Start here
What’s This About:
A mullet can suit a round or fuller face; the versions that tend to work keep the sides close at cheek level, put some height on top and taper the back rather than leaving it heavy.
This guide tells you which version to ask for and which to be wary of, such as:
– the taper mullet, the most forgiving first mullet
– the burst-fade mullet, for the sharpest edge beside the cheeks
– the textured modern mullet, for wavy and curly hair
– the short executive mullet, for workplaces that would not accept the others
and many more!
You also get the proportions barbers adjust, what your hair texture allows, typical upkeep for each fade, and a barber brief you can read out.
Key Points:
01A mullet’s own structure already does two of the jobs a fuller face usually wants from a haircut: it keeps the sides short and it puts length away from the cheeks, at the back; the third, some height on top, is what you have to ask for.
02The versions that tend to work against a fuller face are the ones with width: sides left long over the ears, or a heavy, blunt back that hangs at jaw level and widens the lower face.
03Hair texture usually decides the variant: wavy and curly hair carries a textured mullet easily, straight hair usually needs a blow-dry or a lighter product to lift, and fine hair does best with a short, blended version if it goes for a mullet at all.
04Upkeep follows the sides, not the back: the sourced barber guide quotes a skin fade every 10 to 14 days, a burst or mid fade every 2 to 3 weeks and a scissor taper every 5 to 6 weeks, and a week either way is preference rather than failure.
The mullet, “business in front, party in back”, is shorter at the front and sides and longer at the back. The version barbers cut today is tighter at the sides, more textured on top and shorter at the back than the 1980s original, which is why it now turns up on men who would never have worn the old one.
If you have a fuller or round face, the question is a fair one: will a mullet flatter you, or will it make the roundness the first feature anyone notices?
The answer depends on proportions rather than on the word “mullet”, and this guide gives you those proportions, the named variants that get them right, and the words to give your barber.
Explore all face shapes and style ideas
The distinction
Round, Fuller, or Both
“Chubby face” and “round face” get used as one label, and for a mullet the difference matters, because one is about softness and the other is about outline.
A fuller face carries softness over the cheeks and under the jaw. A round face, in The VOU’s face-shape method, is “a comparatively compact outline with curved jaw corners”, judged from what you can see in a mirror: how the forehead, cheekbones and jaw compare in width, how length compares with width, whether the jaw corners look curved or angular, and how the chin tapers.
Use the quiz above to compare those visible features and find your closest outline. Fullness is part of what it sees, so a fuller face can come out as round, oval, square or something else; the quiz cannot separate bone from soft tissue and it does not measure fullness. This page then gives you the mullet-specific brief.
For the mullet decision the two cases mostly point the same way, which is why this guide covers both: a compact outline and a fuller face both tend to want some height on top, close sides and no weight at jaw level. Where they differ is in how much back length you can carry, which is covered under proportions below.
The answer
Does a Mullet Suit a Fuller or Round Face?
Usually yes, if it is cut with your proportions in mind. Barbers adjust three proportions, and which of them matters most depends on your face and your hair.
The first is height on top. A mullet’s length is at the back, so without some lift on top the front of the head reads as flat and the face as wide; ask for the top left long enough to lift, and blow-dry it up and back. A long, fuller face is the exception and can take a flatter top.
The second is the side treatment at cheek level. This is where fullness sits, and hair left over the ears adds to it; a taper, a burst fade or a low-to-mid fade removes width exactly where the face already has it.
The third is the back. A blunt, heavy back that sits at jaw level draws a horizontal line across the widest part of the lower face; a layered, tapered back that finishes around the collar draws a vertical line instead.
The starting pattern
Some height on top, sides close at the cheeks, back tapered rather than heavy. A mullet cut that way tends to flatter a fuller face; wide sides or a heavy back tend to widen it. Adjust the height for a long face and the back length for a lean one.
Read that pattern as a barbers’ convention about where the eye goes first, which is what it is. No haircut slims a face; what a well-cut mullet changes is that the height on top and the vertical line at the back are noticed before the width at the cheeks.
