When lockdown was cast upon our nation and access to the barbers and hairdressers became impossible, a pandemic was reborn: the mullet. Revived from the 80s, it became an ironic symbol of the strange times we were living through, as people began to embrace their shaggy, chaotic, long locks.
I must admit that when the trend first took off, I was mad for it-not for the mullet, but for the man with the mullet and what it represents. For me it was a sign that they had dropped their masculine ego by embracing a more feminine haircut that is so ugly it’s ironic, which I took to be a sign of eccentricity and humour.
the mullet has lost its rebellious and ironic charm, taking on a new meaning altogether-one of privilege.
However, what was once seen as a haircut rejecting the mainstream beauty standards and deviantly sported by punks and rock stars such as David Bowie, has now in fact become the mainstream. The mullet is a favourite hairstyle amongst celebs and has been worn by Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Jacob Elordi, as well as making appearances on the catwalks of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Off-White and so on. It is now so common that the mullet has lost its rebellious and ironic charm, taking on a new meaning altogether-one of privilege.
Out are the sleek curtains that were the backdrop to every 90s rom-com and in comes the mullet as the new sign of wealth and status. Now adopted by privately educated rugby players who can be spotted teaming their manes with baggy trousers and a gilet or a Ralph Lauren ¾ zipped pullover. Sporting this contentious hairstyle may be an act of rebellion against their parents and the privilege they were brought up in, feeling safe in the knowledge that they can shave it off before entering a top job.
We are begging the wrong question by asking whether we like a mullet when we should be asking ourselves whether we like what the mullet has come to stand for.
With trends constantly reviving and changing as they take on new political meanings, we may look back at this era of the mullet with fondness when we are asking ourselves whether we are mad for a Mohican!