Fans of the mullet have crowned their king: a Belgian truck driver who says he's been sticking to the unconventional hairdo for the last 20 years, and has now been rewarded with the title of Europe's best short-and-long locks at a festival in central France . 

Originating from the 1980s, the mullet has proved to be a surprisingly resilient hairstyle and has been adopted in recent years by music stars such as Miley Cyrus.

"It's a way of life, of being able to laugh at yourself," one of the 500 festival attendants told AFP.

The modern mullet is a gender-neutral hairstyle that in 2021 appeals to the fashionistas and the anti-conformists alike. It involves a head of hair that is long at the back, but shorter at the sides and at the front.

"We don't care about fashion, or if people look at us," said another.

"No matter the color of your skin, your gender, your clothes, your haircut, we want everyone to be seen the same way," he said.

The winner of the contest was Nicolas Vanderkelen, who succeeded the French Gauthier Istin as mullet champion.