What I Wish I Knew Before Getting A Bob

Your Styling Techniques Are Definitely Going to Change

Every single person with a bob has their techniques for styling. The trick is to conduct your own experiments and find which one works well for you. 

For Gigi Hadid’s structured cut with natural, effortless texture, Chris McMillan taught her (and us, thanks to his videos) a simple styling trick: roughly tie damp hair back into a loose bun at the nape of the neck and let it air dry for a flippy bob. McMillan is also responsible for the modern resurgence of the bob, thanks to Leslie Bibb’s #clb (aka c**ty little bob) in The White Lotus. That polished look likely is accomplished with a plethora of styling tools, from blow dryers and brushes to flat irons and curling wands. 

Zero in on the look you’re seeking first: sleek, tousled, polished, etc., and then brainstorm how to get there with styling. If you’re really puzzled, as I was right after my first cut, book a styling appointment with a stylist you admire and state you’d like to be taught how to style your hair. 

For me, I do not want to look too polished. I’d rather lean toward Kurt Cobain’s grunge bob than Parent Trap’s Meredith Blake’s polished, Grace Kelly-esque bob. I’m a month into the bob, and I’m still figuring out my technique, but right now, freshly washed hair gets thrown into a hair towel for 30 minutes, and then any excess moisture is squeezed out of my strands. Do not comb. Combing with a Wet Brush seemed to make the hair lose its wild spirit. Instead, I use a wide-tooth comb in the shower while rinsing out my conditioner. Rake a styling cream through the damp ends, part it, scrunch waves back into place, and then don’t touch it. Let it air dry and still do not touch it—seriously. My slightly wavy locks can be coaxed into a slightly attractive curl if—and only if—I completely ignore it and don’t touch it after applying a styling cream. 

I’ve heard of some people putting on a baseball cap at this point, which helps to flatten down the sides (preventing it from looking too wig-like, a main complaint) and leave it looking more carefree. I also have had success tucking the sides behind my ears (or locking it into place with clips behind my ears for more comfort) for hair that has a bit of a wave in the front. I’ve had mild success also taking hair clips (I like how comfortable the KS&CO Leaf Hair Clips are, I’ve even slept in them and didn’t feel a thing.) and putting them into what I hope is an s-wave, or as much as a novice like me can muster. Although my hair can look far too ‘done’ with this technique, it can sometimes look more pulled together and polished–but not too much—for days when I need to look more presentable.

I also wash every two days, and the laissez-faire attitude I’m aiming for seems to come out more on the second day after it’s been slept on. When I had long strands, I used to try all manners of techniques to keep a heatless curl for day two, but since I’m going for more polished grunge than polished curls, the texture is usually more advantageous on day two, even without any texturizing products. 

Heat styling tools, particularly a blow dryer have made it look too perfect, almost wig-like and teetering very closely into Lord Farquaad territory. But this is my next bob-related thing to conquer, especially after Lanrick’s tips