A modern mullet is a men’s haircut with short, tapered or faded sides and a longer back, a fashion-forward updated version of the classic mullet that swaps the harsh, unblended 1980s aesthetic for deliberate styling.
Driven by streetwear influence, punk rebellion, and a Y2K fashion retro revival, this modern hair aesthetic offers exceptional versatility.
It works across straight hair, wavy pattern locks, curly ringlets, thick hair, and coily hair, making it one of the most adaptable cuts in professional barbering today.
The modern mullet keeps the mullet’s defining shape i.e short at the front and sides, longer at the back but replaces the old, blunt cut-off with a soft transition via a graduated fade or taper and textured layers through the crown and back.
Where a classic 1980s mullet had one abrupt length change, a modern mullet relies on an intentional contrast that balances the silhouette ratio from top to bottom.
According to the Roman historian Suetonius, the emperor Tiberius wore his hair long at the back of the neck as an inherited family style.
The pop-culture version traces to the late 1960s, when Tom Jones helped popularise the look, with Bowie and Jagger carrying it through the 1970s.
The word itself is younger than the haircut by centuries. “Mullet” only entered common use in 1994, credited to the Beastie Boys’ song “Mullet Head” and a six-page feature in their Grand Royal magazine cataloguing regional nicknames for the cut, including “hockey player haircut.”
Its current revival traces to COVID-19 lockdowns: closed barbershops pushed men into low-maintenance, DIY-friendly grow-out styles.
| Feature | Classic 1980s Mullet | Modern Mullet |
|---|---|---|
| Side transition | Abrupt, unblended cut-off | Graduated fade or taper |
| Top texture | Minimal layering, grown out | Deliberate crown layering, choppy length |
| Styling | Typically left unstyled | Matte clay, sea salt spray, pomade |
| Fit | Tied to a specific era and stereotype | Adapted to hair density, texture and face shape |
| Barbering approach | One-size-fits-all | Cut by hair type and face shape |
The modern mullet isn’t one haircut, it’s a family of related cuts, mostly differentiated by the fade type on the sides and the texture on top.
The standard mullet fade keeps the sides short and faded against a longer, textured back, producing the strongest contrast in the family.
Style it by blow-drying for volume, working through texture clay for hold, and finishing with a drop of argan oil for shine.
The burst fade mullet stands out as a bold style for confident, stylish guys who love grabbing attention.
This cut seamlessly blends a soft texture on top with sharp sides around the ears, using a rounded fade to craft a flowing curly tail at the back that creates a clean, trendy contrast.
When a client wants a sharp profile, I recommend the skin fade mullet, a haircut that brings a clean look by keeping the sides faded down to bare skin while a longer back brushes the neck.
The top stays choppy and light so it naturally moves instead of sitting flat, giving you a modern skin fade with classic mullet character.
Modern mullet is the most bold, low-maintenance hairstyle for confident guys who want effortless control. Out of all taper fade haircuts, this versatile cut lets your locks taper down seamlessly into a longer back.
The low fade mullet keeps things soft with short faded sides that taper right near the ear, preserving weight on top and back. Spritzing sea salt spray onto wavy layers adds instant volume and flow, while a light styling cream keeps the shape intact.
Rising up to temple level, the mid fade mullet offers a balanced contrast that removes heavy side bulk without looking too severe. It cleanly separates the tight sides from the flowing length behind it, giving you total control over your natural texture.
For a bold, high-impact aesthetic, the high fade mullet shaves high past the temples to completely isolate the central strip of hair. This dynamic cut drives all visual attention straight to the longer back and edgy top texture for a aggressive, mohawk-inspired silhouette.
A drop fade mullet takes the standard fade and curves it downward behind the ear, dropping closer to the nape before leveling back out instead of running in a straight line around the head.
That curved drop adds extra shape and dimension around the back of the skull, which makes it a strong pick for men with rounder head shapes who want more definition.
Every fade variation gets its own detailed breakdown in the Mullet Fade Guide.
The curly mullet stands out with full curls on top, clean faded sides, and a longer back that flows naturally. This haircut adds bold volume and texture, giving your hair a cool shape with strong contrast for a modern, confident, and trendy look.
Styling & Colors:
Facial Hair:
When styling clients, I love how the wavy mullet captures natural movement and an edgy style by giving your waves plenty of room to shine.
It pairs short faded sides with a longer back and a textured top to create striking contrast, volume, and flow that keeps the cut sharp.
A straight hair mullet relies on sharp lines and a smooth flow, pairing short sides and a flat textured top with a long blunt back for a bold contrast.
A precise fade keeps things neat while the natural straight strands deliver a clean, edgy look that comes together effortlessly during styling when you prep with blow-dry cream and finish using texture clay.
Inspired by 90s skaters and iconic rockstars, the shaggy mullet is a looser, more relaxed version that honors its vintage roots without feeling dated.
