like wildfire and quickly became the most popular hairstyle for young men in Australia, The United States, and throughout Europe. They became synonymous with rebellious youth culture. Some women even adopted the look, it became a part of lesbian culture signaling you were part of the community. 

Post-Mullet Heyday Iterations

Many say the 80s were the peak, but with it's enduring legacy-- there could be more ahead in the future for the cut. The 90s saw some continuation of the Mullet styles. The "Rat Tail" braided cousin of the Mullet had it's moment but ultimately people opted to "Cut the Mullet" by the end of the decade. 

Through the early 00s and 10s the mullet was really only seen as "dated" or "ironic". Sports teams revived the look for a "playoff mullet" for good luck during their seasons. 

Pandemic Resurgence

The 2020 lockdowns led to some very tough times for hair across the world. As hair grew longer and home-cuts became necessary, some adopted the "ironic" mullet style for fun and it took off from there. Some stylists have touted its usefulness in the Zoom age of remote work, noting it could be professional from the front and with taper fades on the side you can't see the "party in the back". 

Since 2020, we've seen the mullet style grow and merge with the shag haircut resurgence to form a hybrid with serious staying power. The 2020s mullet has softer edges, grows out well allowing for more time between cuts, and works on a wide range of hair types. It works with longer hair or shorter and you can go as drastic as you want with the juxtaposition of the layers. 

The Future of the Mullet

After going from practical to edgy to subversive to cool to lame to ironic is somehow... cool again. The style is now decidedly non-gendered and can be seen on celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Paul Mescal, Harry Styles, and more. The mullet was out in full force at the 2024 Met Gala Red Carpet-- and we're calling it now: it's not going anywhere anytime soon.