Should I Get a Bob Haircut? 9 Signs It’s Right (or Wrong) for You
If you can count on one thing, it's that the bob haircut will be a forever trend. It's evolved past trend status at this point, with a new style emerging every few weeks whenever the latest celebrity cuts theirs (most recently, it was Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande ). There's the clavi cut , the boyfriend bob, the shaggy bob, the elongated bob—the list goes on. But is the haircut actually right for you?
At Cosmo , we refuse to believe anyone "can't pull off" a bob, or any haircut really. "The bob is a great style because it's highly adaptable to most face shapes," says hairstylist Anne Veck . "You can tailor it perfectly by playing with the length or deciding on a dramatic micro fringe or a soft, side sweep." In other words, there's a bob for everyone.
But cutting a bob isn't just getting a new haircut—it's a full-on lifestyle shift. As a proud bob-haver myself, I ran through all the considerations before chopping my hair to its shortest length ever a few months ago—and ya know what, I have zero regrets, but definitely lots to think about. So… how do you know if you're actually ready for one? Let's get into it.
Signs that a bob will work for you
You have medium-textured straight or wavy hair.
Texture plays a huge part in the type of bob that will suit you. For instance, thinner hair will look great with a blunt cut, while thick hair looks best with a graduated style to take some of the weight out of the hair. But if you have medium-thickness, straight or wavy hair, a bob is a no-brainer, since almost any cut will work with little daily styling for that effortless, cool-girl vibe.
All this to say, bobs often work well on curly hair too, especially if you go to a hairstylist who is well-versed in curly hair. They might have to cut more layers to take off some weight if your hair is very coarse, or they could opt for a dry, blunt cut to achieve more thickness if your curls are fine.
Moritz Scholz - Getty Images
You don't mind high-maintenance styles
No matter your hair thickness, texture, or density, bobs require a lot more upkeep than longer styles. Bob maintenance is nothing to sniff at when you have to make sure you have a trim in the diary every few months. And if your hair grows quicker than normal, then it might need to be more frequent than that. Can you afford this kind of upkeep? It's definitely something to factor into your beauty budget at least quarterly if you do have the snip.
Keep this in mind if you have very damaged hair, too. Bobs can require some heat styling, so if your strands are fighting for their life from color or chemical damage already, all that heat styling could cause some unnecessary breakage.
You like to make a statement
Bobs are a statement style, and if you go from really long to really short, you will get comments and questions about your new look. As someone who thrives on people complimenting my hair, I loved this, but if you don't, you might want to do a gradual cut, rather than a big chop to stop the inevitable attention your new look will bring.
Edward Berthelot - Getty Images
You want to enhance your facial structure
Bobs are an excellent way to do some gentle facial contouring without booking in with an aesthetics clinic. Working with your stylist, you can cut and layer your bob to emphasize the contours of your face. Styles like the bottleneck bob are built to flatter when gently waved and suit everyone.
Signs that a bob may not be best for you:
You have a really active lifestyle
Something I didn't think about enough was the constant styling I would be doing after working out, as it's harder to hide hair that needs a wash when your hair is shorter. Also, you need to think about how long your hair needs to be to be tied back. It sounds small, but dozens of hair ties later, you will be cursing the day you sat in that salon.
You live in a super-humid climate
If your hair is highly porous (curly-haired gals and bleached peeps, I'm talking to you), it's not impossible to have a bob; it'll just take a few more products to keep it looking fresh when it's sticky and humid outside. I mean, I live in drizzly London and have a bob, so it is doable, but there have been weeks where I have to wear my hair in a low bun for the majority of the days to keep my strands tucked away from the elements.
You are really time-crunched
Low maintenance? We don't know her here in bob-land. Yes, it's less laborious to style than, say, bangs , but any bob (no matter your hair texture) will require at least a few minutes each morning to zhuzh, so you have to factor this into your getting-ready time.
You don't have the patience to deal with the grow-out phase
Regardless of the type of bob you cut, be warned that there can be some awkward moments in the growth phase. When your bob starts skimming your shoulders, the hair can flip in and out in a way that some might find a bit wonky, tbh. If you're not committed to having this length for a while, then you might be setting yourself up for a few months with an awkward length.
You have curly hair and hate shrinkage
Your curls are likely to spring up and look much shorter than they're actually cut. For some, this look is super cute and accentuates your facial features. But if you're not ready to go extra short, bring this up to your stylist; they might recommend opting first for a lob length.
Meet the expert
Anne Veck is a hairstylist and hair educator based in the UK
Why trust Cosmopolitan ?
Beth Gilletteis the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing skin, hair, makeup, nail, and fragrance stories.
Keeks Reidis the beauty director at Cosmopolitan UK. While she loves all things beauty, Keeks is a hair fanatic through and through. She started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as an editorial assistant at Blackhair and Hair magazines, working her way to acting editor of Blackhair magazine at 23 years old. She spent much of her career working in trade hairdressing media at Hairdressers Journal , Salon International , and the British Hairdressing Awards.
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