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The short mullet haircut is shockingly versatile. Seriously—the hybrid cut may seem like a hyper-specific choice, but in reality its contrasting elements lend to individual tailoring.
"Any hair texture looks great with a mullet: straight, wavy, curly," says Adir Abergel, a favorite of short-hair savant Kristen Stewart. "The mullet can also be made completely unique to your lifestyle and profession. It can be edgy and polished, all you need to do is play with lengths and disconnections."
Meet the expert
- Adir Abergel is a celebrity hairstylist and the creative director at Virtue Labs. Bob Recine is a celebrity hairstylist to stars like Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga.
In terms of your trip to the salon, Abergel recommends gathering a selection of inspo images that take your face shape and hair texture into consideration. "When consulting with your stylist, make it your own by adding details that are true to you—maybe it’s baby bangs or a longer 'tail,'" he says. Therein lies the magic of the mini mullet: the style is entirely open to interpretation.
Here, twelve micro mullets that prove that some of the best "parties in the back" are cut short.
Beachy Mullet
The mullet’s inherent juxtaposition makes it a destined choice for Miley Cyrus, who volleys between subversive edge and femme glamour, often landing somewhere in the middle. “The allure of the mullet is that it is actually two styles in one, both long and short,” says hairstylist Bob Recine, one of Cyrus’ go-to stylists. “And most importantly, it’s unisex.” Her bleach-blonde mullet strikes the ideal balance, funkily framing her face in a bent and beachy fashion.
Art School Mullet
Even a one-night-only mullet makes a statement striking enough to spark ongoing conversation. Greta Lee’s micro style is built of sharp snips, with jagged baby bangs and cheekbone-grazing sideburns lending to the cut’s dramatic nature. A sleek and glossy finish furthers the stylized effect, which is at once forward-thinking and retro.
Reverse Mullet
A crown of wispy blanched strands define Jodie Turner-Smith’s reverse mullet, which features a buzzed back, pixie mop top, and a frame of elongated tendrils snipped to frame the face. The unexpected twist on the more classic cut showcases its versatility: the combination of long and short can manifest in whatever direction you choose, so long as the contrast is clear.
Y3K Mullet
A skilled fan of the constantly mutating short haircut, Iris Law’s menu of mullets skew-slicked and futuristic—think Y3K. This shellacked style is parted and pinned at front, with a longer section left to curl toward the nape of the neck. Law's cuts benefits from her willingness to lean into the "weird" factor, with slit brows and striking makeup ensuring the hair is one part of a larger aesthetic story.
Prototypical Mullet
Pulled straight from the early aughts’ archives, Scarlett Johansson’s mullet serves as a very pretty prototype. A rounded pixie shag extends into a flippy spray at back, the texture left rough and rumpled. Even (or perhaps especially) in the ’00s, a mullet was an irreverent choice for a Hollywood ingenue. Johansson’s ability to seamlessly sport the unexpected style helped set the stage for the contemporary carry-off.
Curly Mullet
Natural curls like Shenseea's play into the mullet's juxtaposed nature by increasing fluidity of form, a counter to the cut's edgy nature.
Messy Mullet
Stewart is the queen of the ever-shifting chop, and her short mullet is a study in irreverence—and intentional styling. Deconstruction seems to be the name of Stewart's game, with sections styled to flip in and curl every which way in a mess of undeniably chic chaos. “Styling a mullet is fun and dynamic,” says Abgergel.
Tailed Mullet
A soft yet structured pixie is among Teyana Taylor’s preferred styles. This iteration qualifies as a mullet due to an unexpected (and generous) rat-tail-like pony at back. Set off by a naturally curly, gentle finish, the blunt-edged style is the perfect meeting of hard and soft.
Rockabilly Mullet
For a mini mullet hairstyle with a rockabilly edge, take a cue from Rowan Blanchard and comb it back. A seemingly finger-raked crown gives way to flipped ends at back, an allover application of gel offering hold—along with the wet-look finish we've all come to love.
Lifted Mullet
Another throwback worthy of revisitation, Taraji P. Henson's 2009 mullet comes with some major oomph. A voluminous and feathered top serves maximum lift, the lengthened section cut in piecey tiers.
Bowl Mullet
Amber Valetta's razored micro mullet demonstrates a striking and off-kilter brand of pretty. Rather than a soft shag or piecey pixie at top, Valetta opts for an arced bang reminiscent of a retro bowl cut.
Drenched Mullet
A fully drenched mullet rounds out the list, but the choice is more about the shape than the soak. Though the ultra-dampened finish isn't exactly a candidate for everyday wear, the accompanying cut—a bob-style chop fronted by a mop of shorter strands—provides an accessible entry point to the modern mullet.