Instead of relying on ultra-short fades, this style focuses on soft layering, longer fringe sections, and heavily textured ends to embrace natural texture and fluid movement.
Sides are faded or cut close with precise lines, while the crown and back are left longer to let natural coil pattern create volume without heat styling.
Because coily hair shrinks noticeably compared to its stretched length, barbers typically cut it longer than they would straight hair to land on the intended finished length.
A wolf cut is Shaggy, layered volume through a fuller crown combined with tapered mullet sides.
A quick blow-dry followed by sea salt spray or texture powder builds lift without excess weight.
A full, wave-framed top with soft curtains falling either side of the face, paired with a neatly tapered side. Blow-dry the fringe outward and scrunch in sea salt spray to hold the shape.
Tightly faded sides with a spiked or lifted centre strip that flows into a longer back, the most dramatic silhouette in the family. Molding paste or freeze spray locks the lift.
A blunt fringe combined with a longer, textured back and faded sides. Blow-dry for volume, then work texture clay or powder through for definition.
Soft, face-framing layers on top with a smooth, low-lift finish and a longer flowing back. Blow-dry forward, shape the ends by hand, then work a small amount of styling cream through the mid-lengths.
A sharp, straight fringe paired with tight skin-faded sides and a longer, wavy back. Cut the top slightly choppy so it reads full rather than heavy; finish with texture clay through the fringe and crown.
80s mullet means leaning hard into that iconic classic rockstar vibe with soft, feathered layers and heavy vintage volume through a teased top.
Every cut on this list works differently depending on your hair type. The Hairstyle Matcher accounts for straight, wavy, curly, and coily hair specifically.
By hair type: Straight hair produces the sharpest, cleanest version of a mullet, since there’s no natural texture to soften the line between lengths. Wavy and curly hair does the opposite, it adds volume and movement on its own, which is why curly and shaggy mullets tend to look fuller with less styling effort.
By face shape: Round faces generally benefit from added height and volume on top, which elongates the face. Angular or square faces tend to suit more structured, defined styles that complement rather than compete with strong bone structure. Longer faces do best with softer, looser layering rather than height, to avoid stretching the face further.
By maintenance tolerance: A classic, minimally faded mullet is genuinely low-maintenance and grows out gracefully. A skin fade mullet or anything with a hard, sharp line requires a trim every few weeks to keep that contrast looking intentional rather than grown-out and messy.
Styling a Modern Mullet requires a good technique so it will stya in position from morning to evening, follow precisely:
Growing a modern mullet from a shorter starting cut typically takes three to five months to get meaningful length at the back, while the sides stay trimmed short throughout to maintain the contrast. The exact timeline depends on your hair’s natural growth rate and how much length difference you want between the back and the sides.
To guide the cut so it suits your natural facial features, you should always bring reference photos showing distinct views specifically a front view, side view, and back view to clarify all key details upfront.
Plenty of guys walk into the shop craving a fresh modern mullet, only to leave disappointed because they set unrealistic expectations without considering the daily time needed for styling. To avoid leaving with the wrong shape, keep these key points in mind:
Finding your ideal modern mullet haircut comes down to your grooming habits, personality, and these essential details:
Sides & Top:
Texture & Back:
To maintain a sharp and stylish modern mullet, establishing consistent daily hair care and styling habits is essential. Using the right shampoo and conditioner helps control frizz, boost natural volume, and preserve the bold shape of your haircut so your mullet stays looking fresh.
A solid hair care routine gives your modern mullet a sharp, shaped look:
To maintain the full structure of your modern mullet haircut and keep it frizz-free:
The modern mullet isn’t a single haircut, it’s a wide, adaptable family of cuts unified by one idea: short and clean up front, longer and more expressive behind.
Whether you’re drawn to a sharp skin fade mullet, a soft curly mullet, or something in between, the sections above link to the full deep-dive guide for each angle as they go live.
Pairing a fresh cut with the right daily hygiene habits is essential; learn how to build a cohesive daily routine in our master Men’s Grooming Guide.
“modern mullet” covers the whole family, with variations named for their fade (skin fade mullet, taper fade mullet) or their top styling (wolf cut, curtain mullet, Edgar mullet).
Most face shapes can wear some version of the cut, since the length and layering can be adjusted to suit the individual. Round faces benefit from added height on top; angular faces suit more structured, defined shapes; longer faces do best with softer layering rather than height.
Opinion is genuinely split, but the cut has moved from stereotype to fashion statement over the past five years, driven largely by the fade blending that separates it from the 1980s version.
Apply sea salt spray to damp hair, blow-dry with direction for volume, then finish with texture clay or matte paste to lock in shape and hold.
Every 2–3 weeks for a hard fade line, every 6–8 weeks for a soft taper or low fade
