The Rise And Fall Of The Mullet – It Has Made A Comeback
by Brianna Allison
2022 has been the year of comebacks when it comes to fashion and hairstyles: chunky
sneakers, bubble braids, wide-leg jeans and crimped hair. But the style that I thought would
never be trending again is the mullet— business in the front, party in the back. Now when I think
of this daring hairstyle my mind immediately goes to the iconic mullet of Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy
Breaky Heart” era. However, the modern mullet is on the rise amongst Zillennials. So if you’re
considering making the modern mullet your next style, take notes from Miley Cyrus and leave
Billy Ray’s mullet in the past.
The History of the Mullet
Although it may seem that the mullet has only been around since the 80s, the classic style goes a lot further back into history than that. The first mention of the mullet seems to be when Homer, the Greek poet, described the hair of Abantes, spearmen in The Iliad. Flash forward to the 18th century when Ben Franklin used his mullet to charm France into supporting America. Then, of course, there’s David Bowie in the 1970s rocking his orange mullet as part of his “Ziggy Stardust” persona. However, the edgy look didn’t really take off with musicians, actors and athletes until the 1980s. The term was then popularized by the Beastie Boys in their 1994 song, “Mullet Head.” And the rest is history.
Why are mullets popular again?
Mullets are becoming more and more popular within the last couple of years and honestly, I think that the pandemic had a big part in that. When the whole world shut down no one was able to get their haircut, so inevitably everyone left isolation with long hair. And instead of going back to their old haircut, they decided to change things up. The mullet allowed people to be creative, act a little daring and try something new. Being all cooped up in our houses and bored, the mullet was an exciting and edgy change for some people.
Not only did the guys you went to high school with start to post about their new mullets, but many celebrities did as well. Stars such as Zendaya and Doja Cat showed up to varying red carpet events rocking their mullets. There were also celebs like Rihanna, Demi Lovato and Halsey who were seen walking on the streets with the captivating hairstyle. With these influential celebrities sporting the classic hairstyle, the mullet became prevalent in Hollywood, on social media, and even in your local bar.
What is the modern mullet?
The consistent appearance of mullets in media influenced Zillennials to not only change their opinion on the old and awkward hairstyle but to embrace it and make it our own. This is when the modern mullet came about. The modern mullet is similar to Billy Ray’s but more styled and intentional. You still have the long flow in the back with the sides being shorter, however, it features a taper or fade. This small detail makes a big difference.
The modern mullet is also a lot more customizable to your needs for your hair texture, length and the type of look that you want. Do you want a subtle mullet? A full-on rockstar look? Or maybe something in between? Your mullet can be:
- super short on top
- choppy with lots of layers
- permed to add volume and texture
- a wispy wolf cut
- parted or have bangs
The possibilities with your mullet are endless. The cut and color are completely up to your own discretion. So if you’re planning on getting a mullet, go in with pictures of what you like so your stylist can give you the exact modern mullet that you’re looking for!
Even with the modern twist on the nostalgic style, there are still plenty of people out there who think that mullets should stay in the past. But, unfortunately for them, I don’t foresee the modern mullet going out of style any time soon.
Do you love the modern mullet, or do you think that the business in the front, party in the back look should stay in the past with Billy Ray? Let us know below in the comments!