Demi Moore, who showed off her new cropped style in Milan last week, is just the latest in a long line of celebrities to see the beauty of a bob.
From Madonna to Gwyneth Paltrow, most A-listers have had a bob at some stage.
Anna Wintour has had one since she was 14, and has said multiple times she will never change it.
My own membership of The Bob Club has come later in life, aged 54.
A couple of weeks ago, after 30 years of long Farrah Fawcett-y flicks, I decided to go for the chop.
A recent illness and mid-life thinning had left me with extremely fine hair, which felt straggly and messy. So one morning at my regular blow-dry, the hairdresser I’ve relied on for 25 years, Michael Charalambous, told me a bob was required. As he has previously bobbed clients including Claudia Winkleman and Ivana Trump, I gave him full permission.
Fashion editor friends messaged me on Instagram welcoming me to the club, and everyone (apart from my husband, who needed some time to adjust) thought it was a success.
Demi Moore, who showed off her new cropped style in Milan last week, is just the latest in a long line of celebrities to see the beauty of a bob
Lots said it made me look younger – always a plus.
I love how it elongates my neck, and how I sit up a bit straighter with it, whether at my desk or at dinner. It makes me feel more poised.
Whatever I’m wearing, I feel much more pulled together with a bob. Not to mention the time and money I’m saving with such a low-maintenance cut – expensive shampoos and conditioners go much further if you’re barely using a 10p-sized amount every wash.
Talking to hairdresser Richard Ward, who has cut and styled the Princess of Wales’s hair, I was thrilled to discover that my classic bob is apparently the shape of 2026, ideally without a fringe if your face shape allows it.
‘The iconic, sculpted and precise bob is polished, chic and harks back to the bobs of Vidal Sassoon,’ he says.
‘Versatile and forgiving, it can be worn short or longer or flicked out, depending on your face shape.’
I ask him whether he’s cut any royal bobs, to which he replies: ‘Catherine will end up with one at some point. She often talks about going shorter, and it’s such a classic style which would work well on her.’
Hairstylist Sam McKnight agrees that classic bobs are very much in. ‘From wet looks to sleek, glossy, smooth styles, the spring/summer runway was all about sculpted, architectural bob silhouettes that feel modern and polished.’
There is no room for flyaways or frizz, he cautions – we’re aiming for ‘strands that catch the light and are almost liquid-like’.
Luke Hersheson, who cut Keira Knightley’s flicked-out bob, says: ‘The key to keeping a bob flattering is there must be a gap between the shoulder and jawline, to give it nice, graphic structure.’
Of course, there are many iterations of the bob. Aside from Anna Wintour’s statement power bob, there’s the slightly easier to wear ‘Lob’, a long bob, as seen currently on actresses Penelope Cruz and Halle Berry. Then there’s the more angular ‘Pob’ – Posh + bob, made famous by Posh Spice in the early 2000s. Also cut by Hersheson, it’s longer at the front than the back, and can be very flattering on most face shapes.
Back in the real world, what about us frazzled, time-poor midlifers? How do we rock a bob that’s flattering, looks cool and is definitely not mumsy? Here’s what the experts say…
LUCIA FERRARI: I love how my new bob elongates my neck, and how I sit up a bit straighter with it, whether at my desk or at dinner
MIDLIFE BOB RULES
Keep ends precise
Richard Ward says: ‘If you’ve opted for a classic bob, you really need to have a trim every six weeks to keep it looking sharp.’
Use volume products
‘Youthful hair doesn’t have to be complicated,’ says Sam McKnight. ‘If your hair is thinning, volumising products are key.
‘Root volumisers give your roots lift, hold hair in place, and give the appearance of fuller, thicker hair. Ideal for those who don’t blow-dry all their hair from wet to dry.
‘You can use your fingers, a brush, or tip your head upside down and dry your roots lifted up for best results.’
Try a no-blow-dry
‘A dry texturising spray or dry shampoo can transform thinning hair,’ advises McKnight. ‘A few spritzes applied through the roots and lengths will give your hair volume, body and lift in seconds. It can be popped in your handbag and used on the go – no skill required.’
I’ve found this transformative. Apply dry shampoo to the roots, smudge it in with fingers and hair instantly looks much thicker on the crown.
Add some movement
‘To keep bobs from looking too mumsy, try air-drying for natural movement and texture,’ says Luke Hersheson. ‘But if that’s not your thing, blow-dry it straight then use tongs to give it a more rock-star feel.
If you’ve got a flicked-out bob, don’t have the flick shoulder length as this can be ageing.’
Consider face shape
If your face is quite round, avoid a fringe and choose a longer, angled bob which will slim the face. A long, thin face will benefit from a shorter bob shape. A graduated bob will add volume and is flattering to most face shapes.
Invest in rollers
Stylist Conor Mclaughlin at Hershesons says: ‘If you’re not great at blow-drying at home, invest in some velcro rollers to give hair oomph and polish and make your blow-dry last a few more days.’
When Mclaughlin sets my hair, I can make it last a week with this technique.
