The faux bob is one of the oldest hairstyling tricks in the book: With just a few pins and some clever arrangement, you can pretend you just chopped your hair without removing even half an inch.
Taylor Swift is one such mane magician, showing off a little hairstyling sleight of hand on the red carpet at the premiere of her Eras tour movie. Though I instinctively knew Swift hadn’t actually cut her hair, I did a double take because you never know what Swift has up her sleeve. (Or, in this case, a lack thereof.)
Perhaps to better show off her pale blue 1989 strapless ballgown, Swift’s hairstylist pulled her dark blonde hair up and off her shoulders, and with some strategic rolling and pinning, made it look as though the musician had said, “See ya!” to nearly a foot of hair.
In lieu of her usual long, undone waves, which she wore during much of the Eras tour, Swift hit the premiere in a chin-length bob full of soft curls and little tendrils that escaped the pins for more movement and texture, plus slightly curled bangs that just brushed her brows.
Getty Images
Getty Images
Given that Taylor Swift is heading back into her 1989 era — the “Taylor’s Version” re-record comes out October 27 — it’s not a huge surprise that she’d revisit the bob because, during that period of her life, she was rocking short hair and bangs.
It’s a fun way to nod at that version of herself without making a permanent change, and the soft, more free-flowing texture is a 2023 update of the sleeker styles of 2014 Swift. The hair was a big change from the Swift we’ve seen recently, but her makeup was pure, classic Tay: her signature ultra-precise black cat eyeliner and crimson lip, accented by a pop of baby blue eye shadow to match her dress. Just like the re-records, the faux bob moment is the perfect mix of old and new.
This article originally appeared on Allure.