The Female Mullet Haircut

The mullet haircut is usually defined by shorter layers from the upper part of the head, whereas the longer layers fall succesively from the sides and behind.

It was mostly a masculine haircut that resonated with the glam and 'hair' rock spirit of the seventies and the later eighties. Just ask David Bowie.

But it was singer Kim Wilde that initially popularized the haircut for women, too. And since then, a number of celebrities and rockstars of the time also sported this look, such as Joan Jett.



The idea behind the adaptation of the haircut for women was in-sync with androginous looks that were (and still are) in vogue.

The latest trend for this year is a combination of the pixie haircut with longer layers either on the side or on the back of the head. If you want to achieve the ultimate tough girl look, this is it!

For some reason, I believe that the steampunk trend has something to do with it.

Stunning with intense colors!

There was this great 2010 article on Slate magazine by Jessica Dweck that I never got the time and opportunity to showcase here on this lens until now.

It provides great background on the origins of the mullet, which traces it back all the way to Greek and Mesopotamian era:

The Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance banned "un-Islamic" Western hairstyles for men; in particular, the ponytail, a spiky gelled hairdo known locally as the "rooster," and the infamous mullet.

When did Westerners start wearing mullets?

In Ancient Greece. The haircut may have originated in the Middle East, but Alan Henderson, author of Mullet Madness!: The Haircut That's Business Up Front and a Party in the Back, wonders whether prehistoric peoples wouldn't have discovered the benefit of trimming hair short in the front to keep it out of their eyes while letting it grow long in the back to insulate the neck from rain and cold.

Archaeological evidence confirms the existence of ur-mullets in the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Asia Minor, writes Henderson. Hittite warriors from the 16th century BCE sported mulletlike cuts, as did the Assyrians and Egyptians. Finally, Greek statues and etchings dating back to the 6th century BCE reveal that mulletlike cuts were present in Western culture from the very start. (Roman men eschewed the mullet in favor of a more closely cropped look.)

Though Iranian officials have only just now designated the mullet as a form of "Western cultural invasion," the haircut has always been with us. But the emergence of a national and global awareness of style trends has transformed personal tonsorial choices into matters of public concern and obsession. When long locks became popular for men in the early 1970s, along with afros, ponytails, and shaggy sideburns, the mullet was simply another stylized variant. Cultural observers credit Paul McCartney's "Wings of Pegasus" and David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust mane with catalyzing the mullet's ascendance. The style finally attained mainstream popularity in the 1980s, when a large proportion of musicians, actors, and athletes adopted the hairdo.

The haircut's name, however, does appear to be a relatively recent Western innovation. The Oxford English Dictionary cites the Beastie Boys' 1994 song "Mullet Head" as the first use of the term as such. The rap, along with a related Grand Royal magazine article titled "Mulling Over the Mullet," inspired some to create Web sites, like the now-defunct Mullet Watch, promoting the hairstyle as an ironic fetish object. Until that point, mullet-head was simply an old-fashioned American insult denoting a stupid or foolish person. Around since at least the mid-19th century, mullet-head may derive from the synonymous British slur mull-head, or from mullet, the name of a widely consumed, flat-headed fish. The term was even used by Mark Twain in his novel Huckleberry Finn.

Took from http://www.slate.com/id/2259939/?GT1=38001

I think the main reason for this is the reactive fashion trend in the late 90's and 00's that almost satanized anything that had to do with the 'excess' of the 80's.

But even now, when anything 'retro' is suddenly 'in' again, mullet haircuts, especially for women, are still considered as something to be left behind along with shoulder pads.

Why? Most stylists and beauty counselors argue that is not feminine, that it's not practical nor versatile, that is a tired-out look and it is difficult to look good with it.





And after seeing these pics, I can see where they're coming from. The haircut is outdated, but that doesn't necessarilly mean it can't be reinvented.

Luckily for us, with the recent 'scene' and 'emo' trends, there has been plenty of chance to look back past tendencies and reinvent them for a new era. The so-called 'infamous mullet' of the 80's and early 90's is no exception.



Rock Doll

This was one of the first reinventions of the look by L'oreal Professionel.



Another form, just with longer layers and combed to the front.

The key here is choppy layers that frame your face properly



This one is more inspired in the Kim Wilde look.



Again, longer layers make your face look more elongated and you have the option of rocking the 'scene' look.



You can also make the difference between short and long layers more noticeable and the results will always be interesting with a flat iron.

Asymmetrical type

This 'unplugged' haircut also works with the game of shorter upward layers and longer, yet asymmetrical ones.



Hunky Dory ;-)




The Massato haircut



This is the latest reinvention. It's one of my favorites, given the evident japanese manga influence. It frames your face in angular ends, and I love the way it can enhance thin features.



The wonderful thing of this haircut is that it can look good with almost any hair color!



It allows you to play with highlights and lowlights, giving the finest share of contrasts and textures.



Combined with simple glam makeup, you'll be set for any occasion.



Seen by the side:


This is a more recent version, coiffed in an interesting punky way:


This ultra intense and dramatic look will get you noticed anywhere. Add extensions and volume, as well as multi tonal highlights and you're set. Don't forget the eyeliner!

This style continues evolving quite nicely. The hot trend for this season is longer bangs that frame your face, instead of shorter ones



Emo tendencies into this haircut are quite strong now



But you always have the chance to go for this hot Rockabilly coiffeur!



Asymmetry and combining cold tones will never go out, with this 'Multimullet':


Celebs and female mullets:




A nice mullet from the side. Sometimes you just feel like putting your hair on a clip and it doesn't look bad at all


Again, the key here is versatility. You can transform your look with a simple gel or wax


The Japanese influence

I found these pics of the Twilight actress sporting this very same haircut for the 2010 movie 'The Runaways', a biographic film that showcases the lives of Joan Jett and mainly Cherie Currie when they formed the band, with Stewart playing the part of Jett and Dakota Fanning playing Currie.

I think it looks great on her! She does a very good job with the role!

Joan Jett's mullet


Kristen Stewart's mullet