The shag. The buzz. The conservative coiff. The most of our lot are collectively aligned when it comes to what haircut is permissible to sport in this zeitgeist. But earlier this month as I sat in the theatre in anticipation of the highly contestable The Crow (2024), I found myself fairly taken to a gothified Bill Skarsgård in his portrayal of the anti-hero Eric Draven. It wasn’t so much the excess of black tar lined around his eyes or the questionable face tattoos, but rather the mullet that held its own ground. At first, I chocked it up to the character’s tortured soft-boy facade, but then I soon realised it wasn’t the first time the ‘80s haircut had made its resonance of late, going off-screen and materialising in real life scenarios.
Covertly yet surely, this era of the mini mullet bring a much-needed update as compared to the bushy, unruly manes (Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe instantly come to mind) that dominated the posters in the bedrooms of teenage girls. 2024’s iterations are considerably trimmed, understated and assumed by the wearer’s natural hair.
Just this month, Harry Styles made a surprise appearance sitting front row at SS.Daley’s first womenswear showing in London, sporting obvious sideburns and a longer flick at the end. Decidedly, displaying a more rugged version of the ‘As It Was’ singer, with a mullet that he grew out after his buzz cut season. However before his haughty appearance at the fashion circuit, other heartthrob equivalents like Paul Mescal, Austin Butler and Queer star Drew Starkey had already been spotted rocking the divisive haircut.
Rather than controversial, I’m convinced the mini mullet has now entered suave territory with the glowing examples of today. And what’s exciting about the modern-day mullet is its variations—where thick natural curls like Mescal and Butler’s flourish at the front, whilst Starkey’s dirtbag trim does the immaculate job of allowing his handsome features to shine with the extra allure of nonchalance. Which also drives home the point that the subject in question makes all the difference between ick and swoon. Perhaps, something to deeply ponder on before anyone makes a hasty trip to the barber’s.
