It’s safe to say I’ve been utterly obsessed with the chin-length bob hairstyles that have emerged on some of my favorite celebs this year. As someone with a bob haircut, I fist pump the air, acting as if I’m the CEO of some invite-only short-hair club when yet another chin-grazing look gets debuted on the red carpet.
But earlier this month, when Elsa Hosk took to her Instagram to share the most insane Marilyn Monroe-inspired ’50s bob––which she paired with a leather Louboutin trench coat, sheer tights, and killer patent heels––I realized I needed to give mine a bit of a glow up.
Since I cut my hair short last year, it’s stayed one length as I eased myself into getting used to it. But I realized my bob actually looked quite heavy, especially as it had grown out. To remedy the situation, I hit up the Larry King hair salon in Notting Hill and booked in with Annie Redman, the hairstylist responsible for Nina Nesbitt’s short blunt bob.
“Currently, your bob is sitting too heavy on the front,” Redman explained during my appointment. “I am currently loving those that have more shape through the front, with a square outline or even curving up a little at the front. It makes it feel a bit edgier and more modern.”
She then walked me through how she’d add shape to my bob. “With the scissors, I’ll point cut the whole haircut so the outline is softer,” Redman explained. “I’ll then bring the front corners of the bob forward and take them off to give a rounded shape where the front is no longer than the back. Then, I’ll add some shorter pieces through the front and slice into the bob to give it a little bit of natural texture.”
The result? I’m officially in my bouncy-bob era and loving every second of it. I think there used to be this feeling that you couldn’t do much with bob haircuts and that longer hair gave a lot more scope for new and exciting creations, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. “This haircut is great because you can dress it up or down by either doing a glamorous blowout using mousse for lots of body or put in a salt spray and defuse it for a relaxed look,”Redman said. “You have a nice wave to your hair, so it’ll also dry really nice naturally.”
Versatile chin-length bobs are very much here to stay. Here are 12 looks I’m currently loving.
This post originally appeared on Who What Wear UK.
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