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When it comes to haircuts, and our ever-present desire for makeovers, fresh starts, and finding our definitive, signature style, how many different haircuts, colours and lengths have we tried? It would be rare to find any woman who’s come of age and not gone for some sort of chop at least once. But hot on the heels of Pippa O’Connor and Vogue Williams, Irish women are being tempted by the blunt, shorter haircuts that bear more than a passing nod to an iconic style.
The bob is the original transformative cut, one with a version to suit everyone. As most know, its origins come from the 1960s when Twiggy, Mary Quant and Liza Minnelli made Vidal Sassoon’s short, angular haircut the only thing to pair with mini-skirts, panda eyes and a rebellious attitude. Some were very short and pointy, others added bouffant backcombing to the crown, others still were longer, like a feminine full stop, and many incorporated heavy or geometric fringes. As the style passed from generation to generation, adaptations evolved; undercuts, curves, shaved sideburns, precision cutting, as well softer options that leave scope for waves and different styling, which seems to be what we’re seeing lots of right now.
“The first thing I’ll always ask is, do you have time to style this every morning? Depending on their hair type, I’ll explain what’s involved to get it to look like my cut on the day. I’ll show them a couple of styling techniques, but first and foremost, it’s going to require maybe an extra 10 or 15 minutes every day. If they’re okay with that, and open to embracing clips and hairbands, then rock on.”
When it comes to overall personal style, a bob is the epitome of a statement haircut. “It’s a strong look,” says Karen Roberts, owner of The Hive salon in Dublin. “And remember, you’re now dressing from the head down every day, so you need to commit, and lean in with statement fashion and make-up – like a strong cat-eye – to complement your overall look. Adding a fringe to a bob is a great way to amplify personal style.
Dawn French’s sharp, heavy fringe is so much part of her, while Gen Ys more often opt for curtain bangs which can be styled in various ways.” “Waves are always high in demand,” notes Adam, “and work well with choppy ends, like the way Vogue Williams wears her bob. I always remind clients that they’ll most likely come into the salon for waves, so don’t decide on a haircut centred around that level of home maintenance.”
Looking at overall style, Karen adds, “Balayage, money pieces and face-faming highlights all work well with bobs. Equally, I think a bleached bob is the coolest thing for someone with quite an androgenous look.”
Karen is an advocate for the use of extensions in enhancing the sharpest, sleekest bobs. “Often clients might be growing out a hairstyle, or may have thinner hair at the side, so the addition of some extensions will sharpen a bob cut, create a heavier baseline, and extend the choice of style we can go for. Right now, there are loads of options between bonds and tapes, but there is also a new generation of super-fine extensions coming down the line that can be invisibly attached, hair-by-hair, to fringes and hairlines. These add length and density to parts of the head that were notoriously difficult to blend or give volume.”
“I’m not surprised women with long hair absolutely love bobs once they’re cut,” says Conor. “And there definitely seems to be a spark of a trend for them right now. I always notice bobs become popular towards the end of summer and this year, I get it. My own hair is longer than a bob, and I cannot wear it down because it’s so clammy. Just remember, you’re entering a whole new world. Be prepared to cut your hair more frequently, and spend some time looking at YouTube because styling is a completely different ball-game. But once you get with it, there’s nothing better than some air on the neck!”
Conor Doyle
Great for prep, Eleven Australia I Want Body Volume Foam (€18) allows you to play around with bending different shapes and kinds of loose waves. The brand’s I Want Body Texture Spray (€19.95) holds a style beautifully while still giving it an uncontrived, undone look, while Olaplex No 6 Bond Smoother (€29.50) is a stellar styling cream to tame coarse/dry hair into a sleek bob.
Karen Roberts
Color Wow Style on Steroids Texture Spray (€29) gives excellent root lift and volume, the essential start when blow-drying a bob. After a fresh salon blow-dry, use Moroccan Oil Dry Shampoo (€20.95) to add an extra day or two to your style – it comes in light and dark tones. Finally, a great quick home or in-salon treatment between cutting and colouring is Wella Color Fresh mask (€18.45). It nourishes the hair and adds a semi-permanent tint to keep colour looking amazing.
Adam Cunningham
The iconic Kerastase Bain Satin shampoo and conditioner (€54.95) that launched the brand offers ultra-light nourishment for silky-soft hair, while Kerastase Discipline Fondant Fluidéaliste (€35) is great for frizzy or curly hair, and also works as a heat-protectant when styling. In terms of kit, GHD Helios hair dryer (€189) is the best one I’ve ever used. Strong, quick and effective, but safe. It has a built-in light – if you get too close or hair gets too hot, it flashes to let you know.
This article originally appeared in the Autumn 2024 issue of IMAGE.
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