What is a flow mullet?

A mullet haircut where the length through the crown and back is shaped and layered to move naturally rather than simply being left long. The hair travels, it doesn't just hang.

What is the difference between a modern mullet and a traditional mullet?

A modern mullet has softer transitions, more texture and a cleaner silhouette. The traditional mullet relied on much stronger length contrast (short-short-short front, very-long back). The modern version is more blended and easier to wear day to day.

Does a mullet work with curls?

Very well. Curls add texture, softness and movement, all of which stop a mullet from looking stiff or costume-y. Curly and wavy hair are arguably where the modern mullet sings loudest.

Is this haircut high maintenance?

The styling isn't. The fade is. The sides need refreshing every 2-3 weeks if you want the skin fade sharp. The back can go 4-6 weeks between full reshapes. The curls take care of themselves.

Is this the same as a burst fade mullet?

No. A burst fade is a curved fade around the ear. This is a straight mid-high skin fade. Both can pair with mullets, but they produce different shapes.

Can this work with straight hair?

Yes, with adjustments. Straight hair loses the softness the curls provide, so the shape needs more internal layering to compensate. Ask Prince to keep the top choppy and textured so it doesn't sit flat.

Where can I get a curly mullet fade in Sydney?

Fresh By Prince at 216 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills. Modern mullets, skin fades and curly-hair work handled by Prince from a one-chair studio. L1 light rail stops directly outside.

1 September 2026 8 min read Prince

Mid-High Skin Fade With a Flow Mullet and Curls

A good mullet does not need to scream. This one just knows what it is.

Mid-high skin fade with a curly flow mullet cut by Prince at Fresh By Prince in Surry Hills Sydney

The cut

Style: Mid-High Skin Fade + Flow Mullet + Curls
Fade: Mid-High Skin Fade (skin base, taken between mid and high)
Top: Curly / wavy, textured, natural volume
Best for: Wavy to curly hair, medium-to-thick density
Finish: Natural, textured, lived-in (curl cream or sea salt)
Maintenance: 2 to 3 weeks for the fade; 4 to 6 weeks for full reshape
Cut by: Prince
Location: Surry Hills, Sydney

A good mullet doesn't need to scream. This one just knows what it is.

Prince built a mid-high skin fade through the sides, kept the fade clean and tight around the ear, then left enough length through the back and crown for the hair to flow into a mullet shape. The curls and natural wave through the top stop it from looking flat. The length through the rear stops it from becoming just another fade.

That's why this cut works. Sharp around the sides. Loose through the back. Texture on top. Movement all the way through.

What he wanted

A modern mullet that doesn't look like a costume. Sharp sides so the shape reads as intentional, real length through the back for a proper mullet silhouette, and enough natural curl kept on top so the whole thing has texture instead of sitting flat.

What we did

Mid-high skin fade: sides taken to skin, blended up between mid and high for stronger contrast without going full high
Kept the fade tight and clean around the ear so the transition into the mullet reads as deliberate
Left substantial length through the crown and rear for the mullet shape to actually flow
Preserved the natural curl pattern on top and back, no thinning that would kill the texture
Connected the top to the back with layering so the silhouette travels as one shape, not two

Why the cut works

Three things have to line up for this to land. The fade has to be high enough for real contrast (mid-high, not just mid). The back has to carry genuine length so it reads as a mullet, not a grow-out. The top has to keep its texture so the shape has softness against the sharp sides. Get any of those wrong and it becomes a different haircut. The curls do double duty: they soften the transition between the sharp fade and the longer mullet, and they give the top natural volume that balances the aggressive side.

Who this cut suits

You want a sharper mullet, not the retro version
You want visible skin fade contrast
Naturally curly or wavy hair (this is where the cut sings)
Medium to thick density (thin curls need more weight preserved)
You want movement through the back, not just length
You want a haircut with real personality that still looks clean from the front
You're comfortable with a 2-3 week fade maintenance cycle

Maintenance and grow-out

The fade is the demanding part. Two to three weeks if you want the sides looking crisp. The full mullet reshape can usually go longer, roughly 4 to 6 weeks depending on how much growth you want through the back. The curls themselves need almost no maintenance in the chair, they hold shape naturally between visits.

At home

Start with damp hair. Use a curl cream, light styling cream or sea salt spray depending on how much definition you want. Work the product through the top and back, then either diffuse lightly or let it settle naturally. Fingers, not a comb. This cut should have movement, not sit frozen. If the curls are doing their job, the shape already has life before the product tries to take over.

What to ask your barber

Ask for a mid-high skin fade with a modern mullet shape. Keep the sides tight, leave enough length through the back and crown for flow, and keep the curls textured and natural on top. Then show the photo. "Modern mullet" still means ten different things depending on who's holding the clippers. The photo gives the target. The consultation makes it work with your specific curl pattern and growth.

