Whether it’s Hailey Bieber cosigning the look or the warmer weather making us want to shed everything from clothes to common sense to a few inches off our hair, this much is true: bobs are back with a vengeance. The ever-popular short haircut has been spotted on some of Hollywood’s biggest stars over the past few years, and as a result, the style is being re-created by influencers and beauty enthusiasts alike.
The best part about a beauty moment being championed by the masses is all the little ways that people take the trend and make it their own. So goes the story of the “slob” haircut, the coolest new iteration of the bob. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the latest haircut trend — which, we swear, isn’t at all how it sounds.
Experts Featured in This Article
Martika Cogdell is a hairstylist based in New York City and Atlanta.
What Is a Slob Haircut?
“The term ‘slob’ comes from the blend of the two words: sleek and bob,” hairstylist Martika Cogdell tells PS. “It’s a chic, minimalistic cut that’s low-maintenance and doesn’t require much styling.”
The slob is different from a regular bob in one particular way: the shape. “Whereas normal bobs are usually cut to frame and shape the face depending on the texture or layers added to the look, slobs are bone straight and come to a very blunt end across the perimeter of the head,” Cogdell says.
Celebrities are already loving the trend. Sarah Michelle Gellar wore a slob to the GLAAD Media Awards in 2023 and Kelly Rowland was seen in the look for the Roc Nation Brunch that same year.
How to Get the Slob Haircut
Should you want to get in on the trend, Cogdell has some tips to bring with you when you go to see your hairstylist. “To achieve this look, I’d recommend at least collarbone-length hair or adding extensions to get to that length if your hair is shorter,” Cogdell says. “Starting with a blunt-cut base, your stylist should use the slither-cutting method (holding the hair midlength and lightly flicking the shears downward) to eliminate some of the density in your ends.”
This density would typically be incorporated into a regular bob, but that lighter-than-air look is another key trait of the slob that you’ll want to nail. “Follow it with a bone-straight press, and you’ve achieved the slob,” she says. If you’re eager to try the latest bob that’s about to take over your social feeds, take a closer look at some of the versions of the look that belonged on your mood board, like, yesterday.