A modern mullet is a haircut that is short on the sides and longer at the back, with a textured top. Unlike the 1980s version, the sections are blended into each other, usually with a fade, so it reads as one shape rather than "business at the front, party at the back".
The idea is the same as any mullet: the sides are kept short and the back is left to grow. What makes it modern is the blending. The sides are usually faded rather than clipped to one length, the top is cut with texture and some layers, and the back is a softer, shorter tail that follows the line of the neck instead of a long strip of hair.
The mullet suits straight, wavy and curly hair, as long as the hair has enough length to leave at the back. If your hair is very short now, it takes a few months to grow the back, so most barbers start with the sides and the top and let the back come through. It is a bolder cut than most fades and a less natural fit for a strict dress code.
Mullets vary in how long the back is and how the sides are cut, so a photo settles it.
If you do not have one, say what you want for each part:
"A modern mullet, please. Fade the sides [burst / low taper], leave the back at [length], and texture the top so it blends in."
It also helps to say how long you are happy to go at the back (to the nape or to the collar) and how you want to style the top.
A mullet looks best with some texture: a sea salt spray or a light paste on the top, and a little product at the back to stop it looking flat. The sides need a tidy every few weeks to keep the fade sharp, but the length at the back can wait longer between cuts, which is one of the reasons people like it.
Ask before you book whether the barber cuts mullets, and look at their own photos. Pick your city to see barbers with their opening hours, walk-ins and online booking, or search by postcode.
No. A mullet is about the length at the back. A burst fade is about how the sides are cut around the ear. They are often done together, which is why people mix them up.
The top and the back need enough length for the barber to cut a shape. If your hair is very short, ask the barber to start with the sides and the top and let the back grow.
It is a mullet with faded sides, usually a burst fade or a taper, rather than sides clipped to one length.
Yes. Curly and wavy hair give the mullet a lot of shape. Show the barber how your hair falls, so the length at the back sits right.
Last updated 12 October 2026.
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