Public health nurse Tami Manis now officially has the longest mullet in the world – measuring in at a whopping 5ft 8in long.
It has now been 33 years since the 58-year-old from Knoxville, Tennessee, chopped the back of her locks. It has now meant she has secured her place in the Guinness World Records 2024 for having the longest competitive mullet of any woman in the world.
Tami says she first began growing her hair in the 80s when she saw a video by Til Tuesday called “Voices Carry.” She explains: “The girl had a rattail and I really wanted one of those.”
In November 1989 Tami cut off her mullet and found herself immediately regretting it. So on February 9, 1990 – what she considers to be her mullet’s birthday – Tami decided she would just let it grow.
Over the three decades friends and family have questioned Tami’s love for her mullet. And she says the hair-do often becomes a conversational piece.
Most people don’t realise its staggering length at first, it’s not until Tami turns around do they spot her long locks. But she says it becomes something a lot of people remember her for.
Tami explains: “I have just kept the hairstyle. I’ve been blessed that my hair grows and now it’s the world’s longest mullet and I’m very happy with it.
“The weirdest thing I find is that people remember me from years ago. I’ve had people recognize me from 20 years ago because I’ve kept the same hairstyle.”
Tami credits her genes for the ability to grow her hair. And says she has to wash and condition her mullet with HASK hair products.
She also gets the mullet regularly rebraided, because the hair is much longer than she is tall. Her friend braids it once a week, it will then keep its style until it is next washed.
She told the Guinness World Records: “I also do a conditioner which has Argan oil in it. Before I get re-braided, I use a leave-in conditioner to help it be more manageable to braid.
“I’m very fortunate that my hair has grown. But most of the time people around me know that it’s braided and it’s still very long and impressive at that point.”
I’ve had people recognize me from 20 years ago because I’ve kept the same hairstyle.
Last year Tami competed in the “Femullet” division of the 2022 US Mullet Championships, finishing in second place. The competition is the largest of its kind in the world.
Tami took home the $300 second-place prize, losing out to fellow competitor Alexa Lindsey of Holland, Michigan, USA, who earned $500. Soon after, Guinness World Records opened up the longest competitive mullet as a record category, and Tami felt encouraged to apply.
Having had a photoshoot and her hair filmed to check the length, Tami was eventually awarded the record for the longest competitive mullet (female).
She added: “When I opened it, I thought, ‘This is Amazing.’
“I confirmed it with the gentleman from Guinness World Records and then I reverified that I’m actually in the 2024 edition of Guinness World Records for the longest mullet and that is pretty amazing!”
I confirmed it with the gentleman from Guinness World Records and then I reverified that I’m actually in the 2024 edition of Guinness World Records for the longest mullet and that is pretty amazing!