Three proportions carry that pattern. The height sits on top, the side is faded close at cheek level rather than left to sit over the ear, and the back is layered so it finishes around the collar instead of stopping bluntly at jaw level.
The cut
Which Mullet to Ask For
These five named variants all follow the pattern. They differ in how sharp the sides are, how much back length they carry, and how much upkeep they ask for.
A soft modern mullet on a fuller face: lift on top, close sides, tapered back. This picture shows the shape of the cut and is not before-and-after evidence.
1. Taper Mullet
What it is: the sides taper gradually with scissors or clippers but never down to skin, the top is textured, and the back is modest, finishing around the collar.
Why it suits a fuller face: the taper keeps the sides close at cheek level without a hard line, so it flatters a soft face without drawing attention to the contrast; it is the most forgiving first mullet.
Hair it tends to need: any texture. For finer hair, the barber sources this page draws on advise keeping any mullet short and blended; the taper and the executive versions below are the two that fit that advice.
Typical upkeep: every 5 to 6 weeks.
Ask for: “a modern taper mullet, sides tapered tight through the temples, textured on top with some height, and the back layered to the collar.”
2. Burst-Fade Mullet
What it is: the fade arcs around the ear in a semicircle, from the temple down and round to the nape, leaving the back long and the top textured.
Why it suits a fuller face: the arc of the fade is the sharpest edge you can put beside the cheeks, and it sits where fullness is widest; the effect is the strongest of the five, which also makes it the most noticeable.
Hair it tends to need: medium to thick hair, straight, wavy or curly; curls above a burst fade look intentional, so this is a common choice for curly hair.
Typical upkeep: every 2 to 3 weeks, because the arc blurs as it grows.
Ask for: “a burst-fade mullet, mid burst around the ear, keep the back and the top, and taper the back into the neck rather than leaving it blunt.”
3. Textured Modern Mullet
What it is: point-cut layers through the top and back for choppy separation, with a low or mid fade at the sides and a fringe that can sit forward or to one side.
Why it suits a fuller face: layers that begin around the cheekbone and fall past the jaw draw vertical lines down the sides of the face, and the texture breaks up any single smooth surface; this is the variant that carries the most length comfortably.
Hair it tends to need: wavy hair is the easiest and needs little more than sea-salt spray; straight hair usually needs a blow-dry or a lighter product to hold the separation; thick hair usually needs some weight taken out of the top and back, by point-cutting or thinning, so the shape does not sit too full.
Typical upkeep: fade every 2 to 3 weeks, top and back every 6 to 8 weeks.
Ask for: “a textured modern mullet, low fade, point-cut layers from the cheekbone down, and the fringe left long enough to push to one side.”
4. Side-Part Mullet
What it is: a mullet with the top combed into a deep side part, tapered sides and a controlled back. The part is combed in by default; a shaved line along it, a hard part, is optional and needs re-shaving every couple of weeks to stay crisp.
Why it suits a fuller face: a deep side part adds an edge at the top of the head without a fade, and it makes the two sides of the face read as unequal rather than as one wide surface; it is also the variant that passes as a conventional cut from the front.
Hair it tends to need: straight to wavy, medium to thick hair holds a combed part most easily; tight curls can carry a side-part mullet too, and there the optional shaved line does more of the work than the comb.
Typical upkeep: every 3 to 4 weeks.
Ask for: “a side-part mullet, combed part on my parting side, tapered sides, and keep the back tidy at the collar”, and add “shave the part line” only if you want the hard part and its upkeep.
5. Executive Mullet
What it is: the shortest and most conservative version: a clean taper at the sides, a neat, lifted top, and only a small length difference between front and back, so the back barely reaches the collar.
Why it suits a fuller face: it keeps the close sides and the height while giving up most of the back length, which makes it the safest option if you cannot carry a heavy back; from the front it reads as a textured crop.
Hair it tends to need: any texture, and because it is the shortest of the five it is the other version that fits the same short-and-blended advice for fine hair.
Typical upkeep: every 3 to 4 weeks.
Ask for: “an executive mullet, minimal length difference front to back, clean taper, and a tidy neckline.”
