It's Official: A Blonde Bob Haircut Is The Go-To Style for 2024
If Kendall Jenner’s most recent decision tells us anything, it’s that a blonde bob haircut is going nowhere fast. Debuting a sunshine-toned collarbone-skimming blonde during Fashion Weeks and most recently the Academy Museum Gala in LA, Jenner’s bob is a stark revamp from her usual tousled brunette lengths.
Then, there’s the side-swept, flippy blonde bob that Zendaya introduced during her Challengers press tour earlier in the year. Equals parts classic and chic – with a small nod to the 50s American diner aesthetic – Zendaya’s blonde bob melted toffee, caramel and cinnamon shades together.
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Of course, there are the classic blonde bobs, with Marilyn Monroe, Debbie Harris, Victoria Beckham, Twiggy and Beyoncé gliding to the front of our minds. Fortunately, the longevity of the blonde ‘do doesn’t negate its innate cool factor. It’s still being rethought and revamped depending on the season and the person wearing it. Here, we detail the tips to know before you cut or colour and some of the most beautiful ways to wear the style today. A blonde bob haircut manifesto, of sorts.
What is the most flattering length for a bob?
While this depends on an individual’s face shape and feature position, as well as personal styling preferences (like whether being able to tie your hair up is non-negotiable), there are a few guiding factors to knowing what you want.
'Generally, a length that sits between the chin and collarbone tends to be the most versatile,' advises Taylor Taylor hairstylist Zoe Adams. 'For finer hair, a shorter bob can create the illusion of thickness, while thicker hair may benefit from a longer bob with layers to reduce bulk. Factors such as neck length and even personal style should also be considered as a bob can be tailored to bring out your best features.'
How to decide the right shade of blonde for you
Before you reach for the kitchen scissors (we jest, please do not do this unless you are either extremely confident or have a naturally resilient personality), another thing to consider is the type of blonde bob you’d like. Things like shade tone and warmth, as well as the placement of high and lowlights, can drastically alter the finished effect.
'The most popular blonde shades tend to shift with the seasons,' Billy Supple, a senior stylist at ADEM London, tells ELLE UK. 'In the warmer months, clients often go for brighter, sun-kissed blondes like buttery or golden tones, which give a natural summer glow.' It makes sense. The clothing and nail choices we make follow the same trend. As the nights grow longer and the weather warmer, the colours we choose change from merlots and burgundies to oranges and pinks. 'Then,' Supple continues, 'in the cooler months, deeper, richer blondes such as honey, caramel, or even ashier tones become more popular. These shades add warmth and dimension, complementing the change in wardrobe and lighting.'
Just remember, your skin’s natural undertone will be a deciding factor in the type of blonde that suits you best. This means a colour that doesn’t wash you out or exacerbate redness or sallowness but brings out your best, most radiant qualities. A colour consultation or chat with your hairstylist will be critical in getting this right. Reference photographs are always helpful aids but they might not be the be-all-and-end-all in figuring out the best shade for you.
What is the most popular bob haircut?
As with every trend, the most popular fashions change over time. Last year, it would likely be the collarbone-length flippy blonde bob, worn by Jenner and Zendaya. Two years before that and the French bob would have likely pipped it to the post. In the 00s it was a razor-sharp asymmetrical shape that skimmed the jawline and grew longer around the chin. Next year, it could be something else entirely. Finding the style that works for your face is what keeps it looking timeless.
16 blonde bob haircut inspiration pictures to save and screenshot for later
Toffee Blonde Bob Haircut
Blonde needn’t mean bleached within an inch of its life – here, a warm, sugary toffee colour is focused on the upper layers and towards the face, giving dimension and lightness to the curls.
Bombshell Blonde Bob Haircut
If ever there was a person worthy of the word bombshell, it would be Ms. B. This va-va-voom blonde bob has body and volume, scraped over to the side for an effortlessly sexy finish.
Ice Blonde Bob Haircut
While the upkeep on very light, white-blonde shades is high, the ultimate effect is more than worth it. Emma Chamberlain’s flipped-out icy blonde bob is a testament to the statement it can create, adorned here simply with thousands of bobby pins.
Blunt Blonde Bob Haircut
A razor-sharp edge can create weight in the bottom of the hair, giving the impression of thick, healthy strands.
Darker Roots Blonde Bob
Extend the time between appointments with a darker-at-the-roots style. It’ll allow you to fudge the line between regrowth and intentional root smudge while still keeping the ends super light and blonde.
Creamy Blonde Bob
If TikTok had a favourite blonde bob, I’d bet it would be this old-money blonde bob – a swooshy, layered bob that looks as if it was plucked directly from a Chanel advert.
Balayage Blonde Bob
It might be a departure from her dead-straight bob of years past but VB’s tousled, blonde-tipped bob is golden and ethereal – a nod to summer even when temperatures plummet.
Dirty Blonde Bob
The last point before we enter brown bob territory, the very faint touches of blonde around the face are a touch to the face-framing trends of last year. Moneypiece highlights, anyone?
Braided Blonde Bob
Weave golden tones into the hair with this face-skimming symmetrical style. Extra points for a perfectly paired red lip.
Collarbone Blonde Bob
This Barbie loves a bob! Margot’s collarbone-bob is lowkey and infinitely cool – as if she just happened to wake up with the cut of the season.
Sunshine Blonde Bob
A sunshine-blonde bob refers to a colour that brings light, warm yellow tones into the hair, as seen here on supermodel Gigi Hadid.
Bottleneck Blonde Bob
Bottleneck bobs blend the best parts of indie culture with a classic, nape-length cut. A darker root and bottom layers can help to keep it feeling edgy without veering into asymmetric shapes and lengths.
Blonde Midi Bob
A style that brings together the best parts of curtain bangs and face-framing layers, this cut is ideal if you like to switch up your look regularly.
Flippy Blonde Bob
Reminiscent of Mad Men and January Jones, this flipped-out blonde bob is parted to the side, with a round, barrel shape at the bottom. Easy to effect, simply wrap the ends of the hair around a large curling iron and voila!
Vanilla Blonde Bob
This off-centre style is an update to the classic bombshell bob. The rounded ends give the illusion of thickness and vitality to the hair while the just off-centre parting keeps it feeling modern and fresh. Not to mention the way the white-blonde highlights seem to just slip over the hair like honey.
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