The Bob. Reimagined.
Sharp or shaggy, sleek or textured, chin-length or cropped to the neck: if you’re thinking about going for a bob hairstyle, the only real question is which one.
We asked three of our top stylists and hair educators, Mad Ruus from Blue Tit Copenhagen, Pashcan’el Mitchell (Pash) from Blue Tit Clapton and Leanne from Blue Tit Peckham, to share some of their favourite bob hairstyles they’ve been creating in the chair.
The bob directory
The classic bob
Vibe: Polished. Timeless. Boardroom to bar.
The classic bob is one length, all the way around. Clean, refined, endlessly elegant. It is what it is – and what it is, is perfect. Stylist Mads Ruus describes it simply: “Chic, cool, and it never goes out of fashion.”
Best for: Most hair types. Especially on straight or fine hair.
Maintenance: 8–12 weeks.
The classic bob comes in many guises, here’s three of our favourites:
The signature precision bob
This is the bob stripped back to its purest form with sharp lines, clean ends, zero fuss. Pash describes it as “minimal, chic, and all about precision lines and healthy ends.”
Best for: Straight to slightly wavy hair. Anyone who wants versatility without a complicated morning routine.
Maintenance: 6–8 weeks to keep the line sharp.
Styling tip: Wear it air-dried for something softer, or heat styled when you want it to mean business. Works beautifully with a glass-hair finish or a subtle natural texture.
The sleek bob
The classic bob haircut can be styled to create a sleek bob making the hair ultra-smooth and with high-shine.
Leanne recommends this cut for “clients wanting to maintain the thickness of their hair” and notes that softening the front slightly (as shown in this photo) adds movement without losing weight.
The 90s bob
Another riff on the classic bob hairstyle is the 90s bob – think Posh Spice and you’ve got it. This time the classic bob is styled very straight and glossy. Pash created this look recently bringing it right up to date and says, “A sharp, clean, and structured bob that sits with intention”.
Maintenance: 6-8 weeks to keep those ends healthy.
The blunt bob with fringe
Vibe: Geometric. Directional. Fully committed.
Add a fringe to the classic and something shifts. The line between the fringe and the bob creates a hard, architectural frame around the face – suddenly it’s not just a haircut, it’s a whole look. This look by Leanne draws the eye straight to bone structure.
Best for: Smooth, straight hair that holds a line. People who want their cut to do the talking.
Maintenance: 8–10 weeks, plus complimentary fringe trims within a three-month window.
Styling tip: Flat and precise is the move – a heat protectant and flat iron are your best friends here.
The old money bob (heirloom blowout bob)
Vibe: Bouncy. Luxurious. Expensive hair energy.
The old money bob is bouncy with volume. Pash Mitchell created these looks and says, “Volume, movement, and that polished finish that makes people ask what products you use. The heirloom blowout bob is timeless glamour with a modern edge”.
Best for: Anyone who loves a refined, put-together look. Works across all hair types, especially those who regularly heat style.
Maintenance: Regular blow-drying or roller sets to maintain shape and volume. Weekly smoothing plus moisturising and strengthening treatments keep it living its best life.
Styling tip: Finish with a soft bend or flick at the ends and a side or soft middle part. Lightweight serum is your best friend.
Bob hairstyles for curly hair
The curly French bob
Vibe: Volume. Bounce. Absolutely no apologies.
This is the curly hair bob moment. Leanne is clear on why it works: it creates volume and softness with a feminine finish – but you have to keep on top of it. “Curly hair will drop and become quite weighted at the ends, making the bottom feel heavy. Regular cuts keep the bounce and volume.”
Styling-wise: Moisture, curl cream, diffuser. Done.
Best for: Curly and textured hair.
Maintenance: 8–10 weeks.
The French bob
Vibe: Off-duty Parisian. Effortlessly cool.
Mads Ruus’ personal favourite, is the French bob haircut and honestly, it shows in how he talks about it. Tapered at the neck, shorter and more edgy than a classic one-length bob, with roots firmly in the flapper era. “Working with this type of style is fun and looks incredible when the hair has texture and the cut can live and expand into its natural shape,” he says. Its revival over the last few years feels well-earned.
