It’s probably the world’s most polarising haircut: the mullet is a style in which the hair is cut short at the front and sides, and left long at the back. But whether you love it or hate it, you have to accept that it’s here to stay. It exploded in popularity in the 1980s, was subsequently embraced by specific subcultures and has experienced a global resurgence in recent years.
what’s in a name
There is evidence to suggest that the mullet is not a modern invention. Some historians claim that it was popular in Ancient Greece and Rome. It was also a traditional hairstyle worn by some Native American tribes. However, the cut didn’t become known as ‘the mullet’ until 1994, when the American rap-rock band the Beastie Boys released a song entitled Mullet Head. It’s not clear whether the band invented the name, but they certainly popularised it.
In modern history
One of the first stars in modern history to wear what’s now known as a mullet is Tom Jones. The Welsh singer wore it while performing on the American TV show The Ed Sullivan Show in 1965. Then, in the early 70s, some of the world’s biggest rock stars, including David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart and Keith Richards began wearing mullets. Who can forget Bowie’s brilliant orange mullet, part of his Ziggy Stardust persona? It’s iconic!
It was in the 1980s, however, that the mullet exploded in popularity in the US, UK, Australia and across Europe. This was a decade when it was worn by stars of music, the arts and sport, and their legion of fans. Since then, it has waned in popularity in mainstream culture, while maintaining popularity or experiencing revivals among certain subcultures — from American hockey stars to K-pop artists.
Popular again
And now the mullet has returned! Several magazines defined 2020 as “the year of the mullet”, as the start of its global resurgence — a consequence of Covid-19 lockdowns and the closure of hair salons. It was easy for people to cut their own hair on the sides while leaving it long at the back, and many considered it a rebellious or ironic fashion statement. A national annual competition, called the USA Mullet Championship, was founded that year while a similar competition called Mullet fest has been celebrated in Australia since 2018; there, the mullet is considered by many to be a symbol of Australian culture and identity.
mullet, the fishThis is the name given to any of the abundant schooling fishes belonging to the Mugilidae Family, which includes around seventy global species. They can be found in both tropical and temperate regions of the world, and have been widely fished and eaten in Mediterranean countries since Roman times. They are silvery fish measuring from 1-3 feet in length (30-90 cm), with large scales, relatively stocky bodies, forked tails, and two distinct dorsal fins. |