SPRING HAIR TRENDS: WHICH BOB IS BEST FOR YOU?
Tempted to go in for a major chop this spring?
Who can blame you? With so many celebrities unveiling dramatic transformations over the last few months, a bob haircut has never been more appealing.
The trend is set to continue this spring/summer season, and there are so many different styles to choose from.
"You've got the Scandi bob, which is quite a minimalist look, then you've got the French bob, a slightly tousled, wavy bob," says Paul Edmonds.
"There's also the 'lob', a long bob, if you're not ready to go too short, but personally I think it's better going above the collarbone to make it a bit edgier."
Creative director Jennie Manzi recommends a bob if you want to have that 'new season, new me' feeling: "You feel completely different once your hair's cut short."
She always talks to a client about their personal preferences before a major cut: "You need to look at someone's fashion sense. If you've got someone who's got a rock chick kind of look they might want it a bit more textured. I'll also consider their hair type, hairline, and face shape."
To help you decide which length and texture is right for you, here the team talk through seven key bobs, with celebrity inspiration and styling tips for each…
THE FRENCH BOB
Combining a super-short bob with a blunt fringe, the French bob is a choppy style favoured by the trendiest Parisians.
Instagram star Taylor Lashae is known for her brunette French bob, and Lily Allen gave us a gorgeous example of the look last year with her champagne-hued crop.
"This bob would suit someone with a bit of an edgy personal style who wants a solid fringe," says Jennie.
"I would describe this as a 24-hour look because it's cut in such a solid shape that the styling is almost done for you. You just need to wash and blow-dry it and it will last all day."
Tasha says this is a "bold direction" to go in, but it can work on lots of different hair textures: "It's great with thin or thick or curly hair. More triangular face shapes are great with a French bob because what it does is make your jaw look a bit wider so it balances the shape out."
Jennie recommends Oway Flux Potion for styling the French bob: "It gives you a glossy look but also a bit of hold and texture."
THE SCANDI BOB
Inspired by the minimalist style of Scandinavia, the Scandi bob doesn't have to be blonde, but it does have to have that effortless 'I woke up like this' kind of vibe.
"This is great for someone who's very on-the-go, who wants bedhead-type hair," says Jennie. "It's good for finer hair if you want it slightly ruffled, not too flat, but low maintenance as well."
She recommends using sea salt spray to create the right texture for a Scandi bob.
THE SLEEK BOB
Hailey Bieber - one of the early adopters of the bob trend - and Ayo Edibiri, who starred in The Bear, are big fans of the super-shiny, sleek bob, where the hair is cut to the jawline and pushed behind the ears.
"This is more of an evening look," Jennie says. "You could have any hair texture with this as long as you use a product to slick it down like a pomade, apart from really curly hair which would need to be blow-dried smooth before it's slicked down."
THE LOB
The 'lob' aka the long bob, is a great way to try the trend without having to commit to a major cut.
Megan Fox debuted a red hot shoulder-grazing lob last year (with the ends flicked under to create the illusion of shorter hair) while Eva Longoria regularly chops her long chocolate brown tresses for a bouncy collarbone-length bob.
"This is great for girls who have quite a classic style and like their bouncy blow-dries but want to change it up," Tasha says. "The shape will suit many people, it's really versatile."
Jennie adds: "The Oway Root Lift Volumising Spray is great for this look and clients can put rollers in themselves at home to create that extra volume."
THE COOL GIRL BOB
Emma Stone has become the poster girl for the 'cool girl bob', a slightly graduated cut styled with chunky waves.
"This is ideal for someone who wants to be a bit more on-trend and have that tonged look with a bit of movement," Jennie says. "But it's still quite groomed."
The layered style is best for straight or wavy hair types rather than very curly: "It needs to be on the straighter side so you can cut layers in to give the movement.
A heat protection spray is important when blow-drying or using tongs to create waves.
THE WAVY BOB
Gigi Hadid is the latest celeb to jump on the bob bandwagon, the model having her blonde locks chopped into a tousled, centre-parted bob.
"This would suit somebody who has wavy textured hair already," Tasha says. "It's low maintenance, cut into mostly one length with just the top layer a bit more choppy."
In terms of styling, she says: "It's just about emphasising the natural, healthy texture with a product that doesn't deconstruct the wave."
THE CURLY BOB
Ozark star Julia Garner has been rocking a blonde curly crop on the red carpet, and actress Yara Shahidi styled her tight coils into a neat bob last awards season.
"If you've got curly hair and want to have a bob you need to go to someone who knows how to cut curly hair really well," Jennie says.
"This look would suit anyone with Afro curls or who prefers to diffuse-dry their hair because you'll get a lot more volume."
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The super-short style suits lots of face shapes, Tasha says: "It can help to accentuate your cheekbones so it has a bit of a lifting effect on the face."
This is another low-maintenance style, Jennie adds: "If you've got that curly hair already you won't have to do much to it, just put an anti-frizz product in it to define the curls."
JOIN THE BOB CLUB
As Jennie and Tasha explain, there's a bob for everyone, and you don't have to strictly follow one of the styles above - although a photo of a celebrity look you love can be a great starting point.
Your hair stylist can advise on how to tailor one of these trends to suit your hair type, face shape and fashion sense, so you can find a fabulous new look for spring.
Ready to become a bob babe? Book an appointment with one of our expert stylists at Paul Edmonds London