Shreveport Mullets: A Hair-Raising Journey from 1985 to Today
Shreveport Mullets: A Hair-Raising Journey from 1985 to Today
If you were in Shreveport in 1985 and didn't have a mullet, were you even cool? TThe iconic 'business in the front, party in the back' hairstyle swept through town like a neon fever dream, gracing the heads of rocks, jocks, and everyone in between. This was the golden age of the mullet, and Shreveport was no exception to the trend. From the halls of Northwood to the parking lot of Hamel’s, mullets ruled the scene.
The Infamous Glory Years: 1985-1995
In the mid-'80s, Shreveport mullets were a sign of status. Before he went all Jethro Tull, or whatever scary look he's cultivating today, Billy Ray Cyrus may have been the national poster boy, but here in Louisiana, we had our own local legends. Just look at the picture above, local radio legends, well... sort of... ALL sporting the infamous mullet at the Celebrity Crawfish Eating Contest at Mudbug Madness circa 1991.
Football players, rodeo stars, and even preachers rocked the look with an unrivaled confidence. By the early '90s, however, things started to shift. The mullet was still alive, but its audience had changed. No longer just for the effortlessly cool, it began making its way onto the heads of men whose go-to wardrobe included a wife-beater and a pair of acid-washed jeans. The transformation had begun.
All Good Things Must Come to an End: The Fall From Grace: 1996-2015
As boy bands took over, the mullet was quietly ushered aside. It became less of a fashion statement and more of a punchline. If you saw a mullet in Shreveport during this era, it was likely on a guy named Bubba-Earl at the local Waffle House, while he smoked as he cooked your eggs....all while dreaming about his Black and Gold TransAm. And just when we thought the mullet had finally met its end, along came the she-mullet.
Yes, the she-mullet. If you thought the male version had hit rock bottom, this feminine twist somehow made it even more confounding. Equal parts punk and poor decision-making, the she-mullet found a home among a new crowd—one that appreciated its irony. Shreveport saw its fair share of these unconventional cuts, as folks from Highland to Haughton decided they were bringing the mullet back, gender norms, schmender norms, we're growing it out!
The Comeback: The Modern Mullets: 2021-Present
Somehow, some way, the mullet is back—except now, it’s sort of trendy. Thanks to TikTok, nostalgia, and hipster irony, the mullet has returned to some of our streets in full force. I even have a friend that gave his dog a mullet! Nothing says cutting edge, like giving your pet a styling cut!
Barbershops (and Dog Groomers) that once turned their clippers away from the style now offer "modern mullet" cuts. The once-scorned hairstyle has completed its redemption arc, proving that, like a true Louisiana legend, you just can't keep a good cut down for long. This was shared by our morning show producer, Rueben Wright.
One of the more popular mullets worldwide is Australia's adopted son, F1 driver Valterie Bottas, who has been sporting his golden locks for years now.
From its peak in the '80s to its near extinction in the early 2000s, the Shreveport mullet has survived decades of ridicule and reinvention. Whether you love it, hate it, or secretly wish you could pull it off, one thing is for certain—the mullet isn’t just a hairstyle; it’s a lifestyle. So if you're feeling brave, grab some clippers and join the party in the back. Shreveport is ready for you.