3 different ways to style your bob
Who said a short hairstyle couldn’t be versatile?
Who said a short hairstyle couldn’t be versatile?
If you’ve undergone a major hair change chances are you’ve been inspired to chop a whole lot of length off your tresses in favour of the on-trend bob haircut. And you most certainly aren’t alone. We need only look to recent red carpet events and celebrity Instagram feeds to see one celebrity after another sporting a stylish bob cut, too.
But if you’ve jumped on board 2017’s hottest hair trend and now aren’t too sure exactly how to style your new short bob, have no fear! Celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan, who is responsible for the cool-girl manes of a plethora of celebrities – including Olivia Culpo, Khloe Kardashian and Nicole Scherzinger, teamed up with InStyle to share three different and simple ways to style your chin-length bob in one how-to short hair video.
1
Flat iron waves
The first look Marjan suggests trying involves using your hair straightener to create a subtle wavy bob with texture throughout your medium-length bob. To start, Marjan recommends creating a middle part and taking a small section of hair in your straightener. Tilt your wrist forward and pull down about a third of the way, then tilt your wrist back while you pull down for another third, then flick your wrist forward one last time until you reach the ends. Repeat this process until all your hair is wavy.
If you can’t quite picture the technique, watch Marjan’s how-to video tutorial below.
2
Spiral ribbon curls
For a tighter, more textured, curly hair look, try Marjan’s spiral curls hairstyle. She prefers to use a straightener over a curling wand for this curly bob hairstyle. First, create a side part on the opposite side to where you plan on wearing it and take small sections of hair into your straightener (point your flat iron directly downwards). Twist the straightener slightly – away from the face – so the hair is wrapped around the hot irons, then pull down as you keep a gentle clamp on the hair. This will form a tight-ish curl.
Once all the hair has been curled, Marjan likes to massage the roots to create volume, before flipping the hair back over to the side you wish to wear it. Not only does this leave the finished style with a piecey ‘undone’ quality, it also adds serious lift at the part.
3
Half-up topknot
The half-up topknot is perfect for third (or even fourth) day hair that’s been textured from previous days of styling and is a little gritty and dirty. If you have fine hair, use a salt spray to help boost your beachy waves texture for that 'lived in' messy bob.
To create this short hairstyle, simply pull the top third of your hair back and secure it with an elastic. Marjan notes that it’s important to just use your fingers for this step as a brush will leave the hair looking too polished and sleek.
Once the hair is secured, twist the ponytail around the elastic like you’re creating a bun and tie the hair into a small knot before securing the tail with bobby pins.
The optional last step is to enhance the texture of your waves at the bottom by following the same technique as Look # 1.
To see Marjan’s three tutorials in full, watch her bob styling video featuring Olivia Culpo. All three of these looks also work on long hair.
Not sure whether a blunt bob, choppy bob, straight bob or long bob will suit your hair type or face shape best? Follow these expert tips for finding the best bob hairstyles for you.
A pixie cut is more versatile than you think, too. Here are five ways to style short hair.
What’s your favourite way to style your shoulder-length hair? Let us know in the comments below.
Image credit: @lucyhale
Kate started working for BEAUTYcrew in early 2016, first as a contributor, and was then named Beauty Writer in 2017. She loves picking the brains of the industry's top experts to get to the bottom of beauty's toughest questions. Bronze eyeshadow palettes are her weakness and she's forever on the hunt for the perfect nude nail polish to suit her fair skin. Her words can also be found in Men's Health magazine, and she now works in PR.