The taper, the burst fade and the textured modern mullet all share the same two habits, sides kept close at the cheeks and a back that tapers. The version to be wary of does the opposite, leaving width over the ears and weight sitting at jaw level.
Be wary of
Mullets That Usually Work Against a Fuller Face
The 1980s mullet, with the sides left long over the ears and feathered outward, adds width at cheek level and is the version that gave the cut its reputation.
A long, blunt back that hangs past the collar in one heavy curtain widens the lower face from behind and, in profile, extends the jaw line outward.
A flat top, whether from fine hair left unstyled or from a cut with no length on top, gives up the height most fuller faces want, although a long fuller face can carry it.
A high skin fade that climbs above the temples can work on a lean face but exposes the whole width of a fuller one; a low or mid fade, or a burst, is usually the safer choice.
Proportions
How Much Back Length Can You Carry?
Back length is the proportion that changes most with your case, so decide it deliberately.
Option one
Fuller face, any outline
Keep the back to the collar and layered; the taper, executive and side-part mullets are the natural fits, and the burst-fade mullet works if the back is kept tapered.
Option two
Round outline, lean face
You can usually carry more back length, because there is less fullness at the jaw for it to widen; the textured modern mullet with the back past the collar is open to you, as long as the top keeps its height.
Option three
Fuller face and a conservative workplace
Start with the executive mullet; if nobody objects after a few weeks, ask for the back to be left a little longer at the next cut. Growing into a mullet is easier than being asked to cut one off.
Other outlines
Mullets for the Other Face Shapes
This page is written for round and fuller faces, but the same three proportions answer the question for the other outlines the quiz identifies, so here is the short version.
Oval: most variants work without adjustment; choose by hair texture and upkeep rather than by correction.
Square: the outline already has corners, so soften rather than sharpen: a low or mid fade, soft layers on top and a medium back; the hard burst fade will emphasise the corners.
Oblong or rectangle: a longer outline, which can be lean or fuller. Keep the height on top modest and the back short so the cut does not add more length, and let the sides carry a little more weight; a longer fuller face still wants the sides close at cheek level, so add that weight below the cheeks rather than over them.
Heart or inverted triangle: a fuller, longer back adds weight to the lower face and balances a wider upper face; keep the fade low.
Diamond: a slightly longer back with a low or mid fade balances prominent cheekbones; a high fade exposes them.
If you are not sure which outline you have, use the face-shape quiz to compare your visible features, and choosing a haircut by face shape covers the method this page applies to one cut.
At the barber
How to Brief Your Barber
Say “modern mullet”, not just “mullet”, because the word on its own still means the 1980s version to many barbers.
Then give the four decisions in order: the top (“leave enough to lift, textured”), the sides (“taper” or “low fade” or “burst fade”, and “tight through the temples”), the back (“layered to the collar, tapered into the neck, not blunt”), and the texture level (“choppy” or “soft”).
Bring a reference photograph of a man whose hair texture matches yours, not only one whose cut you like; a mullet on straight hair and the same mullet on curls are two different haircuts.
If it is your first mullet, ask for the conservative version and grow into it: it is easy to take more off the sides or leave more at the back next time, and impossible to put length back.
Daily
Styling a Mullet on a Fuller Face
Start with a pre-styling mousse or spray at the roots of the top section while the hair is damp; the height on top is the part of this cut you create each morning.
Blow-dry the top up and back with a round brush so it lifts away from the forehead, and dry the back downward so it lies against the neck rather than flaring out.
Finish with a matte clay or paste worked through the layers with your fingers, after the blow-dry rather than before it. Wavy and curly hair can skip the blow-dry and use sea-salt spray, air-dried.
A short beard kept tighter at the cheeks and longer at the chin gives the lower face the same vertical line the back of the cut gives the head; if you wear glasses, angular frames tend to repeat the edges the fade has added, while round frames repeat the roundness.
Alternatives
If a Mullet Is Not for You
If your hair is fine, your workplace is strict, or you simply do not want length at the back, three cuts give a fuller face the same height and close sides without the mullet’s back.
