The evolution of the bob: Why you should embrace the timeless haircut now
This iconic look has stood the test of time.
Some hair trends come and go in the blink of an eye – remember, for example, that phase during the pandemic when everyone was dyeing their hair pink? – but the bob has gone from strength to strength over the last few years.
Hailey Bieber is often credited with heralding the return of the bob. The model turned brand founder lopped off her long locks in early 2023 and fans fell in love with her glossy, chin-length crop. Since then, countless other celebrities have jumped on the bob bandwagon, from Kourtney Kardashian and model Kaia Gerber to actors Halle Berry and Zendaya, proving that there’s a bob to suit everybody.
Paul Edmonds says that more women than ever before are embracing shorter styles, which he loves. “What makes me think there's a revival, especially of the bob, is one of my clients who has waist-length hair came into the salon and said, ‘I think I'm going to have a bob because all my friends are and they look really good.’”
A wide variety of bob trends have emerged in recent years, so which is the best style for you? Here, Paul tells us about the origins of the classic cut, how it’s evolved throughout the decades, and how to find your perfect modern bob…
THE HISTORY OF THE BOB
Joan of Arc is often cited as the earliest example of a bob haircut, and the French martyr is said to have inspired Parisian hairdresser Antoine de Paris, who helped popularise the style in the 1920s when he gave silent film star Louise Brooks and fashion designer Coco Chanel their iconic bobs.
“During World War I, the emancipation of women was progressing and women wanted something – a bit like today's alternative fashion or the punk movement – that went against the complicated Edwardian hair-ups, so a lot of women started having their hair cut off,” Paul explains. “It had a lot to do with women feeling free to do what they wanted and wearing their hair down.”
Paul created the hair looks for 1990s BBC period drama House of Eliott, which spanned the 1910s to the 1940s and featured “a big storyline about the Eliott sisters cutting their hair off, because they were women working for themselves.” Early bobs tended to be blunt and one-length until Brooks’s graduated ‘shingle’ cut took over as the dominant trend.
Bobs fell out of fashion after the end of the flapper era, when soft waves and cascading tresses took over, and it wasn’t until the 1960s that short, sharp crops returned, Paul says. “Vidal Sassoon reinvented the bob and gave it quite a strong edge and a futuristic look. People were either wearing a rounded page boy cut like fashion designer Mary Quant or they had the straight bob.”
The final historic heyday for the bob was in the 1990s. “After the huge perms of the Eighties, it came back as a very minimalist graduated bob,” says Paul, as seen on supermodel Christy Turlington. “And course Victoria Beckham in the Spice Girls.”
KEY BOB TRENDS IN 2025
“A bob is not just a bob,” Paul says. “There are lots of different options depending on if you want it to be blunt or cut-through. Texture is the key difference and people want flexibility.”
Many of the bob trends that have cropped up recently are named after the areas where they originated. “The Scandi bob is minimalist, the Italian one is a bit more full and ruffled, then the French bob tends to be more fluffy. A lot more people are embracing their own texture,” Paul says, rather than straightening their hair, with the curly ‘boho bob’ the latest iteration of the trend.
Celebrities continue to be influential, with Zendaya’s glamorous red carpet bob getting lots of attention at this year’s Golden Globes and Cate Blanchet showing how a softly layered bob can be worn sleek and smooth or gently tousled.
Paul is a big fan of what he calls the ‘urban bob’, which has texture but no fringe and can be parted in the middle or on the side. As for colour, he says that most clients are opting for a grown-out look, whether light or dark. “They may have a few lowlights put in just to break it up or we’re using Airtouch, which gives you a slightly darker root, but with a very even, natural changing of the tone.”
WHICH BOB TREND IS BEST FOR YOU?
Whether you’re going from long hair to short or simply trying a different bob style, our stylists will do a thorough consultation to talk through the options and what will suit your face shape and hair type.
“What you're always trying to do is play up the good parts of someone's face,” Paul says. “You're normally trying to emphasise the eyes and cheekbones, so depending on where their face is fuller, you you can do different lengths.” For example, you might think you can’t have a super-short bob if you have a round face, but that’s not the case. “Very often if you go above the jaw, it will look quite sculptured, so it makes the face look thinner.”
If you’ve had long hair for years, it may be daunting to lose a lot of the length, but you can trust the Paul Edmonds London team to give honest advice on what will or won’t suit you, and you could always go shorter gradually to see how you feel. “Don’t be scared,” Paul says. “You can always grow it again or change the style, but at least you’ll have some fun along the way!”
HOW TO STYLE A MODERN BOB
Modern bobs are all about versatility, so you can do a bouncy blow-dry one day and a laidback textured look the next.
If you’ve got straight hair, use curling tongs to add texture, Paul says. “Use a 32mm tong and wrap the hair around the tong for just a second to create a soft, undone beach wave. If you’re not sure, ask your hairdresser to show you how." To add volume, he recommends Iles Formula Rinseless Root Refresh. “It's lightweight but will give volume at the roots so you can get texture and movement. Davines and Sam McKnight dry shampoos are also great with very short hair.” As is Kevin Murphy Touchable, a buildable styling spray.
For sleek bobs try the Oribe Straight Away Smoothing Blowout Cream. “It’s brilliant because it makes it quite sleek and shiny. Their Gel Serum is also really good for giving that very high gloss finish, which is what you want with a bob.” Also for blow drying, he says Davines Oil Non Oil gives “high shine and it's not heavy at all.”
Bobbing about
The bob trend is showing no sign of slowing down, with more and more women choosing to go for the chop and embrace a bold new look.
With so many variations under the bob umbrella it’s easy to find a style that looks fabulous on you, whether it’s a supermodel-inspired voluminous ‘do or a sleek, flapper-esque crop.
Ready to become a bob beauty? Book your next appointment at Paul Edmonds London.
