Miley Cyrus. Joe Exotic. Even Maisie Williams. It’s safe to say the mullet is having a serious moment right now. And it’s here to stay. So grab your scissors and a little bit of chutzpah because it’s all coming off!

In comparison to the increasingly popular shag cut, the mullet has transitioned from chunky layers to a lanky back. Mullets have always been a distinct look, so it makes sense that the trend would reappear in the era of “shock and awe” fashion, trashy for trend, and “what the hell, let’s do it!” The style has been resurfaced since mid-2019, taking hold of the mainstream consciousness while DIY hairdos become a suddenly brilliant idea. Even Rihanna donned the look in her newest SAVAGE X FENTY campaign, the epitome of fashion and flawlessness. But how did we get here from shrieking in horror at the uneven locks for the last 20 years?

The first written account of the mullet is in Homer’s The Iliad, where the Abantes were described as having “their forelocks cropped, hair grown long at the backs.” Roman youth cut their hair to look like their enemy, the Huns, for chariot races. And in the 16th century, Egyptians also sported the style. It helped to keep their necks warm and dry, and assured that their hair wouldn’t fall into their eyes during battle.

During the 1800s, the Wallowa band of the Nez Perce Tribe wore long hair down their backs with spiky bangs in the front and a braid at each side. In other tribes, it was often combined with the mohawk in tribes like the Kanyen'kehà:ka, where their protectors wore exaggerated hairstyles to draw the attention of white invading forces away from the rest of the community.

In the ’70s and ’80s, jumping to a bit more modern setting, there was David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and glam rock stars. They hit the mainstream with their newly trimmed locks, taking an edgy twist on the flowing shag styles that had long ruled “cool.” Lesbians also claimed the look, it’s traditionally masculine undertones were a protest against traditional beauty standards for the pleasure of men. Joan Jett and The Indigo Girls, who led cultural movements of their own through their music, pushed the boundaries of hair with their layered manes. Stars like Patrick Swazy and Billy Ray Cyrus showed the true complexity of the trend and the variety of people and styles that it expanded to. It could be anything from wavy and lanky to choppy and spiked.

Nostalgic trends of the ’80s have risen again, so it only makes sense that the mullet would make an equally dazzling comeback, adding a fresh grunge edge to our at-home Zoom look. But what’s so different this time around? The ironic nature in which people are wearing them. In the age of nostalgia, 2020’s recycling of old trends stands out because they’re more intense takes on each style. A mullet provides the edge that those ingrained in the youth culture are really looking for. Something to sink your teeth into while also being ironic and extra as hell. And it’s working.

Business in the Front, Party in the Back