17 Trendy Curly Mullet ideas for 2026 for a Modern Vibe

The curly mullet has explosively returned, shedding its retro baggage to become one of the most exciting and adaptable hairstyles for a genuinely modern vibe in 2026.

This cut beautifully balances short, voluminous texture around the crown with a satisfying flow of length down the neck, giving curly hair an incredible, dynamic shape. Bold, customizable, and always statement-making, the trendy curly mullet is all about embracing natural volume and movement.

We have gathered seventeen stunning variations on this iconic style, showcasing diverse lengths, curl types, and color placements. Prepare to discover the next evolution of this rebellious yet chic hairstyle that refuses to be ignored.

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1. Honey-Blonde Curly Mullet

Strikingly modern, this curly mullet offers a fresh, textured take on a classic retro style, making it a fantastic look for 2026. Warm honey and buttery blonde highlights are expertly woven through the natural brown base, adding significant depth and beautifully defining each spiral.

Notice the delightful contrast created by the closely cropped sides and the longer, more flowing curls at the nape of the neck, which embraces the cut’s signature duality. This hairstyle is a great option for those seeking a low-maintenance yet high-impact look that beautifully showcases natural curl patterns.

This flattering shape works especially well for those with naturally wavy or curly hair, simplifying the styling routine. The color placement highlights the movement of the curls, giving the entire silhouette a sun-kissed, multi-dimensional finish.

2. Effortless Shaggy Curly Mullet

Remarkably chic, this short curly mullet captures a carefree, rebellious essence, making it an excellent choice for a modern vibe in 2026. The cut features a soft, textured crown with layers that naturally enhance the hair’s curl pattern, allowing for beautiful volume around the face.

Consequently, the hairstyle presents an edgy yet entirely wearable approach to the curly mullet ideas that are trending fiercely right now. The style works exceptionally well with natural texture, embracing the hair’s movement for an authentically undone look.

Furthermore, this particular style offers plenty of body at the top, which balances the face beautifully while highlighting a strong jawline or elegant neck. Styling this 17 Trendy Curly Mullet only requires a small amount of curl cream or mousse, scrunching the hair gently, and allowing it to air-dry or diffuse for a perfectly tousled finish.

3. Neon Pink Riot Curly Mullet

Strikingly, the addition of vibrant color instantly elevates this curly mullet idea for 2026 into a realm of modern cool. Rich, deep brown curls form the foundation of the cut, which masterfully blends shorter, textured layers around the crown with a satisfyingly longer cascade down the neck.

This edgy two-toned approach provides a wonderful contrast, making the signature short-long structure of the curly mullet truly pop with energetic flair. Furthermore, the brightness of the pink captures attention, transforming an already trendy cut into a high-fashion, statement-making hairstyle.

Undoubtedly, this style will resonate with those seeking a modern vibe and a refusal to blend into the background. Keeping the natural curl pattern defined with a strong curl cream or mousse will ensure the pink strands coil beautifully against the dark base, maintaining the overall shape and vivacity.

4. Deep Espresso Shaggy Curly Mullet

Luxurious espresso-colored curls tumble past the shoulders, maintaining substantial length while incorporating the signature voluminous layers around the crown. The key to this particular style is the face framing, achieved through a full, textured fringe that beautifully complements the natural curl pattern.

Unquestionably, this cut maintains a distinctly shaggy aesthetic, which gives the traditional mullet structure a graceful, wearable update. The layering technique ensures the heavy, rich curls don’t weigh down the overall shape, providing movement and bounce throughout the length.

Gracefully, the hairstyle exudes an earthier, more approachable modern vibe, proving the versatility of the cut for various hair densities. Maintaining this shine and curl definition requires a quality leave-in conditioner and a touch of anti-frizz serum to keep the deep color vibrant.

5. The Effortless Ringlet Rebel Mullet

The cut features a shorter, highly textured area at the crown and sides, creating a significant lift and a slightly messy, rock-and-roll attitude. These shorter layers transition seamlessly into substantial length that tumbles past the shoulders, giving the style its distinctive silhouette.

Charmingly, the look maintains a very full, natural shape, letting the natural volume of the curls be the main attraction, rather than precise shaping. The fringe is cut shorter and heavily layered, blending into the sides to frame the face with abundant texture and movement.

