Indeed, whether in Dalston in east London, Greenpoint in Brooklyn or Södermalm in Stockholm, the style tropes of passers-by can be traced back to the Irish actor – the short shorts that have become his trademark, his favourite adidas sneakers and white socks, the viral Instagram account-spawning chain first worn in his breakout role in Normal People, an oversized shirt or – of course – that hairstyle, the divisive curly mullet that can be traced back to his role as Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire in London’s West End. With Gladiator II opening this month, a film where the mullet is the star of the show, it’s not going away any time soon.

Mescal, who has been snapped up by Gucci as a brand ambassador, kick-started the press tour of the hotly anticipated Sir Ridley Scott sequel in a custom brown, double-breasted suit by the Italian brand, worn open over a bohemian-style shirt, complete with a V-neckline and two strings that hung undone over his torso. The look nods to the current obsession in womenswear with 1990s boho and reminds us that Mescal, who works with British stylist Ms Felicity Kay on his red carpet looks, is at ease with subtly nudging gender boundaries.

Other highlights have included a baby blue and pink striped button-up shirt with pearl details on the collar and a floral embellished blazer, both by Irish designer Ms Simone Rocha, while off duty last month, he stepped out in New York with the singer Ms Gracie Abrams wearing &Daughter’s Ada cardigan from its women’s line over a band T-shirt.

If Mescal’s signature short shorts (whether by Gucci or the Gaelic Athletic Association) mean it’s a look associated with the summer, it does stretch into the winter, too. From a white tuxedo at the Oscars to a Henley shirt and suit for the premiere of All Of Us Strangers, he brings an enviable nonchalance.

“He always looks comfortable and confident in his clothing, it doesn’t matter if it’s a red carpet or not,” says Ms Larissa Perrut, the founder of popular fan account @paulmescalpictures.

By and large, Mescal’s style resonates for its “ordinary guy” accessibility. Mr Daniel Rodgers, a fashion writer at Vogue, covers the actor’s style a lot and thinks his relatability is crucial. “This isn’t a Harry Styles or a Timothée Chalamet who have this really high level of fashion capital,” Rodgers says. “He’s just the guy who looks good when he wears clothes.”

This could also be said of Connell, the character Mescal played in the BBC adaptation of Ms Sally Rooney’s Normal People in 2020. The actor, and his style, are intertwined with this character – the aforementioned Instagram account @connellschain was set up in homage of this seemingly innocuous accessory that ostensibly embodies Connell’s, and indeed Mescal’s, enigmatic allure.

“[The series] forged a bond with Gen Z, an unbreakable bond,” O’Doherty says. “He presented us with the kind of haunted stud, which is a genre that we haven’t seen enough of.”

Crucially, Mescal is both a pin-up and a style icon – a duality that means echoing his style is particularly inviting, because it could improve your own sex appeal. “He’s the perfect person for a straight man who’s maybe a little bit afraid to experiment with fashion,” Rodgers says. “[Because he is also] the kind of person that a straight woman will really fancy.”

O’Doherty explains that Mescal’s look is very much that of the young Irish men he encountered growing up – wearing the GAA shorts and hoodies minus the machismo of the classic jock. “He has the sensitivity, but he’s built like a brick [house],” he says. “There are a million roles he could do in Irish society, from being a minister to being a football player. He’s like an ideal.”

The appeal of these outwardly unremarkable items is heightened by Mescal’s star power – as well as what’s on top of his head. His curly mullet, first debuted at the Oscars nominee lunch in 2023, adds an intentional wonkiness to any look, turning it from anonymous normcore into something far more fashion forward. Partly thanks to Mescal, the mullet is going from featuring on ‘worst haircuts’ lists to becoming somewhat ubiquitous.

“So many of my clients are asking for ‘the Mescal mullet’,” says Mr Michael Kent, a stylist at Blue Tit hair salon, which has branches across London. “Men’s hair has been quite traditional for a while now – I feel like we’re entering an era of freedom, where we can all experiment.”

Kent says the style is both impactful and easy to maintain – “even when it’s messy, it still looks tidy”. This rule of thumb could be the secret of Mescal style: even when he chooses more directional pieces, when put together, they have an uncomplicated effect.

“If you copied the look piece by piece, people wouldn’t consider it a Paul Mescal look unless it was pointed out,” Rodgers says. “That’s why it’s so good – it’s so accessible and approachable.”

O’Doherty, meanwhile, calls him “our generation's Brando”, another accolade that tracks when it comes to style. Brando was cool, but never looked like he tried too hard. That same quality might explain why Mescal is the man of the hour. That and, of course, the mullet.