What’s the Best Way to Grow a Mullet?

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Plus, how to cut and style a mullet

Co-authored by Martin Nepton and Annie Johnston

Last Updated: October 11, 2024 Fact Checked

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Growing a Mullet

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Cutting a Mullet

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Mullet Styles

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Expert Q&A

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Mullets are back and here to stay, but this trend has many of us wondering how to grow, cut, and style the iconic look. Luckily, it's super simple. In this article, we'll walk you through growing out your hair for a mullet, as well as cutting and styling it. Say goodbye to boring hair for good!

What's the Quickest Way to Grow a Mullet?

The fastest and easiest way to grow out a mullet is to let your hair grow out to 2 inches (5.1 cm) to 6 inches (15 cm) long. Then, create a classic mullet by cutting the front short, texturizing the top with wispy layers, and adding lots of layers to the longer back section.

Section 1 of 3:

How long does it take to grow a mullet?

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It can take several months to a year to grow a mullet. To have enough length for a mullet, grow your hair out between 2 inches (5.1 cm) to 6 inches (15 cm) inches long. Hair grows at an average of a ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) per month, meaning it can take anywhere from 4-12 months to get it to the length you're looking for, depending on how much hair you already have.^{[1]
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- The longer your hair, the more defined your mullet will be.
- A good guideline for a mullet is to try and keep the back about 4 inches (10 cm) inches longer than the front.

Section 2 of 3:

How to Cut a Mullet

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1
Section and clip your hair into three parts. Create a section on the top of your head that runs from the front hairline to about the middle of the crown, where your head starts to curve. Section off the sides at the front hairline on both the right and left of the top section and down to the ears.^{[2]
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- Pull back any hair you want to keep long with a clip.
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Cut your bangs first. Starting with the top middle section first, comb your hair over your forehead. Cut your bangs to the desired length. You can cut your bangs as short or as long as you prefer. Cut them straight across or cut them at an angle. There are many ways to style your bangs, depending on how you want the cut to look.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 17 December 2020.}
- When you cut your bangs, work in sections. Even if you plan on cutting them all the same length, don't try to cut all your hair at once.^{[4]
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- Pick a side to start on, and grab a section of bangs. Hold the hair between your fingers, and work from the center towards the outer edge of your hair. Take care when you cut—you can always cut more if you want them shorter, but will have to wait for your hair to grow out if you cut it too short.
- For side-swept bangs, hold the scissors at an angle when you cut.^{[5]
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Trim the sides at an upward angle. Pick a side and comb your hair forward. Using your bang length as a guide, cut the sides of your hair at a diagonal. The hair should be longest at the top and taper down to a shorter length over the ears. Comb your hair down to trim the area over your ears, and repeat the process on the other side.^{[6]
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- When working with the hair near the ears, take a little off at a time. Comb the hair back and forth taking about a ¹⁄₄ inch (0.6 cm) off at a time. Use vertical cuts to help create a tapered look.^{[7]
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Cut the top of the mullet. Comb your hair up from both sides and hold the hair in the center. Use your bangs as a guide and take the scissors along the top of your hair to match this length.^{[8]
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- Take your time and make sure you get nice, even cuts. Work from front to back until you reach the crown.^{[9]
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Blend the sides with scissors. Comb out small sections of your hair where the top and sides meet. Pull the hair up and out, and cut any corners or sharp angles you see.^{[10]
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- Your goal is to blend the sides of your hair to the top. Avoid making any sharp lines where the top and sides meet. The cuts should be smooth and tapered.^{[11]
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- Comb through your hair and make sure it's to your liking. If it is too long, go back through and take a little more off the top.
Remove your hair from the clip and comb it straight down so it's smooth to make cutting easier.^{[12]
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Cut layers into the back of your hair. Working in sections, comb the back of your hair up and at an angle away from your head. Use the hair in the top section as a guide to trim the back.^{[13]
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Research source} Stylist Martin Nepton explains, "When I do my first layering, I decide how long I’m gonna have the shortest part of the haircut and how long I’m going to have the longest part of the haircut, then I’m going to graduate in between."^{[14]
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Expert Source

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 17 November 2020.}
- Hold the hair at the back of your head with some of the hair in the rear top section to make this part easier.^{[15]
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- Continue cutting until you have cut all the hair in the back. This cut will give you some layered length in the back.^{[16]
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- Comb out the back of your hair and make sure the length is to your liking. Try and keep the back about 4 inches (10 cm) inches longer than the front.
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Blend the rear sides by tapering them towards the back. Check for any corners or sharp cuts by combing where the sides of your hair join the back. If you see any sharp edges cut them away until you have a smooth tapered look.^{[17]
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- Nepton advises not to add too much texture to the bottom, or it will be wispy instead of blunt.^{[18]
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  Martin Nepton
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview. 17 December 2020.}

Section 3 of 3:

Mullet Styles

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1
Shave the sides of your head for an updated version of the classic mullet. When styling your mullet, keep the top of your hair long and grow the back of your hair out longer than you would for a classic mullet.
- When you shave the sides of your head, leave a strip of hair on the top of your head. Blend the strip on top into the long hair in the back, shaving the sides of the back of your head as well. This mullet should resemble a mohawk, with the top strip blending into the long hair in the back. You can style the top of the hair in a traditional mohawk if you like, or slick it back.
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Grow a pompadour on top. This requires a lot of length on top, as you'll need plenty of hair to get the pompadour style right. Start near the back of your head, and start slicking your hair forward. Let the hair on the back of your head blend into the long hair on the side.
- Work your way to the front, keeping everything nice and slicked back. When you get to the front of your hair, use your comb to pull your hair up. Roll the comb back and over, creating a wave in your hair so the front section has the most height.
- The back of your hair can be as long as you like for this style.
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Keep your mullet short. Get a buzz cut on the top of your hair, but leave the back of your hair long. This works especially well with curly hair.
- You can keep the back of your hair just a little longer, so that it is nice and tight, or you can grow it out long. Play around and find a length you like.

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How do you cut a mullet?

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist
Martin Nepton is a Professional Hair Stylist and Colorist at Bang Bang LA in Los Angeles, California. With over 11 years of experience, Martin specializes in helping clients express their Queer identity through hair. Martin offers personalized haircuts and color and style services with non-gender prices based on hair length. Martin holds a BA from the University of Québec at Montréal and is a Licensed Hair Stylist in California.

Martin Nepton

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

That depends, because there are so many styles of mullet. Start by figuring out how long you want the shortest part to be, then how long you want the longest to be. Cut your bangs starting in the middle of your forehead, then go around, graduating the length. If you want it to be shaggy, you'll also need to add a lot of layers to it.

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My mom will not let me get a mullet. What should I do?

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Grow it out slowly over a few months, and tell your barber to leave it a 1/2 inch longer on the back than everywhere else. This way the back slowly gets longer than the rest every time you get it cut. Then it won't be such a shock. If she does notice, just say you haven't noticed, that it must just grow faster in the back. My mom caught on after a while, but hey, it was worth a shot.

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What do I do if I'm being bullied for having a mullet in school?

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Who cares what other people think about your hairstyle? If you like it, that's all that matters. Ignore them and they'll probably get bored and stop talking about it.

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If you don't feel comfortable cutting your own hair, see a barber or hairstylist.

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There are many different variations on the mullet, so experiment and find the one that suits you!

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