Illustration by Em Roberts
Love them or hate them, mullets have been a part of pop culture since the 1970s and date as far back as the sixth century, a cut to keep the neck warm while keeping hair off the brow.
It’s a style worn at various times by celebrities as varied as actor Patrick Swayze, tennis great Andre Agassi, country music’s Blake Sheldon and actor Mario Lopez. For mullet connoisseurs, competitive organizations such as USA Mullet Championships rank the best mullets in divisions such as kids, teens, men and femullet categories each year with winners taking cash prizes.
Hair trends are ever changing, but the mullet is a recurring look that often tops the list of popular cuts. Today, the mullet is less about function and more about fashion. Stylist Dorian Barranti Ellis of Hair by Dorian in Midlothian tells us, “What we think of as the traditional mullet initially returned ironically, especially among the younger crowd.” She compares it to buying Crocs footwear as a joke but then wearing them regularly because they’re so versatile and comfortable.
Barranti Ellis sees the uptick of the mullet in our area mostly in teens and people in their 20s and 30s. Friends grow out their hair simultaneously for months to prepare for a mullet. “They go together as sort of a group bonding thing,” she says.
All of today’s looks are interpretations of the classics. Depending on your aesthetic, you can opt for an updated version of a more traditional Kentucky Waterfall as worn in the 1990s by musician Billy Ray Cyrus or a European Glam mullet as worn by David Bowie in the 1970s.
Stylist Dorian Barranti Ellis of Hair by Dorian (Photo by Jay Paul)
An increased interest in the shag in recent years opened the door to the acceptance of the mullet, Barranti Ellis says. “Mullets are edgier now and can be cut to flatter almost anyone,” she says. Color and perms can add extra flair for anyone who wants to make an even bolder statement. “They’re trendy, they’re beautiful, they have movement and celebrate the wearer’s texture and length,” she says.
They’re trendy, they’re beautiful, they have movement and celebrate the wearer’s texture and length.” —Dorian Barranti Ellis
There are even stylists out there who specialize in shaggy, mullet-ey cuts; it’s all they do. For anyone on the fence, Barranti Ellis advises, “There are styles that teeter on the line between mullet and shag that anyone can try.”
For Barranti Ellis, it’s no surprise that we see repeats of the looks from celebrities such as Bowie and Cyrus. With each decade we have a new interpretation. “Socially, we go through waves of trendy styles and colors so we often see things repeat,” she says. “Just as mom jeans are back on trend, mullets have climbed their way toward the top.
“The broader acceptance of hairstyles as a form of expression paired with the ever-improving abilities of today’s hairstylists has enabled the mullet to evolve and become something for everyone.”