Unmistakably, the hairstyle captures a wonderfully relaxed and carefree modern vibe, appealing to those who favor natural texture and minimal fuss. Using a strong holding gel or mousse is essential to enhance the ringlets and prevent any unwanted frizz throughout the day.

6. Long Copper Cascade Curly Mullet

Lush, flowing spirals extend well past the shoulders, maintaining an impressive length that gives the cut a bohemian yet structured feel. The characteristic mullet layering is subtle here, focusing on creating volume around the crown and adding shape to the deep, textured fringe that sits just above the eyes.

Uniquely, the front features a heavy, straight-across fringe that provides a sharp contrast to the abundance of natural curl everywhere else. This deliberate juxtaposition of a blunt fringe with voluminous, cascading waves lends a wonderfully soft yet edgy modern vibe to the overall look.

Gracefully, this option is proof that the trendy curly mullet can be adapted for very long hair while still retaining its distinctive shape and attitude. Regular trims are necessary to keep the blunt fringe sharp and prevent the length from becoming weighed down, which ensures those beautiful, defined curls remain springy.

7. Sunlit Bronze Shag Mullet

The cut is characterized by a softer approach to the traditional mullet shape, with the transition from the shorter, face-framing layers to the length in the back feeling more gradual and integrated. A dense, heavily textured fringe covers the forehead, drawing attention to the eyes and cheekbones.

Admirably, the curls are beautifully hydrated, allowing the individual spirals to clump together and create stunning volume and shape throughout the hair. The natural side profile highlights the layered structure, which creates a flattering fullness around the temples before allowing the curls to flow down the back and shoulders.

Unquestionably, the soft layering and the warmth of the hair color make this a highly versatile and approachable trendy curly mullet. Maintaining this kind of curl definition requires moisturizing products and careful air drying or diffusing to lock in the shape without creating frizz.

8. Warm Auburn Long Curly Mullet

The hair maintains significant length, allowing the luscious, defined curls to cascade over the shoulders and down the back. A key feature is the heavily textured, eye-skimming fringe that cuts a soft, face-framing appeal.

Impressively, the cut utilizes layering to create a wonderful sense of fullness around the crown and cheekbones while letting the natural curl pattern dictate the voluminous shape.

Undoubtedly, the warm tones and the abundance of healthy, flowing curls create a very inviting and effortlessly chic modern vibe. To maintain this vibrancy and curl definition, regular conditioning treatments and a good curl-activating cream are strongly suggested.

9. The Ultimate Shaggy Long Curly Mullet

The cut features deep, dark curls that flow well past the shoulders, maintaining a lush, healthy appearance throughout the extensive length. A hallmark of this style is the dense, choppy fringe that covers the forehead and blends seamlessly into the face-framing layers.

Impressively, the side profile highlights the expert layering that creates a rounded, voluminous shape around the crown and temples, which is a crucial element of the modern mullet. These shorter layers cascade down to meet the substantial length in the back, resulting in a cohesive yet sharply defined silhouette.

Admirably, this voluminous look is a fantastic example of a trendy curly mullet that embraces maximum length while delivering the necessary structure and attitude. To maintain this beautiful length and definition, moisture is absolutely key, requiring regular use of quality curl creams and minimal heat styling.

10. Voluminous Dark Chocolate Mullet

The cut emphasizes dramatic lift on the top and sides through heavy, tousled layering that prevents the substantial hair from looking weighed down. A full, dense fringe is incorporated, spilling over the forehead and framing the face with an abundance of texture.

Admirably, the length flows beautifully past the shoulders, maintaining a striking contrast between the shorter, shaggier top section and the long, flowing cascade in the back.

Unquestionably, this hairstyle is a testament to the versatility of the trendy curly mullet, proving it can be adapted to flatter long, thick, wavy hair with an appealing result.

11. Close Crop Undercut Curly Mullet

The tight, dark spirals on the top and back contrast fiercely with the closely shaven area above the ear, which introduces a graphic, structural element to the hairstyle. A few playful, short curls frame the forehead and temples, softening the stark lines of the cut.

Unquestionably, the side view showcases the severe yet stylish disconnection between the voluminous curls and the clean, buzzed section, emphasizing the extreme nature of the style.

Admirably, this hairstyle is a prime example of a trendy curly mullet that incorporates hard lines for maximum impact and a rebellious feel. Maintaining the undercut requires regular trimming, which keeps the clean separation sharp and defined against the dark, bouncy curls.

