A Short Layered Bob Is Summer's Freshest Haircut, Here's How To Style It

Elle

4 days ago

A short layered bob has a timeless appeal; it's effortless to style, feels light for summer, and it looks flattering across multiple face shapes and hair textures. Some styles will veer more choppy (think Winona Ryder in the '90s), while other cuts offer a softer edge which emphasises natural texture - the key is finding the right layer placement and finish for you.
'There are different types of bobs: blunt, textured, and layered. A bob with layers creates a messy, textured look that suits all hair types and textures,' says Kamila Pruszek, Co-Owner of Blue Tit Portobello.
Here, expert stylists give us the rundown on getting a short layered bob for summer 2025, including how to style it and exactly what to ask you hairdresser for.
A short layered bob is as simple as the name suggestions; it's a cropped (typically near chin-length) cut with a snippy finish and layers throughout. It can appear differently depending on your hair texture, but is best suited to strands with some natural movement.
'A short, layered bob is a haircut, usually cut at chin length or slightly above the chin, with soft face framing layers around the hairline,' says Andreas Wild, John Frieda's Creative Stylist Ambassador. 'What's great about a short, layered bob is that you can cut and style in many different ways to suit many different face shapes. Although, if you already have a rounder face shape or a sharper jawline, I recommend keeping the layers longer to compliment your features.'
We would never recommend cutting a layered bob yourself, however knowing specifically what to ask your hairdresser for is imperative.
'To cut a short, layered bob, I would recommend keeping the baseline length strong, weaving in a few face framing layers around the hairline,' says Wild. 'It's best to not layer too much at the base of the hair to avoid feathering, and if cut too short, the hair can look imbalanced.
When it comes to styling your short layered bob, an effortless approach is to lean into your hair's natural texture.
'I like low-maintenance hairstyles, so I would go for a look that you can mostly let air-dry naturally, or use a minimal blow-dry while using your fingers to gently shape and tousle the hair,' says Pruszek.
If you were born with fine or pin-straight natural tresses, a little more handiwork will be required. 'A short layered bob can be styled in various ways. I personally love to use a diffuser to work with the natural volume and texture of the hair. Alternatively, the hair can either be blow dried and styled with straighteners (using the S wave technique) or a hair tong to add extra texture and volume,' says Wild. 'As a final step, I love to use the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Agent Touch-Up Crème to run through the hair's lengths. It's best not to style the root of the hair as this can often make the hair cut look old fashioned and rounder.
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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.