Yes, This Is Your Sign to Chop Your Hair Into a Bob

Zendaya’s “Italian bob” is so romantic and windswept—move over, Tom Holland, we’re coming in! Celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephen is the mastermind behind this chop.

Sabrina Elba can always be seen sporting a sophisticated look, and this blunt-cut bob is no different. The thick-cut bangs drop just below the brow line and add levels to the neck-length wavy style.

Curly textures can get in on all of the bob fun, too. Whether you have looser ringlets or tighter coils, the bob hairstyle can help add volume and shape to your mane. And if you want to add something extra, go for a bold color like the bright red strands pictured here.

We all remember the butterfly clips we collected as kids to add to our hairstyles. Well, if you happen to still have a few lying around, now is the time to pull them back out. Incorporating colorful clips into your hair is a playful way to accessorize your strands in the summertime.

If you like the perfectly imperfect, undone look, this bob style is for you. The bob features tousled waves cut into a micro bob and feels effortless and easy. Add wispy bangs to complete the style.

Actress and singer Kelly Rowland is no stranger to the bob haircut. After rocking the style for years, it’s become the celebrity’s signature look. This year at the Cannes Film Festival, she debuted this platinum blond chin-length bob, which added an eye-catching yet sophisticated touch to her red carpet look.

The coolest bang style of 2024 is the chopped micro bang. If you ever picked up a pair of scissors and chopped your hair into bangs as a child—and failed miserably—here’s a chic way to style your mishap.

This daring style is for those who aren’t afraid to stand out amongst the crowd. It might not be for everyone, but for those who are hoping to amp up their style, it could be the look for you.

The great thing about short haircuts is that making a statement doesn’t take much effort. By simply tucking the midsection of her hair behind her ears and leaving out front pieces, Heart Evangelista created an elegant look out of a simple style.

Many people fear that once they cut their hair short, they will have fewer styling options. Actress Xochitl Gomez begs to differ. This half-up, half-down bouffant hairstyle with bumped bangs is reminiscent of 60s glamour.

Best known for her role in Netflix’s new dark drama Baby Reindeer Nava Mau is red carpet ready with her slicked wavy bob. The deep side part adds a bit more volume to this elegant style for a sleek shiny finish to match the glimmer of her dress.

This very wolfy bob inspired ELLE reader Ailin Lu to chop off her hair. To get Jenna Ortega’s look, ask for a super-shaggy, piecey cut (almost like a relaxed, grown-out mullet), plus curtain bangs.

“This hair style was inspired by Jenna Ortega’s wolf cut on The Tonight Show. My incredible hairstylist, Frankie, cuts it so I can get away with very minimal styling. All I need to do is keep up with a nice hair conditioner after I shower.” ~ ELLE Reader, Ailin Lu, Kansas City, MO

“The women around me always inspire my looks. My big sister, Joya, has been rocking long bobs for a minute! She’s an OG, so she’s definitely one of the reasons I went for it.” ~ ELLE Reader, Keyaira Kelly, Brooklyn, NY

Debuted on her TikTok, Hailey Bieber’s blunt bob was cut by her longtime stylist Amanda Lee Capomaccio right before the 2023 Oscars. This isn’t the first time she’s chopped it all off (maybe craving a fresh start with all the drama that’s been going on?) but since she’s a trendsetter in the beauty world, we know plenty of people will be following suit.

Hairstylist Kiyah Wright got the Old Hollywood memo for Laverne Cox’s voluminous curls on the Golden Globes red carpet. (If you want to try the look with hot rollers, DIY tips here.)

Bones and All actress Taylor Russell’s debut red carpet season made waves in all the right ways. Not only were the sartorial choices incredible (Alexander McQueen! Schiaparelli! Loads of couture vintage!), but her micro blunt bob was, too. This glossy look was created by Gigi and Bella Hadid-approved stylist Evanie Frausto.

“This January was the first time I had ever done a knotless braid bob style and you will 100 percent see me with it again in the near future. My knotless braid bob style was inspired by a cross between Coi Leray and Lori Harvey’s hairstyles to the Tom Ford show during fashion week in New York last September. I loved this style because it is super low maintenance, workout friendly, and provided the flexibility of styling. Sometimes I wore it half up-half down, in two space buns, a ponytail—the list goes on.” ~ ELLE Reader, Yemi Kolawole, Brooklyn, NY

The star of Netflix’s Squid Game, HoYeon Jung, is known for changing up her hair (Kathleen Hou reports she was known as the “model on fire” after a bit of a mixup at the salon). And while this lady-like bob at the Emmy Awards was just a faux hairstyle fete by Jenny Cho, we think she should brave the shears and go all in.

“I can’t argue with a haircut that requires little time to style and is chic with no makeup, full cat eye, errands, or evening wear. It’s one way I get to be effortless. Because my daily wardrobe goes anywhere from vintage slips and Converses to some kind of controversial all-black look.” ~ ELLE Reader, Kayla Marmillion, Austin, TX

Look familiar? That’s because this is the very haircut Reberta Charles referenced for their bob inspiration. Rihanna’s version, done by Ursula Stephen (who also cuts Zendaya’s hair!) this was a sexy change for the singer that lives on as one of her best looks.