Best for: Textured, wavy hair or someone wanting a natural lived-in look to their hair.
Maintenance: 8–10 weeks.
The defined curl bob
Vibe: Full. Alive. Authentic
Designed specifically for curls and coils, this is a shape-focused bob that works with your natural texture. Soft, rounded and full of life, it’s about enhancing what’s already there, not taming it. As Pash Mitchell puts it, it’s built around “definition, moisture, and shrinkage awareness.”
Best for: Natural curls and coils from 2C to 4C. Anyone wanting a shorter shape without losing fullness.
Maintenance: 8–12 weeks for reshaping, plus a strong home routine – hydrating cleansers, leave-ins and curl-defining products are non-negotiable.
New bob hairstyles
The box bob
Vibe: Structured. Considered. Completely you.
The box bob is all about precision meeting personality, and Leanne is the first to tell you that getting it right starts before the scissors even come out. “It’s really important to assess your client’s jawbone, head shape, cheekbones, face shape and width so you can adapt the cut to what you want to highlight.” The result? A bob that’s been designed around you specifically.
Best for: Anyone who wants a short bob with real structure but wearable flexibility. Works across hair textures.
Maintenance: 8–10 weeks.
Styling tip: Experiment with it – this cut earns its keep both ways.
The layered bob
Vibe: Easy. Breezy. Low-effort, high-reward.
For anyone with straight hair who wants their cut to do something. Leanne loves this one for adding movement and encouraging a bit of natural wave. Styling is minimal, the results aren’t.
Best for: Straight hair wanting texture and movement.
Maintenance: 8–12 weeks. Blue Tit offers complimentary fringe trims within a three-month window.
The bixie
Vibe: The bob that couldn’t decide – and was better for it.
Half bob, half pixie, entirely its own thing. Mads explains it best: “If you’re merging the classic bob with a pixie cut, you get the Bixie.” It’s having a serious moment – Zendaya recently joined the textured bob club – and it’s particularly brilliant on curly or wavy hair where the result is a cool, lived-in, shaggier length that still feels intentional.
Best for: Those going short but not all the way short or those growing out a pixie cut. Works beautifully on all hair types, lived in and playful on curly and wavy textures or sophisticated and smooth on straight hair.
A brief history (we’ll keep it short, like the cut)
The bob hairstyle has been making statements since the 1920s. As Mads puts it: “Since the 1920s, the bob came to life as a statement for women’s liberation – a rebellion against tradition.” Actress Louise Brooks and her iconic flapper shingle cut? That’s the blueprint for almost everything you’ve seen above. Nearly a century later, we’re still riffing on it and honestly, it just keeps getting better.
Come find your bob
Whether you know exactly what you want or you’re walking in with a loose idea, we’ve got you. Our stylists live for this stuff – the consultation is half the fun. Have a look at our bobs page for inspo or find your nearest Blue Tit London salon and let’s get cutting.
If you’re a hair stylist and interested in learning more, see Tom Warr in this tutorial on cutting a micro bob…
About the stylists…
Leanne is a Blue Tit Educator and Cutting Specialist at Blue Tit Peckham. If you want a precision cut she’s your stylist. When she’s not in the salon looking after her regular clients, she teaches Blue Tit London’s ‘Bobs and Precision Cutting’ course – blending classic fundamentals with modern technique – and has taken her education internationally, from Salon International to Wella and Oway shows across Europe and India. Check out one of Leanne’s from long to bob transformations here.
Pashcan’el Mitchell is an award-winning hair stylist and Blue Tit London’s lead educator for Afro and textured hair, overseeing training across all salons in styling, cutting and texture release techniques. He leads the Afro & Textured Hair 3-Day Course at the Blue Tit Academy and is passionate about inclusivity and diversity in premium hairdressing – championing excellence through education and community work in equal measure. Book an appointment with him at Blue Tit Clapton.
Mads Ruus is the Manager of Blue Tit Copenhagen and the Stylist and Educator with over 17 years’ experience – originally from Denmark, trained in London, and now back in Copenhagen opening their own salon. A well-rounded talent across cutting, colour and styling, they teach sustainable techniques worldwide and draw inspiration from runways, exhibitions and the people around them. Philosophy: stay kind, stay humble, work hard.
