They say history repeats itself. That rings true with everything in trends of fashion and hair. Apparently, scrunchies have been a popular go-to hair piece from the past for those who are spending more time at home this year. Scrunchies aren’t the only hair trend that’s back from the ‘80s, however. While the ‘60s and ‘70s are enjoying a new revival in 2020, one iconic ‘80s hair trend is front and center (or should we say front and back?): the mullet. One might think that the return of the mullet is as unprecedented as the times themselves. However, the mullet has been popping in and out of social media and red carpet for a few years now.
The trend started reemerging a couple of years ago on the red carpet. Actress and singer Zendaya sported a chic, ombré mullet in warm blonde on the red carpet for the 2016 Grammys. Zendaya rocked her mullet with a stylish pantsuit for a head-to-toe David Bowie-inspired look.
Zendaya said she had some people criticizing her for wearing the bold look, but that didn’t stop her. In an interview with Elle magazine, she said, “Some would say the mullet didn’t work out. But to me, they were talking about it, so I’d say it worked out.”
After Zendaya got people talking about her and the hairstyle, she opened the door for others to try out the trend for themselves. Fellow actress and singer Miley Cyrus started out the new year this year with her own take on the classic ‘80s hairdo.
Miley’s bleached mullet blends the look and feel of the classic ‘80s hairstyle with elements of the ‘70s shag, which is also back on-trend.
The mullet is also making a comeback in men’s hair and trends. Today, many men, from athletes like David Beckham, to musicians like Jimin from BTS.
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Since its inception, the mullet has been a controversial hairstyle for men, women and everyone in between. From rock stars and rock fans of the ‘80s, to popstars and social media icons of today, the mullet is a distinctive, gender neutral style that makes a statement reserved for those daring enough to rock it. With so many recurrences of the hairstyle over the years, along with individual twists on classic style, what exactly qualifies as a mullet, and what kinds of mullets are we seeing today?
Business in the front, party in the back: this is what most people think when they think mullets. In lay terms, that means that the mullet is characterized by short hair on the front and sides of the head, with longer hair in the back. Obviously, this leaves a lot of room for creativity in terms of layers, lengths, textures and colors. What characterizes the modern mullet, then? The modern mullet maintains the basic characteristics of a classic mullet (again, short in the front, long in the back), but with a more of gradient from the front and sides to the back, creating a less-dramatic—but still bold—haircut. To create that gradient for the subtler look, the modern mullet often features choppy bangs and shaggy layers, which blends the transition from short to long. For those who want a modern mullet that draws more attention, incorporate a high fade on the sides or pompadour on top.
What do you think of the mullet? Let us know in the comments below if this is a look you would rock or not (or if it’s a look you’ve already done)!
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