The best bob for every face shape

Telegraph

09-05-2025

Gone are the days when chopping one's hair short meant you'd given up. The bob used to have a reputation as the style women turned to when they were too busy with sticky toddlers to maintain luscious locks, or when the menopause thinned out their formerly thick strands. That's old news.
At this week's Met Gala, edgy bobs were everywhere: Zoe Saldaña debuted a micro fringe, ditto Pamela Anderson who as per usual delighted onlookers with a radical new hairstyle to match her signature no-make-up attire.
Prior to the Met, the pin-up for the mum bob's edgy makeover was The White Lotus actor Leslie Bibb, who played one-third of a toxic friendship triangle in the just-wrapped season three. Her sweet-as-pie performance was sharpened by a crisp, jaw-length blonde bob, a silent character in Mike White's acclaimed franchise.
Bibb's bob has set social media alight in recent weeks, and more importantly, sent women racing for the salon chair.
'People are feeling empowered about going really short now,' explains George Northwood, the stylist-to-the-stars known for giving Alexa Chung her highly coveted shaggy bob in the Noughties. 'They're sticking two fingers up to the definition of femininity.'
Bibb echoes this sentiment – in a recent Instagram post by her hairdresser Chris McMillan, she jokes, 'Some people have the 'Rachel' [Green from TV series Friends ]'; I have the 'c-nty little bob''. This is no wispy 1990s flounce; this is a bold, decisive cut with attitude.
I myself was first acquainted with the power of an edgy bob in 2007 when watching a Rihanna music video. Awestruck, I took a picture of the singer to my hairdresser the next day. I was 11 years old.
I've grown my hair out several times since then. But last January I got the itch again – and slashed my long locks into a short crop. What can I say? The transformation is addictive. 'We decided on chin length to lean into that strong, clean silhouette, and juxtaposed it with a soft curtain fringe that starts at the eyes and flows into where the cheekbones naturally curve in,' explains my hair stylist Annah Bouscal of Violet Hill Studio, who cut my bob whilst I was visiting my home city in Canada. 'It draws the eye up and frames the features in the best way,' she adds.
@la_robinson so many ppl told me not to… but we're cutting the dead weight in 2024 @VioletHill.Studio rocked this transformation 😈 #haircut #bluntbob #shorthair ♬ original sound - Steph Barkley
I'm hooked, but many women question whether a bob will suit their face shape. Will a sharp style suit you if you don't have the cut-glass jawline of a Hollywood actress?
'If you're worried about the strength of your jawline, keep it really pure and one length, but on the longer side,' says George Northwood. His advice is echoed by celebrity hair dresser Larry King, who cut TV presenter Frankie Bridge's bob: 'You can still go short, but with a little more length at the back, so that when you tuck your hair behind your ears, you get a softness that frames the jaw.'
For maximum impact, King also advises keeping it all one colour, rather than showering it with streaks and highlights: 'if you start trying to break it up, that's when it starts to look like a mum bob'. Look to red carpet darling Greta Lee's inky black crop as a key example.
Below, Northwood and King weigh in on how to adapt the bob to suit your face shape, whether it's round, square, oval or heart shaped. Bear in mind most hairdressers don't suggest being rigid with the rules – if you have the confidence, you can pull off any hairstyle you desire.
The right cut for your face shape
Round
If you've got a more circular face, like Penelope Cruz, take care not to go too short. 'It can give your face more width, which you don't want. Round faces can often look wide,' says Northwood. 'Keep it on the longer side, and have it cut quite blunt; it will elongate your face and bring out the bone structure.' Cruz followed these instructions to a tee when debuting her rich honey-dipped bob at the Chanel fashion show in Paris last year.
If you're keen on trying an ultra-short bob, however, King has some pro tips: 'You might add a bit of a fringe to make it edgier and cut the length to just above the jaw. That shape will frame the corner of the mouth,' serving to accentuate and flatter your features.
Oval
On the opposite end of the face shape spectrum, ovals can experiment with shorter cuts. 'You want it to be choppy and free and wispy, so it gives you more volume,' says Northwood. Look to Bibb's bobbed co-star Carrie Coon, another White Lotus star, carries off an edgy bob, but with textured pieces for a more tousled look. If you're going for a blunter cut, look to Ayo Edebiri and Michelle Williams, who both soften their bobs by tucking their hair behind their ears with a charming retro flick.
Square
Blessed with strong jawlines, square shapes should opt for a softer cut to complement the angles of their face. Northwood says: 'A bob is good for this face shape; I'd go for a choppier cut.' Khloé Kardashian recently debuted a thick, chocolatey bob which social media has dubbed the 'old money bob' due to its luxurious texture.
Northwood adds: 'I love this look, but something a bit more choppy and free would look a bit less hard. In general, a softer cut balances out the strength of an angular jaw.'
Heart
If you've got a heart-shaped face, then you've got carte blanche to snip, chop and change your cut as you fancy. 'Most bobs suit a heart shaped face,' explains Northwood, who references his clients Lily Collins and Princess Olympia of Greece as prime examples: 'Heart shapes can be quite elfin, and they can carry off a short cut. If someone has this facial structure I would cut it blunt to balance out a dainty jaw and chin – you can go for a real statement.'
How to style your bob
While a short chop is a breezy, relatively fuss-free cut (great for the upcoming summer heat), it does require its own brand of maintenance. I personally like to blow dry mine inward with a round brush for that classic bevelled look, but on days where there's simply no time, I opt for a leave-in conditioning treatment and some hair oil, then let it dry whilst tucked behind my ears. That way, the front pieces take on a curved, face-framing shape. My hair is also quite thick and coarse so my hair stylist Annah Bouscal recommends Oribe's Straight Away Smoothing Blowout cream (£48, Oribe) to tame it.
If you've got naturally curly hair, King advises curl cream on days you want to leave it natural, and diffusing it on days you want to give it more volume. If your hair is pin-straight, you'll be able to wash and go with a bit of cream or mousse to give it some hold, and if you're after lift and texture, then try a volumising mist or root powder.
If you're having reservations about making the cut, remember that losing a few inches gains major style points. A bold bob is the best accessory to any outfit this season. 'It's such a strong fashion look,' enthuses King. 'You can vary up your style depending on what you're wearing.' With a floaty summer dress, King says to use a bit of mousse and leave it to dry naturally, flipping it from side to side. For more of a statement he suggests you blow-dry it straight.
Whatever your style, there's a new season bob to suit you.