During the pandemic, like many of us who couldnโt get haircuts, 7-year-old Evan Hall sported a new, longer hairdo. But once the stay-at-home bans were lifted, Hall had become so fond of his long locks that he opted not to get a haircut and instead went for a full-fledged mullet.ย
Now, three years later, the Jefferson Park rising second grader has received notoriety for his locks. Evan is one of nearly 300 kids in his age group competing for the best mullet in the USA Mullet Championships. In addition to the competitors in his age group, a total of 1,000 kids are vying for the title. This yearโs competition is all about celebrating the boldest and most daring hairdos in the nation, the website says.
Evan calls his hairstyle โThe Chicago Cascadeโ to highlight that city kids can rock a mullet just as well as country kids. His signature style is defined by a lightning bolt graphic with faded sides.
โI love my mullet โ I like my hair long,โ says Evan, who jokes that regular maintenance โ such as conditioning and brushing โ can be a pain. โI donโt remember what my hair was like before this.โ
Evanโs mom, Caitlin Hall, says Evanโs hairdo has given him a healthy dose of self-esteem. Whenever the family leaves the house, people stop Evan to comment on his hair. In some instances, people will roll down their car windows or chase after Evan to talk about his mullet.
โHe is constantly getting a double take in a very positive way,โ says Hall. โIn the beginning of the pandemic, it brought some much-needed levity. Now, it just makes people smile, and that makes Evan feel good about himself.โ
Evan says his favorite part of the local fame is the way he gets treated by the older kids at school. They call him โmullet boyโ and give him high fives.
Regardless of the outcome of the competition, Evan has no plans to get rid of the mullet anytime soon.ย
ย โIf anyone wants to grow a mullet or wear something different, as long as it doesnโt hurt anyone, do what makes you happy,โ says Evan.
How to Support Evan
Evan can rack up votes on his personal page. Voters can also donate in the name of their favorite contestant on the website. All the money raised goes to Homes for Wounded Warriors to help USA military veterans.ย
In addition to the points earned through fan voting and fundraising, at each stage in the competition, a panel of judges evaluates the mullets based on length, style, uniqueness, and showmanship.ย The winners receive a cash prize and a USA Mullet Championships trophy.ย ย
When asked what he would do with the cash prize, Evan responds โhow much is a Lamborghini?โ
As of press time, Evan had advanced to round two of voting, ranking seventh in his age group and earning $700. The third and final round of voting will take place from August 7-11.ย Anyone looking to vote for Evan can submit one vote every 24 hours with aย Mullet Champ websiteย account.
Follow Chicago Parent on Instagram.
