Mullets Are A Beauty Favorite Of The Boldest, Most Trendsetting Celebs

It feels fitting that a hairstyle that’s half one thing, half another would have such a polarizing response. But whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, mullets appear to be here for the long haul — and a major reason for their staying power is their support from the celebrity set. The “business in the front, party in the back” style may have first peaked in the ‘70s and ‘80s, thanks to stars like Dolly Parton, Billy Ray Cyrus, and David Bowie, but it’s held on over the years and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Right this moment, it girls including Florence Pugh, Iris Law, and Tyla are sporting updated takes on the ongoing trend (think sculpted waves, pixie-hybrids, and partial cornrows), but the mullet’s current status as an edgy beauty favorite owes credit to a laundry list of A-listers over the past several years.

Much like bleached brows, an equally controversial beauty trend that’s back in a big way, mullets are a perfect choice for celebs who love to make a bold statement. Its roots in the subculture scene (particularly punk) probably explain how it imparts literally any look with a cool, rebellious feel. That said, it’s no wonder risk-takers like Kristen Stewart, Rihanna, and Cardi B can’t stay away from the hairstyle while also elevating it to new and more modern heights. Ahead, see how these stars and so many others keep reinventing the mullet with their own unique twists on the divisive, bilevel haircut that refuses to go away — for better or worse.

Scarlett Johansson

It may be hard to imagine modern day ScarJo as a proud mullet owner, but the The Phoenician Scheme star has no regrets about her hairstyle from the early aughts. In fact, in 2022 she told InStyle that she still thinks her “Bowie-meets-Silkwood” cut from 2003 is “really cute.”

Rihanna

What haircut (and color, and style) hasn’t Rihanna tried out through her two decades in the spotlight? And throughout that trajectory, she’s embraced the mullet a few different times. Possibly the most memorable version was the one she wore to NYFW in 2013, which she paired with other alt-girl staples like baby bangs, vampy lipstick, and a choker necklace.

Zendaya

These days, fans (famous and non-famous alike) lose their minds for any look the Dune: Part Two actor does — especially when it comes to her beauty. That said, not everyone was sold on the blonde bowl cut mullet she debuted on the 2016 Grammys red carpet. “I got dragged for my mullet at the time, but kids love mullets now,” she told InStyle about the controversial look. And it’s true: So many influential stars followed her lead not long after.

Billie Eilish

The “Birds of a Feather” singer was synonymous with her neon-rooted hairstyle in 2019, but apparently a mullet wasn’t exactly part of the plan. Her shorter layers at the LACMA Art + Film Gala were the result of a dye job gone awry. Despite the damage, the look still became one of her most memorable hair moments.

Miley Cyrus

You cannot have a list of the best contemporary celebrity mullets without including Miley Cyrus. The “Something Beautiful” singer toyed with a few different versions while growing out her hair in the early 2020s, but perhaps the one that stands out most is the wispy, bleached blonde one she launched along with her Plastic Hearts album.

Charlize Theron

It wasn’t just the Atomic Blonde star’s hair color that was shocking when she attended a Charlize Theron Outreach Project event in 2022, but her cut, too. However, leave it to the Dior ambassador to make any look feel effortlessly cool, including her jet black mullet.

Winnie Harlow

The supermodel seemed to take a page from Rihanna’s 2014 look when she turned up to the 2023 Fashion Awards in London rocking a wavy mullet that cascaded down to her mid-back.

Cardi B

The “Bongos” rapper loves switching up her hairstyle in the most extreme ways, so of course she’s no stranger to a mullet moment. She donned a rich brunette version of the style to a pre-Grammy party in 2023, pairing it with classically glam makeup and a body-hugging leather and lace patchwork dress.

Kristen Stewart

When it comes to her beauty, Stewart has proven her preference for more effortless, laid-back looks over the last several years. Even at the most glamorous events, like the 2023 Met Gala, she brings along that signature edge, which you can see in her tousled, windswept mullet, worn with a Chanel suit by honoree Karl Lagerfeld.

Florence Pugh

Sheer outfits, septum rings, and shaved heads: These are just a few of the bold looks cosigned by Florence Pugh. And her shaggy mullet fits right into this trajectory. When the Little Women actor turned up to the London premiere of Dune: Part Two, she had the cut tousled in the front with flipped out ends in back.

Rita Ora

Ora doubled down on the polarizing beauty trends at the 2024 Fashion Awards. Not only did she wear a spiky, punky blond mullet (which she revealed to be an expertly styled wig), but she also debuted bleached brows.

Jodie Turner-Smith

When Turner-Smith popped up at the 2024 Met Gala with her peroxided pixie-mullet, it elevated the hybrid hairstyle that would soon become one of the biggest beauty trends for 2025.