We love the relaxed aesthetic of outgrown bobs and midi haircuts, but if you’ve got the itch to lop away layers, we’re with you. You can’t beat short bob hairstyles when it comes to freeing up your strands with a fresh cut. We’re not just talking shoulder-sweeping lengths. Nope. We’re talking about hitching things up higher to skim jaws and cheekbones for a style that’s undeniably, unashamedly short.
It’s daring and means less length to play around with than a midi cut, but on the flip-side, you’ll still have more styling options on offer than if you were to go as short as a pixie. In fact, we’ve already rounded up our favourite half-up top knots, jaw-length baby braids and adorable dinky ponytails that work alongside shorter bobs.
As for which short bob hairstyles make the cut, that’s down to personal preference. Top hair stylist and trend forecaster, Tom Smith, called out “Le Petit bob” as the style to watch, noting the direction hair trends are taking heading into 2024 (upward and shorter). “Bob lengths have been shrinking for a while and this sharp offering might be as tiny as a bob can go before it becomes a totally new shape,” explains Tom. “This shape is the sassy sister of the ‘French Girl Bob’ and can be a great option for those growing out a crop as it creates angles and contours, which is exactly what the ‘awkward’ stages of growing out shorter hair lack,” he explains. The differentiating feature? For starters, it loses the French bob’s accompanying fringe. Plus, “the lengths around the face should be slightly higher than those at the back,” says Tom.
However, we’re still very much here for French-girl bobs which have led the way for the past few years. They’re equal-parts cool and cutesy, finish around the cheek and introduce a lash skimming fringe for graduated lengths. Curly bobs help to accentuate pretty texture. The heart-throb bob (think ’90s Cameron Diaz) calls for a cut that finishes right at the nape of the neck and jawline bobs are the hair contouring hack that take the heavy-lifting out of our makeup routine by framing our face perfectly.
More of a perfectionist? Ultra sharp, sliced edges will keep things looking immaculate. Or for something more lived-in, soft-blunt ends are beautifully laidback. C-cut or curved layers infiltrating bob trends too with soft-curved shapes proving mega popular. And, for an extra hit of personality, we love a fringe moment, whether it’s straight-across like the French-girl, wispy and barely-there, or a statement-making swooshy curtain bang.
Here are some of our favourite short bob hairstyles to get you inspired…
Sliced, but soft-curved
The best of both worlds, combine sharp edges with a soft, face-hugging shape.
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Boyband bob
Channel your fave ’90s boyband heartthrobs with this effortless style that blends the curtain cut with a chic bob.