Business in the front, party in the back: the mullet might be seen as something of an 80s joke, but this two-for-one cut has military origins.. Mullets were originally worn by ancient warriors, thanks to their practicality in battle – long hair kept your neck warm, a shorter cut at the front meant no hair falling in your eyes. Vikings, Romans and early Native American fighters all wore variants on the mullet – and even the Egyptian Sphinx has one; carved for posterity.
Despite its stately history, the mullet really came into its own in the 80s when the cut became de rigueur for stereotypically masculine sports players: footballers, tennis players and wrestlers. Rockstars like Rod Stewart and David Bowie also wore mullets, but their softer takes on the cut gave it a more androgynous appeal.
Today the mullet is finding favour again, with less drastic difference in lengths making it more wearable than throwback; particularly when paired with natural texture.