“Never trust a dude with a rat tail,” cautions HBO’s recently cancelled show, The Idol. If the series got anything right, it’s the widespread disdain for the hairstyle sported by The Weeknd’s character, Tedros. In a tangled lineage of hair heritage, consider the rat tail because the forbidden love child of the ponytail and mullet. Aptly named after the rear end of its rodent counterpart, the hairstyle is characterised by an isolated long strand of hair on the nape of the neck, often braided, beaded or bleached. 

If the mullet was thought to show heads, consider the rat tail an actual neckbreaker. The style found its area of interest within the gritty underground of the punk subculture within the mid to late Nineteen Eighties. Because the mullet began to oversaturate the mainstream, the rat tail offered a more odd alternative. It wasn’t only a hairstyle; it was a daring political statement, declaring a decree of defiance and individuality. Alongside mohawks and liberty spikes, the hairstyle integrated into the distinctive countercultural aesthetic; often sported alongside leather-studded jackets, torn denim jeans and t-shirts splashed with political slogans. 

Nonetheless, although rat tail-adjacent hairstyles might be traced back to Native American tribes, the precise origin of the style stays unclear. Early roots might be found inside the Polynesian diaspora, where the rat tail serves as a strong link to at least one’s ancestry, a rite of passage amongst young men. Yet a typical misconception attempts to put its origins in ancient China, mistaking the style for the queue – a hairstyle with its own distinct and complicated history.

In fact, the rat tail’s journey through culture is one which weaves heritage, popular culture and societal complexities between its twisted strands. Besides the expected sightings on 80s pop stars like Latest Kids on the Block, the rat tail has graced the heads of a variety of figures comparable to Star Wars Jedi Anakin Skywalker, David Bowie, and various manga characters. Within the realm of sports culture, there are figures like Australian rugby player Jayden Campbell and baseball player Luke Scott, while the Argentine footballer Rodrigo Palacio sparked a surge in the recognition of rat tails amongst aspiring players. A deep dive through the Instagram-filtered haze of 2013 also shows Rihanna and Miley each sporting various takes on the rat tail look.

More recently, we witnessed the rat tail’s resurgence on our runways, with a procession of models on the Ann Demeulemeester SS24 show proudly showcasing the look. Evan Mock boldly unveiled his own rat at NYFW earlier this 12 months, while Kristen Stewart, designer Zoe Latta and model Edie Campbell have all rocked the look.

“We regularly forget that the nape of the neck is traditionally seen as an erogenous zone – one of the kissable areas on the body – so why not draw attention to it with a rigorously styled plait?” says fashion journalist and writer Andrew Tucker. “The problem with the rat tail isn’t the haircut however the name itself – give it a rebrand and more people would embrace it; it might look great on the proper person.”

Unfortunately, often it’s not the proper people embracing the style – wearers like Tedros and Shia LaBeouf have solidified the rat tail’s sleazy cultural repute. Meanwhile, complex classism has further complicated its connotations. Given its strong anti-establishment associations, the rat tail once thrived inside working-class communities. Consequently, discussions in regards to the rat tail on Reddit threads often devolve into classist stereotypes which synonymise rat tails with unemployment and Mountain Dew. 

i believe it’s time to debate hongjoong’s rat tail pic.twitter.com/fzVNSAqP7T

— @halaziayeo (@nostalgichwa) May 10, 2020

Nonetheless, perceptions of the rat tail are undergoing a metamorphosis, finding its home in a recent nest of subculture. While it stays largely underground, the style is growing in popularity among the many queer community, evoking memories of the mullet boom of 2019. It’s mostly appearing within the sweltering basements of underground venues, peeking out from the back of Y2K trucker caps. In these spaces, the rat tail continues to be a logo of defiance, nevertheless it’s also an announcement that embraces a more experimental approach to gender identity and private style. 

Glasgow-based queer hair collective PONYBOY can attest to this surge in popularity. They explain how select clients find the simplicity of the style allows for simple incorporation into their existing looks. “For our first hair showcase, we incorporated a rat tail that draped down the back and attached to a buttplug, and the performer pulled it from inside himself in the course of the performance,” recall the founders, Dill and Reece, fondly. Because the rat tail becomes more prevalent in these spaces, much more variations of the style are emerging, whether that’s dyed, chopped or clip-on. 

Little doubt the rat tail just isn’t for everybody, even PONYBOY concedes as much. Yet from its punky subculture roots to its newfound home on Dalston Superstore’s curbside, the ratty stands as a logo of defiance and individuality. One which deserves some amount of recognition. Find it irresistible, hate it, or critique it, the hairstyle prompts a dialogue around identity stereotypes and celebrates unapologetic self-expression – one strand at a time. 

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