3 Bob Haircuts For Fine Hair That Sing Summer

Elle

6 days ago

If you've got fine hair, but desperately want to brave the chop and get a bob this summer, we've got some good news - there's plenty of sophisticated options for every texture and style. It's all about finding the right shape for you.
The bad news is, not every type of bob haircut will work for thinner hair types. In fact, a bob for fine hair requires completely different considerations to that of fuller heads, so it's important to have a trained eye and expert hand at the helm of your fresh 'do. That being said, when cut and styled well, a bob can be transformative for wispier hair types - not to mention, it makes the ultimate summer refresh.
Here, Luke Sawyer, creative director at Taylor Taylor London's Portobello Salon and session stylist Abigail Constanza break down the best bob haircuts for fine hair types to sport this summer.
Not to dissimilar to summer's coveted 'snap bob', this clean, statement style is ready-made for finer hair types. Plus, it's already been adopted by the likes of Lily Collins and Carey Mulligan.
'Think ultra-clean lines, subtle graduation and a graphic silhouette that sits just at the jawline, this is all about precision cutting but with a timeless French energy (imagine a modern-day Amélie with sharper edges), but it's evolved for 2025 with more structure and less softness,' says Luke Sawyer, creative director of Taylor Taylor London's Portobello Salon. 'It's best on straight to slightly wavy textures, this look is incredible on oval, square and heart shaped faces. It's definitely a power cut and unapologetically confident! It works beautifully across all hair types when tailored right, but relies on strong perimeter lines to make its statement.'
When it comes to styling, a traditional round brush or a set of quality hair straighteners will be your best friend. 'For a polished finish, a sleek blow-dry with a round brush is your go to,' says Sawyer. 'I'd add a drop of serum through the ends and flat iron if needed for that razor-sharp effect. For something more lived-in, mist with a light texturising spray and scrunch slightly for an undone feel.'
When it comes to the appointment itself, ask your hairdresser for a blunt, boxy bob with clean lines and minimal layering. 'Make sure they tailor the perimeter to your jawline as a true sculpted bob should enhance your bone structure, not fight it and also don't forget to chat fringe options, a micro fringe can completely transform the look if you're feeling brave.'
If you want a bob that veers on soft, as opposed to something dramatic and sharp, introducing subtle layers is an absolute must.
'The airy layered bob is a soft, floaty and full of movement - the anti-blunt bob. Layers are definitely making a comeback and this style offers a lightness for summer without sacrificing shape. It has an almost 70s silhouette but modernised for today with seamless layering and airy texture,' says Sawyer. 'This look is perfect for medium to fine hair that needs a bit more life and a real game-changer for naturally wavy or curly textures. This cut flatters round and longer face shapes especially well, but can be tweaked to suit anyone with the right layering.'
When it comes to styling, it really depends on your personal hair texture. 'Diffuse waves or curls with a curl cream, or air dry with a salt spray for a soft beachy texture. The beauty of this cut is that it looks intentional even when air dried, which is ideal for low-maintenance people with a high-style vibe.'
Ask your hairdresser for a chin-to-collarbone bob with invisible layers or soft internal layering, he says. 'Emphasise that you want movement rather than volume. It's that effortlessness vibe where you can pretend you just jumped out of bed like that.'
A short layered bob has always been chic, and it doesn't look as though its allure is slowing down any time soon. The best layered cut of them all? The famous French bob. This timeless cut is perfect for fine hair with a little bit of wave. The key for summer 2025: adding a soft, bottleneck fringe for even more definition and shape.
'Think classic Parisian cool,' says session stylist Abigail Constanza. 'Chin-length, a little bit cheeky, and paired with soft bottleneck bangs. It's low-maintenance but has real character.'
When it comes to your appointment itself, be specific about the length and layers you want. 'Ask for a chin-length bob with minimal layers, textured ends, and bottleneck bangs that taper out into the sides,' she says. 'To style, A little mousse at the root and a diffuser for natural wave works perfectly, or wear it sleek with a glossing serum for that lived-in polish.'
If in doubt, this look is effortlessly finished with a generous spritz of texture spray or a scrunch with some lightweight defining mousse.
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Katie Withington (she/her) is the Beauty Writer, at ELLE UK and Harper's Bazaar. Working alongside the ELLE UK Beauty Team, she covers all things beauty for both print and digital, from finding backstage make-up trends at London Fashion Week and investigating buzzy skincare ingredients, to unzipping the beauty bags of Hailey Bieber and Margot Robbie. Prior to joining ELLE UK in 2022, Katie studied (BA) Fashion Journalism at London College of Fashion and has previously contributed to Red, Good Housekeeping and Prima.