Basic Bob? Think Again.
With even a hint of warm weather in the air, spring starts to come to mind. Runways have already featured what’s in store for fall, but I want to relish everything spring and summer while I can. The impending warm weather seems to have inspired many a cropped head of hair. From Sienna Miller to Nicole Richie, bobs have surfaced as the latest trend.
The thing I love about bobs is that to me they are anything but trendy. A bobbed haircut can be anything. It can be classic, frigid, edgy or even fun – there is so much room for interpretation. What’s key is styling, and slight changes that take the cut from one moment to the next. It is a universally flattering style (except, apparently, on Condoleezza Rice) and works for any face shape or hair texture.
Ready for a change, Amanda was the perfect candidate for a bob. Her fine-textured, moderately wavy hair needed a bit of sprucing up. She wanted a cut that was versatile – something easy to wash and go, but could be dressed up for a night on the town. We decided on an angled bob, slightly shorter in the back that angles to a point in the front. To keep the bob fresh, we added choppy layers and heavily razored the bottom of her cut so it would lie softly. Side-swept bangs were a natural addition. They were cut on a strong angle so that she could decide to wear some pieces as regular bangs, or tuck the bulk of the bang area behind her ears if she wanted to get them out of her face. There were some short pieces cut randomly throughout her hair to add some lift. These pieces give movement, while being subtle enough to blend in with the rest of her hair. Soft highlights were added to enhance the cut, while some thick flashes of color underneath to add a little bit of punch in just the right light.
Thinking about chopping your hair into a bob? (with the aid of a stylist, of course) Some things to remember:
- Layers make everything better.
- For finer hair, a blunt-cut bob creates the illusion of fullness. Layers are still needed, but they should be light and not be cut too deep into your hair. (i.e. your stylist should not cut layers “below the round” of your head)
- Curly hair bobs are great, but beware of the dreaded pyramid shape. The type of curl dictates how the layers will go, but subtle tapering through the bottom is important to keep the bottom of the haircut from squaring off.
For some great examples of how flattering a bob can be, take a look at Amanda's before and after shots.
~~~ Erin
