For the first time ever, Brendon Gutschlag has to style his hair before leaving the house.
Brendon’s new hairdo is a thing of beauty — a flaxen business-at-the-front, party-at-the-back mullet.
The Blonde Mullet Brigade has swept across New Zealand this month, raising funds to provide free and timely counselling for young Kiwis with Gumboot Friday.
Brendon, of Ōmokoroa, was growing his hair for a few years with no particular plans in mind.
“I was growing it because it was getting a little thinner than it used to be, so this was my last chance to have long hair,” he says. “I had joked I was growing it out to make a wig for when I’m bald.”
Then his mate, Julian Moore, kick-started the idea by dying his hair blue and having it cut into a mullet to raise money. I Am Hope foundation ambassador Mike King got in touch and they turned the blue mullet into the Blonde Mullet Brigade, putting the call out to New Zealanders to blonde their tresses and don the mullet.
It’s such a worthy cause, Brendon says. He was spurred on by Julian’s bravery to talk about his experience. Gumboot Friday is an initiative by the I Am Hope Foundation that connects young people with counsellors or therapists and funds that counselling.
Brendon has undergone a few hair bleaching sessions thanks to local hairdresser Janelle.
A light breeze catches Brendon Gutschlag's new golden tresses.
He liked the cut immediately but the blond was a bit of a shock, he says.
He’s never had his hair any colour other than brown. The closest he ever came to the bogan mullet look was when he was a young heavy metal fan clad in black.
“I did have long hair though, with a pretty mean undercut at one stage.”
Now he has to style his hair.
“My hair is fine so I have to get it to keep the top down with gel,” he says.
He says he felt a little funny on his first day rocking the sandy do but he’s used to it now. No one stares or asks questions, he says. But he may have some explaining to do this week in Auckland heading up training courses as part of his job with Kiwi Rail.
Brendon has so far raised almost $500 on his Givealittle page.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, its earliest evidence for mullet was by American rap/hip-hop group Beastie Boys, who put out the song Mullet Head in 1994.
However, some historians suspect the mullet may have come from historic wartimes out of the necessity to keep the neck warm but hair out of eyes during helmet-wearing battles.
Rebecca Mauger is the editor of Katikati Advertiser. She’s been with NZME for more than 20 years in a variety of journalist roles including ad writer, community reporter and entertainment/lifestyle magazine writer.
