All the Details Behind Selma Blair's People's Choice Awards "Fashion Mullet"

These days, people throw the around the word "iconic" like it's nothing—but Selma Blair is an actual capital-I-icon. She's most known for her roles in cult favorites like Brown's Requiem, Cruel Intentions, and, of course, Legally Blonde. More than 20 years after her foray into acting, Blair is still gracing our screens, most recently competing on season 31 of Dancing with the Stars, for which she won the The Competition Contestant of 2022 at last night's People's Choice Awards. On December 6, Blair arrived at the awards with a bright blonde "fashion mullet" crafted by Celebrity Hairstylist and Rodan + Fields Haircare Ambassador Bridget Brager. Naturally, we had to know what went into Blair's breathtaking 'do—ahead, Brager breaks down the look.

The Inspiration

With history as the precedent, we can assume that Blair is no stranger to trying new things. She's played almost every role there is (including a literal pyrokinetic woman in the movie Hellboy) and has also donned a healthy range of hair colors from deep brunette to platinum blonde. For the awards, she stuck with her bright blonde, and her hair was styled into a cool, cropped cut. "The inspiration for Selma’s look began with the dress," Brager tells Byrdie. "We wanted to be a little bit softer and a little more ethereal while still being modern and strong, like Selma is. She is all of the things!"

Brager was also inspired by both some upcoming beauty trends, when creating the look, but also wanted a nod to the past. "Keeping in line with winter trends, people are wanting to do a little less to have their natural beauty come through," she says. "This was easy to do, especially around styling Selma's amazing fashion mullet. It's kind of that '70s, London, cool girl hair. The blonde coloring of it really emphasizes her coolness. To showcase the natural cut, I coupled Rodan + Fields Volume+ Regimen ($122) and the Refresh+ Dry Shampoo ($39) so Selma could run her fingers through her hair but the style would be set."

To prep for the evening, Blair used the Volume+ Regimen to make sure her hair and scalp were in tip-top shape. "We used all of our favorite re-energizing, moisturizing, and nourishing products to create a hairstyle that was effortless and ethereal, and really matched the makeup and the dress for this amazing carpet in this amazing opportunity for her," Brager adds. "She was nominated (and WON) which is so exciting, so we really wanted to give this look special attention and separate it from the rest of her latest looks."

The Style

A short cut like Blair's can sometimes feel severe, but Brager wanted it to be the exact opposite for the carpet. "Instead of slicking the hair or putting too much product in it, we wanted it to be clean, piecey, beautiful, and cool, but touchable," she says. She started by using the Densifying+ Treatment ($63) from the Volume+ Regimen, for fuller, healthier hair, using it at the root and massaging it into the scalp. Then, Brager added a bit of the Defrizz+ Oil Treatment ($63) just on the tips of Blair's hair to smooth the ends. 

Then, Brager went back in with more of the Densifying + Treatment to add texture and separation, and then added some Refresh+ Dry Shampoo ($39) for more volume. "I continued to layer those two products to plump the hair up while keeping it light and airy," she says. "Lastly, I used a paste around the edges to showcase the fringe that goes all the way around her head so her haircut would be on display, and finally a hairspray to lock it all in."