The textured crop with a fringe is the lowest-upkeep option and a good choice for a receding hairline; the pompadour gives the most height for thick, straight hair; the quiff with short sides gives lift with texture for wavy hair.
All three, and seven more, are covered with the hair each tends to need and the words to ask for in Best hairstyles for men with chubby (fuller) faces.
Next step
Before You Book
Take the free Face Shape Quiz if you have not already, so you know which outline you are working with, and if you want a second opinion on the cut before you commit, The VOU’s directory of image consultants and stylists lists people who do this for a living.
Sources
Where This Advice Comes From
The variant definitions, hair-texture notes, fade upkeep intervals and the “say modern mullet” barber wording follow Barberstake’s modern mullet guide, written and reviewed by licensed barbers. The per-face-shape adjustments follow the practitioner guidance in Brothers Parturi’s mullet and face-type guide and the general height-and-structure convention in the London School of Barbering’s face-shape guidance. The face-shape definitions are The VOU’s own method as used in the quiz above. None of this has been reviewed by a stylist for your individual face.
Questions About Mullets and Fuller Faces
Q. How do I describe the right mullet to my barber for a round face?
Ask for “a modern mullet with some height on top, sides tapered tight through the temples, and the back layered to the collar and tapered into the neck”, show a photograph of someone with your hair texture, and say that you want the sides kept close at cheek level.
Q. Can a mullet work in a conservative office?
The executive mullet often can, because from the front it reads as a textured crop and the back barely reaches the collar; keep the fade low, the neckline clean and the product matte, and judge your own workplace before growing the back.
Q. Which facial hair goes with a mullet on a fuller face?
A short beard kept tight at the cheeks and left slightly longer at the chin, or stubble that is a little heavier along the jaw than on the cheeks; a full, rounded beard adds width at the jaw just as the back of the cut is trying to add length.
Q. Which products do I need?
A volumising mousse or pre-styling spray for the roots before the blow-dry, a matte clay or fibre for the layers afterwards, and a light-hold hairspray to set the height; men with finer hair can add a texturising powder at the roots of the top section, and wavy or curly hair often needs only sea-salt spray.
Q. Does a mullet work on fine hair?
The barber sources this page draws on advise against a full mullet on fine or thin hair, because the back tends to look sparse and the top struggles to hold height; if you want one anyway, keep it short and blended, which means the executive or the taper version, with texturising powder at the roots.
Q. How often does a mullet need cutting?
It depends on the sides, not the back: the sourced barber guide quotes a skin fade every 10 to 14 days, a burst or mid fade every 2 to 3 weeks and a scissor taper every 5 to 6 weeks, with the top and back shaped every 6 to 8 weeks; a standing appointment is the easiest way to keep the sides close enough for the cut to keep working.
Q. Will a mullet make my face look slim?
No haircut changes the face underneath it; a mullet cut to the proportions above changes what is noticed first, the height on top and the vertical line at the back rather than the width at the cheeks, and a mullet with wide sides or a heavy back tends to do the opposite.
A passionate advocate for inclusivity and diversity, Aidan is the driving force behind The VOU as its Editorial Manager. With a unique blend of editorial acumen and project management prowess, Aidan's insightful articles have graced the pages of The Verge, WWD, Forbes, and WTVOX, reflecting his deep interest in the dynamic intersection of styling with grooming for men and beyond.
Hailing from Miami Beach, Sean Flynn is a NY-based celebrity professional hairstylist specializing in classic haircuts for men but in custom colors. Drawing on a lifetime of hair salon moments of combining fashion, art, and style, Sean is often featured in prestigious styling magazines, including GQ, Forbes, New York Times, and of course, The VOU.
With years of expertise in high-end fashion collabs and a PhD in Sustainable Fashion, Ru specialises in eco-luxe wardrobes for the modern gentleman seeking understated refinement.
With over twenty years of front-row fashion and styling events, collabs with haute-couture houses, and a PhD in Luxury Fashion, Laurenti is an expert in crafting personalised looks that depict old-money sophistication.
Hola, me gustaría saber el nombre del modelo que usaron para la portada, el que tiene mullet y sueter blanco