All party and no business, as women steal the show at Australia's mullet festival

Record ID: 1396751

  • Title: All party and no business, as women steal the show at Australia's mullet festival
  • Date: 23rd February 2019
  • Summary: KURRI KURRI, AUSTRALIA (FEBRUARY 23, 2019) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** (MUTE) CAKE DECORATOR AND MULLET CONTESTANT, LYNNE FRY STANDING IN CHELMSFORD HOTEL FRY TURNING TO SHOW OFF HER MULLET HAIRSTYLE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAKE DECORATOR AND "EXTREME" MULLET CONTESTANT, LYNNE FRY SAYING: "Hello, my name is Lynne Fry from Oatley in Sydney and I love my mullet. I've had it for 48 years since I was 10 years of age and my mullet means the world to me." VARIOUS OF FRY ON STAGE IN THE "EXTREME" MULLET CATEGORY (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAKE DECORATOR AND MULLET CONTESTANT, LYNNE FRY SAYING: "I entered the extreme category and I'd love to even have a place would be wonderful to, just to show my kids that mullets are still worthwhile." FRY ON STAGE WINNING EXTREME MULLET CATEGORY VARIOUS OF HAIRDRESSER LEXIE TRIMMING MULLET OF PAUL (SOUNDBITE) (English) HAIRDRESSER, LEXIE SAYING: "If you don't have that confidence and you're not excited about life, I guess, you can't pull it off. You have got to be a happy go-getter, love life." PAUL SAYING: "It's a statement" LEXIE SAYING: "Yep, it 100 per cent is." VARIOUS OF LEXIE TRIMMING PAUL'S MULLET (MUTE) PHOTOGRAPHER AND "RANGA" MULLET CONTESTANT ELYCE KIEM STANDING AT CHELMSFORD HOTEL ELYCE KIEM TURNING TO SHOW OFF HER MULLET HAIRSTYLE (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHOTOGRAPHER AND 'RANGA' MULLET CONTESTANT, ELYCE KIEM SAYING: "My name is Elyce and I've been growing my mullet for about a year. It's a lifestyle, it's not a choice. All party, no business."
  • Embargoed: 9th March 2019 11:49
  • Keywords: Mullet Mulletfest festival hair hairstyle Australia Kurri Kurri
  • Location: KURRI KURRI, AUSTRALIA
  • City: KURRI KURRI, AUSTRALIA
  • Country: Australia
  • Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001A2SVMMF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Lynne Fry has been growing her mullet hairstyle for 48 years, and she along with mullet enthusiasts from across Australia assembled in New South Wales town of Kurri Kurri on Saturday (February 23) to crown the "Best Mullet of Them All".
    Fry, a cake decorator from Sydney says her four children have been asking her for years to cut off her mullet but says she won't and entered, and won the "Extreme" competition category to show them the hairstyle was worthwhile.
    "It means the world to me," Fry told Reuters of the hairstyle that is known for its short on the side, long in back look.
    It was women who stole the show at the 2019 MulletFest with "Ranga" (red hair) winner going to Elyse Kiem and "Best Mullet of Them All" going to Newcastle-based artist, Michelle Gearin.
    Glamorised in the 1980's, the mullet hairstyle, known as a Tennessee Tophat in the U.S. is, according to "Vintage" category contestant, Chris Tame, all about confidence.
    "It brings out that confidence in people who really should have it but need that extra spark to develop confidence," Tame told Reuters at the home of MulletFest, the Chelmsford Hotel.
    Over 160 contestants were categorised into eight groups - three junior categories, "Everyday", "Grubby", "Ranga" (red hair), "Vintage" and "Extreme" with winners from the adult categories going into the running for the overall winner.
    Contestants were judged on the condition, cut and maintenance of the mullet, and on the stage presence of the contestant. Bonus points are awarded for costume, dancing and answering their interview questions.
    But the jury is still out on where the name mullet comes from, and if the iconic hairstyle was invented in Kurri Kurri.
    (Production: Stefica Nicol Bikes)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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