While it’s never really gone out of style, the bob hairstyle is leading the way as one of the biggest hair trends of 2024 so far. From the effortlessly tousled French bob to the sharply-cut 90s bob, the appeal of this iconic haircut lies in its undeniable versatility. Whatever your hair texture or face shape, age or style, there will be a bob that works for you. And if you’re blessed with lots of hair? You’re in luck as bobs for thick hair look absolutely incredible.
However, with so many bob hairstyles to choose from, it can be tricky to know what to go for once you sit down at the salon. So, to understand exactly what the best bobs for thick hair are, I caught up with Adam Reed, hairstylist and founder of Arkive Headcare, to find out.
“You can really personalise [a bob] for thick hair. It can be textured and choppy, or you can take some of the weight out of it depending on how much the person wants the bob to be thinned out,” Reed explains. For inspiration, he highlights Alexa Chung as a muse. “That Alexa haircut is always a really good shape—she does have longer, thicker hair and it can be quite bulky so it’s a really good bob shape to reduce some of that.”
The best bobs for thick hair
As someone with thick hair myself, I’ve always been nervous about going for a bob in case it made my hair look quite blocky and triangular. However, Reed stresses that the beauty of a bob for thick hair is that it can be really tailored to you, but there are three styles he particularly rates. “The French bob, the boyfriend and the classic bob are all brilliant for thicker hair,” says Reed.
The French bob
A short, chin-grazing style, often worn with a fringe, the French bob is soft, effortlessly chic, soft and shows off textured hair particularly well.
The boyfriend bob
Slightly longer in length, is more of a jaw-length bob with thick, blunt ends—think Hailey Bieber. It looks best worn straight or with a wave, but looks so great with thick hair.
The classic bob
It’s a classic for a reason—the iconic bob hairstyle is sharply-cut with no layers or variation in length at all. For this reason, it’s recommended to make finer hair types look even thicker and therefore shows off naturally thick hair in all its glory.
How to style a bob for thick hair at home
If you have really thick hair then Reed recommends something like a Brazilian blow-dry in a salon will help to achieve that smooth, ‘90s-inspired bob style long-term. However, at home, using a tong or straightening iron “just to smooth it down and put a kink in it will help to give thick hair a really nice shape”. If you’re looking to reduce the bulkiness of a bob cut? “A smoothing cream or a bit of oil and primer will really help,” Reed explains.
The best bobs for thick hair
1. Blunt bob with fringe
I adore the juxtaposition between Yara Shahidi's blunt, chin-length bob and her softly sweeping fringe. So chic.
2. Flipped bob
Switching your parting up can be a great way to balance thick hair. Florence Pugh's flipped style keeps all of the volume at the roots for a glamorous bob.
3. Old-money bob
Glossy, voluminous and undeniably expensive-looking, the old money bob looks so chic on thick hair.
4. Italian bob
Slightly longer in length and incredibly bouncy, Zendaya proves that the Italian bob makes an impeccable choice for thicker hair types—especially if you like a hairstyle that feels polished.
5. Hydro bob
If you're not sure how to style your bob, take inspiration from Nicole Ari Parker's editorial wet-look waves which look so damn cool.
6. Micro bob
Just because your hair is thick doesn't mean that you have to avoid a super short cut. This ultra-shiny, razor-sharp micro bob is so striking.
7. Sleek, side-parted bob
I can't keep up with whether the side parting is in or out, but nobody can argue how elegant it looks when paired with this slick, long-length bob on Laura Harrier.
8. Hollywood bob
Tessa Thompson's elegant, wavy bob oozes timeless red carpet glamour.
9. Asymmetric bob
The asymmetric bob is making a comeback and it looks amazing on thick hair when you keep it longer at the front and shorter at the back to balance out your natural volume.
10. French bob
Perfectly capturing the effortlessly undone nature of a French bob, America Ferrera's beautiful cut would look amazing on every hair type.
