One of the easiest ways to press the reset button on your hair [1] is to hop into a salon chair and ask for a freshly cropped bob [2]. Consider the bob the Goldilocks of hairstyles: not too long and not too short, not too crazy and not too traditional. Not to mention, bobs come in all shapes and sizes and are super versatile. We asked celebrity hairstylists to dish on some of the trendiest bobs in Hollywood right now, and they were happy to oblige.
Wavy Bob With a Fringe
The Cut: Wavy Bob With a Fringe
Celebrity Inspiration: Kelly Rowland [3]
Description: "This cut is perfect for naturally wavy and curly hair, and the length can be from the chin to a long bob just above your shoulders," said celebrity and editorial stylist Deycke Heidorn [4] of Factory Downtown. "Your hairstylist should cut all hairs to one length. If you add layers, the shape will look round. Kelly is wearing a one-length style, which creates a romantic sophistication. The long fringe complete a feminine look, which can be styled by refining the natural texture of your curls or using a curling iron."
Style It: You'll definitely want to style with a serum, focusing on the ends, to seal and enhance your curls. Try Madam C.J. Walker's Coconut & Moringa Oils Flyaway Curl Control Serum [5] (£19).
Who It Works For: This style is great for anyone with thick, curly, or wavy hair. It's also very flattering on heart-shaped, long, and square faces.
Bob Classique
The Cut: Bob Classique
Celebrity Inspiration: Lucy Hale
Description: "This is a classic bob — it is a straight-line cut tracing the jawline," said Joel Warren, a globally recognised stylist and founder of NYC's The Salon Project [6]. "There are no layers, and the hair is left all one length."
Style It: You've got lots of options when styling this cut. Warren said that straight is classic, and you can achieve Lucy's sleek look with a flat iron or straightening brush — try InStyler Glossie Ceramic Styling Brush [7] (£80) — and a frizz-nixing product like Living Proof's No Frizz Nourishing Oil [8] (£36). You can also try natural texture, said Warren, or wear hair grips or a ponytail for a playful look.
Who It Works For: Warren noted that this cut works for all textures of hair, though he does recommend it more for those with finer, straighter hair to cut down on maintenance. If your hair is curly and thick, he said that this type of cut would make for a "cool, updated look."
Chin-Length Bob With Graduated Back
The Cut: Chin-Length Bob With Graduated Back
Celebrity Inspiration: Helen Mirren [9]
Description: "Helen is wearing a classic chin-length bob with a graduated, shorter back," said Heidorn [10]. "I love this haircut. It accentuates your silhouette and makes your neck look longer. For this look, both sides will be cut straight toward your chin, creating a triangle toward a graduated, shorter neckline. If you are opting for an even shorter style, the neckline can be cut 'in facon,' meaning your hair fades from very short in the neckline to a voluminous back."
Style It: Heidorn said, "This haircut is made for volume styling. Apply a styling foam before blow-drying your hair, using a paddle brush or round brush for extra volume." Try L'Oreal Paris Advanced Hairstyle Boost It Volume Inject Mousse [11] (£4).
Who It Works For: "This is a perfect choice for women with fine hair, as the shorter back adds volume and helps let your hair fall into shape," noted Heidorn.
Blunt Shoulder Bob
The Cut: Blunt Shoulder Bob
Celebrity Inspiration: Coco Rocha
Description: "Coco has a lovely, blunt, shoulder-length bob that works for a lot of people and face shapes," said celebrity stylist Felix Fischer [12], whose clients include Marisa Tomei, J Lo, and Natalie Portman [13]. "It can be varied with a fringe, as well, to shape the face and add dimension."
Style It: "The key is a very good shampoo and conditioner that weighs the hair down and gives a bit of heaviness and softness. My favourite is the L'anza line of shampoo and conditioners," said Fisher.
Who It Works For: This cut flatters many face shapes, especially heart, round, square, and oval. For that sleek finish, you'll want fine or straight hair, but this can also be achieved with daily styling.
Square, Shattered Bob
The Cut: Square, Shattered Bob
Celebrity Inspiration: Viola Davis
Description: "This is a square, shattered short bob," noted Nicole Leal [14], a celebrity stylist at Hollywood's Nine Zero One salon who's worked with Rebel Wilson, Ashley Rickard, and Bridget Marquardt. "Razor cutting would be the best technique to achieve this look."
