We love the relaxed aesthetic of outgrown bobs and midi haircuts but, if you’re getting 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. And, we’re not just talking shoulder-sweeping lengths, but hitching things up higher to skim jaws and cheekbones for a style that’s undeniably, unashamedly airy.
Granted, it’s a little daring, and yes, you may have 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.
As for which short bob hairstyles make the cut, that’s down to personal preference. French-girl bobs have led the way for the past few years with equal-parts cool and cutesy strands that finish around the cheek. 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. The C-cut or curved layers that are set to headline 2023 are also infiltrating bob trends too with soft-curved shapes proving mega popular, too. 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
Boyband bob
Papercut bob
Jellyfish bob
Curly bob
Nape bob
Wispy fringe
Soft-blunt
Mussy and curtain fringe
Soft-blunt and slightly A-line
Golden French bob
Curved jawline bob
Soft-blunt and slightly waved
Blonde soft-curve bob
Rolled bob
Jawline bob
Chin-length
Curly jawline bob
Blunt
Balayage bob
Wavy bob
Shaggy bob
Soft-slice bob
Sleek and sliced
Heart throb bob
Side-tucked jawline bob
Chopped bob
Mussy
Ultra blunt bob
Slightly A-line
Just below the jaw
Cheekbone bob
Above the shoulder
French bob
Soft-stacked French bob
Short but heavy
Curved side-part bob
Blunt and face-framing
Burgundy
Piecey fringe
Blonde flipped
Curly blunt
’90s blunt bob
Root-pop bob
Curly side-part bob
Soft shattered
For more from GLAMOUR’s Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk