Hair trends come and go but one style that seems to endure – albeit in slightly different forms – throughout the years is a bob.
Right now, a very specific version is cropping up almost everywhere, led by a handful of celebrities that we see on the daily thanks to the constant presence of both paparazzi, and social media, in their lives.
We’re talking about the chin-grazing blunt bob, and the women making it the one of the most desirable looks for hair this summer.
In particular it’s Kourtney Kardashian’s highly visible recent appearances with new husband Travis Barker, rocking a choppy bob, revisiting her popular single-length bob style, that has been influential this year. Others following suit? Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, Elizabeth Olsen, Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish, Kristen Stewart and Chrissy Teigen have all recently worn blunt bobs of their own.
The soft, simple and relaxed haircut is being referenced everywhere from fashion week runways, where it was visible at Chanel, Givenchy, Altuzarra shows and more, to magazine pages, to TikTok and Instagram.
The beauty is in the fact that if you have fairly straight hair, it’s a look that needs minimal styling if you want a simple morning routine, because it tends to looks best with a slight ‘I woke up like this’ bend, although wearing it ironed slick and straight are popular options too. It’s also versatile enough to be worn with everything from a black-tie gown or leggings and a crop, as Kardashian does.
If you have wavy, curly or textured hair, this style will also suit, it’s a matter of working with your stylist to get the best from the one-length look.
Auckland stylist Danny Pato, owner of D&M hair salon and winner of NZ Hairdresser of the Year 2021, is a fan, picking the blunt style as well as a slightly softer, wavy version as two looks that will be key this summer.
“The sleek, sharp one-length bob is always on trend, but more so now for this summer. This polished power-look demands attention!”
He calls the tousled version a wob, or wavy bob.
“A softer, tousled bob looks incredible on wavy textured hair,” Pato says, suggesting it be worn with a deep side part.
According to Kardashian’s hairstylist Peter Savic, who began working with the star a decade ago, Kardashian had been pondering a big chop for a while.
And in the true trendsetter mode, it wasn’t anyone else she wished to copy. Like fashion houses reference their archives, according to Savic, Kardashian’s inspiration came from an old photo of herself as a teenager. Although to be fair, the 90s influence in fashion is everywhere, so the timing was right.
“Kourtney showed me pictures. She was young when she had hair shorter than this, but I don’t think she had that short hair for a long time,” he says.
If you’re just about to wave the below pics in front of your stylist, a couple of words of warning. Coming into summer, it’s worth thinking about how much you tie your hair back and work with that, as a very short bob is tricky to keep up and out of your face in the heat, although that’s where chic slides and clips can come into play.
To keep it looking fresh, it’s also a good idea to have a trim every six to eight weeks.
Images (top): @kourtneykardash
Here’s your blunt bob inspo for summer:
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