The mullet has made a comeback. Are you enraged? Horrified with the haircut that defined ’80s glam rock? Or are you ecstatic, ready to take scissors in your hand and give yourself a DIY chop? Despite the polarizing opinions regarding mullets, the look is here to stay.

The hairstyle is characterized by two main elements. There’s the “business” aspect: a sleek, normal-appearing front; and the “party” aspect: a dramatic, lengthy back. The contrast has blazed the mullet’s legacy of controversy, causing many people to view it with distaste. However, the unsightly look is what makes mullets attractive; the objectively ugly haircut is alluring, simultaneously destroying beauty constructs while allowing the wearer to value frivolity over pure looks. 

One valuable element of the mullet hairstyle is its androgyny. The masculine, scruffy front combined with an elegant rear makes for a gender-inclusive fashion statement. If you want to up your manliness, give yourself a redneck hic mullet, consisting of a close side shave and powerful locks towards the back.  If you’re looking for a more feminine look, cut yourself the chic NYC model mullet, a pixie-like, layered shag. 

Senior Adam Gooch has been rocking a mullet after a spontaneous, at-home haircut during the beginning of their junior year. Since then, they’ve dedicated themselves to the mullet lifestyle, describing it as a positive change. They describe mullets as something transcendent and undefinable. “You see someone with a mullet and you just feel things you can’t describe,” Gooch said. They compared wearing the cut to listening to your favorite song, a feeling of euphoria and elation. 

The community of mullet wearers is one of acceptance and love. Often associated with David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and other rock stars of the ’80s and ’90s, mullets have long been worn by those in alternative cultures. Not much has changed since. “Alternative people do own the mullet, no matter what kind of culture you’re a part of, because mullets are inclusive. We don’t judge people,” Gooch noted. They expressed trusting mullet wearers, feeling a sense of personhood in a shared hairstyle.

The mullet represents much more than hair, a factor that will prevent it from ever dying out. Although one might loathe anything related to mullets, I invite you to open up. Embrace the ridiculous, and have fun with your hair.