A mullet is a hairstyle that's short on the top and sides but long in the back. The style became wildly popular in the 1980s, when rock stars, athletes, and everyday people wore their hair this way. People described it with the phrase “business in the front, party in the back” because the short front looked neat and professional while the long back seemed more casual and fun.

The mullet has an unusual reputation. Some people think it looks cool and rebellious, while others consider it outdated or silly. Fashion trends come and go, and the mullet shows how styles that seem perfectly normal in one decade can look strange in another. Hockey players especially became famous for sporting mullets, and the style remains associated with the sport today.

The word mullet also refers to a type of fish found in coastal waters around the world. These fish travel in large groups called schools and have been an important food source for thousands of years. When someone mentions mullet, you'll need to figure out from context whether they're talking about hair or fish!