What is a mid-high skin fade flow mullet?

A mid-high skin fade flow mullet is a modern mullet haircut that uses a skin fade through the sides for contrast, while leaving longer textured hair through the crown and back so the cut keeps movement. When paired with curls, the style feels softer and more natural, giving a sharper contemporary alternative to a traditional mullet.

The curls are important here. They give the haircut softness and personality. Without them, this could read as a cleaner mullet with a straighter shape. With them, the cut has more texture, more life and more natural lift.

Why Prince used a mid-high skin fade

A low fade would have made the haircut feel softer and heavier through the side. A full high fade could have made the contrast too strong and pushed the style into harsher territory. Mid-high is the sweet spot: enough separation for the mullet shape to stand out, but the haircut stays connected. That matters because the back has to feel intentional, not bolted on after the fact.

Why the mullet still flows

This isn’t the old-school mullet where the sides are hacked out and the back is just left hanging. The back has shape. Prince keeps enough length through the crown and rear that the haircut travels naturally from the top into the back. The hair moves. It doesn’t just sit. That’s the modern mullet in one line.

Why the curls matter

The curls do more than add texture. They soften the transition between the sharper fade and the longer mullet section. They give the top natural volume that balances the aggressive side. A mullet with no movement looks stiff. A fade with too much contrast looks severe. The curls pull the whole thing together.

Is this a modern mullet?

Yes, and it fits inside the same family as the Textured Modern Mullet entry, but with more fade and more visible curl. This version leans into the skin-fade contrast; the other one keeps the sides softer with a taper.

Modern mullet versus flow mullet

Overlapping terms with different emphases. A modern mullet is the broader category: short at the front and sides, longer at the back, cleaner transitions than the retro version. A flow mullet leans harder into movement: the back and crown are shaped so the hair travels naturally rather than just being left longer. This cut is both.

Why get this cut at Fresh By Prince?

A simple barber can do the fade. A better barber knows how to make the fade, the curls and the back length belong to the same haircut. Fresh By Prince is a one-chair men’s grooming studio at 216 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills. Prince handles the consultation, cut and finish, which matters on a haircut like this where the fade needs clipper precision and the curls plus mullet back need scissor judgement. Same person doing both is why the whole thing hangs together.

Frequently asked

What is a flow mullet?

A mullet haircut where the length through the crown and back is shaped and layered to move naturally rather than simply being left long. The hair travels, it doesn't just hang.
What is the difference between a modern mullet and a traditional mullet?

A modern mullet has softer transitions, more texture and a cleaner silhouette. The traditional mullet relied on much stronger length contrast (short-short-short front, very-long back). The modern version is more blended and easier to wear day to day.
Does a mullet work with curls?

Very well. Curls add texture, softness and movement, all of which stop a mullet from looking stiff or costume-y. Curly and wavy hair are arguably where the modern mullet sings loudest.
What is a mid-high skin fade?

A skin fade that sits between a mid fade and a high fade. Stronger contrast than a standard mid, without pushing all the way into a very aggressive high fade. The sweet spot for cuts that need the sides to work hard without dominating the top.
Is this haircut high maintenance?

The styling isn't. The fade is. The sides need refreshing every 2-3 weeks if you want the skin fade sharp. The back can go 4-6 weeks between full reshapes. The curls take care of themselves.
Is this the same as a burst fade mullet?

No. A burst fade is a curved fade around the ear. This is a straight mid-high skin fade. Both can pair with mullets, but they produce different shapes.
Can this work with straight hair?

Yes, with adjustments. Straight hair loses the softness the curls provide, so the shape needs more internal layering to compensate. Ask Prince to keep the top choppy and textured so it doesn't sit flat.
Where can I get a curly mullet fade in Sydney?

Fresh By Prince at 216 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills. Modern mullets, skin fades and curly-hair work handled by Prince from a one-chair studio. L1 light rail stops directly outside.

Coming from outside Surry Hills?

Coming from the Inner West?

If you're travelling from Newtown, Erskineville, Marrickville, Petersham, Stanmore, Ashfield or Burwood, getting into Central makes Fresh By Prince an easy city-side appointment rather than a cross-Sydney mission.

Coming from the Eastern Suburbs?

Clients coming from Randwick, Kensington, Kingsford and the eastern light rail corridor can use the light rail network toward Surry Hills and Central.

Coming from Western Sydney?

If you're travelling from Parramatta, Strathfield, Lidcombe or further west, get the train into Central and walk up toward Devonshire Street.

Coming from North Sydney?

Metro and rail connections make Surry Hills accessible from North Sydney, Chatswood and the Lower North Shore without needing to drive across the city and hunt for a park.

Like this cut?

Book the Haircut and bring the photo. Consultation covers the rest.

Book the chair

216 Devonshire St, Surry Hills · L1 light rail at the door