Bobs are having a serious moment right now, so trust Emily Ratajkowski to pull off the most lust-worthy of the bunch at last night’s Marc Jacobs Fall 2023 show in New York. The model rarely switches up her signature long, brunette hair so was barely recognisable when she debuted a jaw-skimming Italian bob with a choppy fringe on the front row.
Gilbert Carrasquillo
Rather than opt for a poker-straight version of the bob, Em Ratajkowski chose to embrace effortless, undone waves that looked as though they could have been air-dried, and a fashionable wet-look finish. “The undone nature makes it look flattering and super wearable for everyday,” hair stylist Syd Hayes told GLAMOUR. “It’s great as second-day hair, too, as it’s so easy to adapt the texture.”
It’s not just the cut that Emily Ratajkowski seems to have changed either, but her hair colour, too. Now her hair is a darker, almost black shade, reminiscent of Uma Thurman’s character in Quentin Tarantino’s cult ’90s film, Pulp Fiction – albeit a less graphic manifestation with softer, bed-head vibes.
In fact, the softness of Em’s face-framing bob is also reflected in her choice of makeup: buffed out bronzed cheeks with no sharp edges, blurry over-lined nude lips and eyes rimmed with a chocolate shade of eyeliner that is softly smoked out into smudgy wings.
Hippolyte Petit
“For this look, you need to ask for an Italian Bob,” says Syd. “The ends are chunky and cut bluntly, but there are subtle layers throughout the mid-lengths for movement and to enhance the texture.”
For those with fine hair or little natural texture, Syd recommends adding in a wave with the BaByliss Cordless Waving Wand, alternating the direction of the curl for a more undone finish. “Work the Hair by Sam McKnight Dressed To Kill finishing crème through the ends to add shine and definition without frizz,” he adds.
Better still, the Italian Bob works for all face shapes and hair types. You can also tweak the cut slightly without losing the shape, by wearing it with “longer face framing pieces that can be flipped for added height if you struggle with volume,” Syd says.
As yet, it’s unclear if Em was simply experimenting with a wig. Even if that is the case, it doesn’t dampen our enthusiasm for this ‘bob and bangs’ combo. Quite the opposite – the cut is so damn good, it’s inspiring us to go for the chop ourselves.