Style It: Leal suggested styling with a flat iron, such as T3's SinglePass LUXE 1" Professional Straightening & Styling Iron [15] (£145). Create piecey texture at the ends with a mouldable paste, like R+Co's Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste [16] (£23).
Who It Works For: "This cut is perfect for someone who has a petite face shape and wants to elongate their neck area," noted Leal.
'20s-Inspired Bob
The Cut: '20s-Inspired Bob
Celebrity Inspiration: Vanessa Hudgens [17]
Description: "This is a 'thoroughly modern Mary' — aka a layered '20s bob with layered bangs," said Fischer. The hair is cut short above Vanessa's chin with some layers built in to create dimension.
Style It: "To style, start with a styling mist like Ouai's Memory Mist [18] (£25), plus a thickening spray. I love Drybar's Southern Belle Volume-Boosting Root Lifter [19] (£19)," said Fischer. "Then, rough-dry with a blow-dryer and finish with a sticky wax or styling cream for that piecey-ness and shine."
Who It Works For: "This is a tough look to pull off, and those with oval and square faces will look best with this style. I don't suggest this for round faces," noted Fischer.
Crisp, Artsy Bob With Fringe
The Cut: Crisp, Artsy Bob With Fringe
Celebrity Inspiration: Emma Roberts
Description: "This is a blunt-shaped bob with a shattered, short fringe," said Leal. "Precision cutting would be the best technique to use to create this look." Emma's cut has an "artwork" quality to it, which means it'll likely require consistent upkeep and daily styling.
Style It: Speaking of styling, for this look, Leal said to start of with a shampoo and conditioner that promotes straighter texture, such as Unite's Lazer Straight Shampoo [20] (£20) and Conditioner [21] ($37). Follow up with a straightening blowout product, such as Oribe's Straight Away Smoothing Blowout Cream [22] (£44). Then, finish with a flat iron and seal your hair with a finishing spray.
Who It Works For: "Oval- or heart-shaped face shape would be great for this cut," said Leal. It's also ideal for naturally straight or chemically straightened hair to minimise upkeep.
Edgy, Razor-Cut Bob
The Cut: Edgy, Razor-Cut Bob
Celebrity Inspiration: Karen Yeung
Description: "It's so refreshing to see this edgy, razor-cut bob. It's very versatile, as you can style it any way you like," said Heidorn. "Your hair stylist might use a razor to fade in layers for a lived-in, effortless style."
Style It: "This cut is easy to maintain, as you can simply let your hair air-dry while the edgy cut will create texture," noted Heidorn. "A great product choice for styling is the Mizani Lived In Texture Finishing Spray [23] (£10). It adds grip and hold without weighing your hair down."
Who It Works For: "The best hair for this is fine to normal hair to achieve the feather feeling in shape," said Heidorn.
Midlength Rocker Bob
The Cut: Midlength Rocker Bob
Celebrity Inspiration: Hailey Baldwin
Description: This is a midlength-style bob that hits just above the shoulders and features minimal layering.
Style It: "You could blow this hair straight depending on the health of the hair, but probably to get a more finished look, I recommend using a large curling iron to give it some movement and style," said Warren. Try Hot Tools 1-1/4 in 24K Gold Curling Iron [24] (£32). For that "almost-wet" look, work in R+Co's Motorcycle Wet Gel [25] (£20).
Who It Works For: "This cut is good for finer hair. Thicker, curly hair has a hard time with this length unless you spend time blowing and styling," noted Warren. He said it's also an option if you have medium to long hair and want to press reset/cut off dead ends without feeling like you've gone too short.
Modern Graduated Bob
The Cut: Modern Graduated Bob
Celebrity Inspiration: Jourdan Dunn
Description: "This is the modern version of the classic bob," said Warren. "The cut is called a graduated bob, which means the perimeter of the cut is lightly layered."
Style It: "There are lots of ways to style this cut. Perfectly straight is the way it is cut, and this looks clean and polished," said Warren. "You can also diffuse your hair and wear it natural and with texture — or hit it with a curling iron and crest waves."
Who It Works For: He said this is a great haircut for those with fine hair, as it creates more texture and volume. "The length also creates width in the jawline, which makes it great for people with a narrow face," he added.