12. Sun-Kissed Auburn Layers Mullet

The cut features generous layering throughout, maximizing volume and allowing the beautiful, large curls to flow gracefully past the shoulders. A full, shaggy fringe is integrated, resting just above the eyes and softening the face-framing effect.

Unquestionably, the movement of the curls is exceptional, showcasing the skillful blending of the shorter layers on the top with the substantial length in the back, which maintains the signature mullet structure.

Admirably, this voluminous look is a fantastic example of a trendy curly mullet for those with long, dense hair, proving the style can be both soft and edgy. To maintain the health and definition of the long curls, using deep conditioning treatments and a frizz-controlling cream is highly recommended.

13. Dark Contrast Streak Curly Mullet

The cut is structured with shorter, voluminous curls around the crown and temples, which beautifully frame the face. Noticeably, a small section of vibrant blonde highlights the short fringe, while another blonde panel frames the ear area, providing a bold visual pop.

Unquestionably, the side profile emphasizes the intentional difference in length and volume, transitioning from the fuller, dark crown to the longer, curly sections flowing down the neck.

Furthermore, this look is an excellent example of a trendy curly mullet that uses strategic color blocking to enhance the cut’s unique shape and attitude. Maintaining the brilliance of both the dark curls and the lightened streaks requires diligent care with color-safe and moisturizing products to keep the texture defined.

14. Electric Copper Shaggy Mullet

The cut features a short, highly textured crown that maximizes lift and fullness, transitioning smoothly into a softer length that flows over the neck and shoulders. A full, curly fringe sits right above the eyebrows, enhancing the eye area.

Unquestionably, the sheer volume and the bright, uniform color of the hair give the style a bold, almost ethereal quality, making it an immediate focal point. The layering is skillfully executed to allow the curls to spring up naturally, creating an incredibly dynamic and lively silhouette from every angle.

Admirably, this short-to-medium-length style is a fantastic example of a trendy curly mullet designed to celebrate high volume and dramatic color saturation. Maintaining the brilliance of the copper hue requires using specialized color-safe products and minimizing exposure to heat and harsh sunlight.

15. Bold Tri-Color Shaggy Mullet

Rich sections of glossy black, deep copper red, and vibrant platinum blonde are woven throughout the wavy, shaggy layers, creating a truly arresting visual effect. The cut features shorter, textured layers around the crown and temples, which build essential volume.

Furthermore, the side profile clearly showcases the multi-toned curls and waves that flow past the neck and onto the shoulders, adhering to the iconic short-to-long structure.

Unquestionably, this hairstyle is a prime example of a trendy curly mullet that uses color as a major structural and expressive element, perfect for those who embrace high-impact looks.

16. Long Black Shaggy Layered Mullet

The cut features abundant shaggy layering throughout the crown and temples, which creates a wonderful sense of lift and volume, framing the face beautifully. A dense, heavily textured fringe sweeps across the forehead, enhancing the playful movement.

Unquestionably, the hair maintains exceptional length, with the glossy waves and curls tumbling well past the shoulders, which softens the overall structural edge of the cut. The layering is skillfully executed to ensure the hair maintains its bounce and shape, transitioning smoothly from the high-volume top to the long back section.

Furthermore, this rich, dark style is a magnificent example of a trendy curly mullet that expertly utilizes long hair for dramatic effect while retaining a contemporary, shaggy shape. To maintain the deep color and healthy shine of these long waves, utilizing a lightweight serum and minimizing heat styling are highly recommended.

17. Retro Rhapsody Multi-Tonal Mullet

The cut features high, shaggy layering on the crown and sides, which allows the various colors to clash and blend, creating a visually complex and dynamic texture. Noticeably, a few short, wavy pieces frame the face, giving the cut a soft touch.

Unquestionably, the side profile highlights the intense layering, where the shorter top sections transition into the contrasting longer lengths in the back. The stark black and bright blonde streaks against the fiery copper-red base immediately draw the eye, emphasizing the untamed, high-volume shape.

Maintaining the vibrancy of these multiple processed shades requires a rigorous, customized hair care routine, including specialized products to protect each color’s integrity. This adventurous, multi-colored look is a genuine statement of individuality and contemporary style.