As far as haircuts go, the French bob is leading the charge for summer. As temperatures heat up, some may get the urge for the big chop. Among the latest to go short is Sofia Richie, who recently traded in her signature long waves and slicked-back bun for a fresh summer haircut.
If you’ve ever watched Amélie, you’re definitely familiar with the cut. For the uninitiated, it’s basically a super-short, blunt bob, often with bangs, that looks perfectly at home paired with a beret.
“A French bob is typically shorter than your typical chin-length bob we’ve been seeing a lot of lately,” says celebrity hairstylist Alex Brown. “It has a bit of a ‘wedge’ look to it, and is so chic and stylish.”
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The real differentiator from the more standard bobs we’re used to seeing is the length. According to celeb hairstylist Peter Butler, the French bob originated in the ’20s jazz age, so it has that really short, crisp, dramatic flapper look. “It has to be cut so that it hits your jaw line,” he says. “Traditionally, it can also go shorter and hit your lip line. Both lengths look amazing and fresh.”
While historically the French bob has had more of a pin-straight look, Brown says the most modern way to wear it is effortlessly and wavy.
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Butler agrees and says it’s all about texture and movement: “Keep it simple and effortless—this is the essence of the French bob.” To style it, he recommends letting your hair air-dry, or rough-dry it with a blowdryer without using a brush. He likes to use Leonor Greyl Algues et Fleurs to boost waves, and Leonor Greyl Tonic Hydratant to refresh texture on second-day hair or before a night out.
Richie’s hairstylist George Curran opted for movement in the form of a bouncy blowout, using a round brush and blow dryer to create volume and a soft curve. Curran shared a behind-the-scenes video of Richie’s French bob on his Instagram account, where the duo shared some background on the new look. According to Richie, her new chop was a result of hair damage from keratin treatments, which uses chemicals to smooth frizzy or curly hair.
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“Alright, I’ve been thinking long and hard about this,” Richie says in the video. “I did one too many keratin treatments on my hair, and over the past six months I’ve just been cutting at it and cutting at it hoping that I could get this dead [hair] away and it’s just not going away. And I know what I have to do to make this hair healthy again, and it’s to start over. So we’re cutting a bob.”
As for getting the actual cut, the rules are simple. Be particular about where you want the length to hit (chin? jawline? cheeks?) and explain to your stylist how you plan on styling it every day. And as always, bring plenty of photos that exemplify your hair type and texture so you’re not disappointed.
To make that a little easier, we rounded up French bob inspiration we’re loving right now.
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The post The French Bob Is Summer’s Most Chic Haircut appeared first on Glamour.
