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The Mullet Haircut
Okay, I know that I am possibly going to be blacklisted by the “Style-Conscious Hair
Designers Guild for Progressive Styles” for saying this, but the “mullet” hairstyle isn’t a bad hairstyle. It has been vilified
because it’s associated with deeply Southern, non-urban, men. It’s been worn by Country Music artists (Alan Jackson, Randy Travis,
Billy Ray Cyrus, to name a few) and is often portrayed as the hairstyle-of-choice among poorly-educated, hard-drinking, “Rednecks”.
The fact is, it’s a flattering hairstyle for many men. In the 80s, when the mullet first
came to be popular with men, it was worn by all types of men. It offered a choice in hairstyles that allowed a man to have long
hair, yet be able to look ‘neat and well-groomed’ by pulling the hair back in a ponytail and tucking it under a collar. This is
where it earned its slogan, “Business in the front, Party in the back”.
At the risk of offending the sensibilities of those individuals who prefer a more urbane
and chic hairstyle, we’re going to show you the proper way to cut a mullet. Actually, we’ll be showing you the way to cut the two
most popular versions of the mullet: the Classic Mullet and the Ponytail Mullet. But first, let’s talk about the mullet in general,
these two variants on the mullet theme and the benefits of each.
The Mullet as a Style:
The Mullet has existed for a lot longer than many people think. All that is required for a
hairstyle to qualify as a mullet is that it has shorter hair in front and on top and longer hair in back, particularly at the nape
area. For those of you who remember the 1970s TV show “The Brady Bunch” and Mrs. Brady’s hairstyle with the flip at the neck, THAT
was a mullet.
The early 80s saw a lot of mullets on female rockers and more and more men as the years
progressed. Even African-Americans had their own versions of the mullet (Michael Jackson had a mullet on the cover of “Thriller”).
The mullets were straight and spiky, curly and cascading, wild and wavy, but they were all shorter on the top and sides and longer
in the back, and were therefore, clearly mullets.
The mullet hairstyle is great for people with rounder faces, or who want to play up their
eyes or cheekbones as a focal feature. It’s also a great style for making the neck look longer.
The Classic Mullet:
The classic mullet style (for men) looks just like a man’s traditional haircut on the top
and sides of the head. The hair is trimmed short around the ears and on top, then gradually becomes long and layered in the back.
It’s worn by men who want to have a neat and tidy look in front and still wear their hair long in the back. Men with almost any
hair type can wear this variant, but it looks especially good on men with natural wave or some curl to their hair. The layers at
the back of the head maximize the amount of curl in the hair.
The Ponytail Mullet:
This is the mullet style worn by many men who want long hair but need to keep a tidy and
“businesslike” look for their jobs. It’s especially good for those who pull the hair back into a ponytail. This style works best
with straighter hair, because very wavy or curly hair can become “bushy” at the ends because of the blunt cut. Because this style
is mostly worn by those men who intend to wear a ponytail, some men opt for a half-inch perimeter of hair to be cut short so that
when the hair is tied back into a ponytail it looks more like a traditional haircut until viewed so that the back is fully revealed.
Creating the Style:
You Will Need:
• Four Butterfly Clips
• Styling Comb
• Haircutting Scissors
Section the hair into four sections and secure the hair with the butterfly clips. The top
section should include a roughly rectangular section from the front hairline to the middle of the crown (the middle of the downward
curve at the back of the head) and from the top of the left side to the top of the right (use the outside corners of the eyes as a
guide). The side sections should start at the front hairline on the sided and stop at a point just behind the ears. (See the
diagrams.) The hair in back (the remaining hair) should be twisted up and secured together.
The Front: Whether you’re going for the classic or ponytail variation of the mullet, the front of the hair is
handled the same – cut in a traditional men’s haircut. Take down the top section and comb the hair forward over the forehead. Cut
the bangs to the desired length.
Take down one side and comb the hair forward and cut the side guide at an angle using the
bangs length to guide your cut. Then comb the hair straight down and carefully cut the hair around the ears. For the sideburns (if
any) comb the hair forward and back, cutting each edge of the sideburns to set the guide length. Take vertical slices of the hair
that are about 1/4th inch wide, starting at the front and use your guide cuts to create even lengths. Slowly work back along the
side in ¼-inch increments. Repeat these steps on the opposite side.
Position yourself on whichever side you prefer. Now, return to the top section of the hair
and comb the hair upward from both sides so that you are holding the hair in the center of the head from left to right. Using your
bangs’ cut as a length guide cut the hair to this length. Work your way back along the top of the head to the end of the section.
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