Pinterest’s Most Popular Bob Hairstyles in 2014

The bob haircut rose to popularity in the 1920s and is making a comeback in 2014. Here are some of the most popular bob hairstyles trending right now as seen on Pinterest.

Although long hair was once thought of as the ultimate symbol of femininity, women have been bucking convention and cutting their hair short for decades. Although women were known to cut their hair before the First World War, this had more to do with the need for a more serviceable style for the war effort than it did with any trends that were circulating at the time. It wasn’t until later that the bob really first came into vogue on a mass scale.

After World War One, free-spirited film stars like Louise Brooks inspired a generation of women to cut their hair, and in the post-war jubilation that became known as the Roaring Twenties, women did just that. By the mid-1920s, the bob hairstyle became the most popular hairstyle for women in the western world.

It should come as no surprise then that this style that was so synonymous with female emancipation and the party atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties should appeal to the modern woman. If the abundance of bob hairstyles on Pinterest are anything to go by, the bob hairstyle is very much alive and well in the year 2014 and probably will be for decades to come.

As one would expect, the modern bob has evolved a bit over the years to include a multitude of different lengths, hair textures, and color options. Of all of the possibilities that are showcased on Pinterest, there seem to be three main style archetypes that the new, modern bob falls into: The classic bob, the stacked bob, and the long bob.

#1 The Classic Bob

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As worn by the inimitable Anna Wintour, the Editor-in-Chief of U.S. Vogue Magazine, the classic bob is the version of the bob that is perhaps most similar to the original cut from the 1920s. Vintage appeal aside, this classic bob with the heavy fringe over the eyes can be a difficult style for those with long oval and round faces, and looks best on someone with a square face, defined jawline and strong profile.

Although the classic bob has always been shown as a sleek, geometric style (those of a certain age may remember those Vidal Sassoon commercials from the ‘80s), modern fashionistas are now also taking their classic bobs and adding texture to them either with heat styling tools or a few strategically-placed layers and color.

#2 The Stacked Bob

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The stacked bob is the shortest of the bob hairstyles and is perfect for those with heart-shaped, triangular, and square faces. Cut at an angle, the stacked bob is shorter in the back than it is in the front, and follows the angle of the jawline to create a flattering and feminine effect. One of the most iconic examples of the modern stacked bob is Spice Girl turned fashion designer Victoria Beckham, pictured here on Pinterest. Beckham rocked this style for the better part of a decade. To date, the stacked bob is one of her most popular hairstyles of all time.

#3 The Long Bob

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The long bob, or “lob” as it is also sometimes referred to, is probably the most flattering hairstyle a woman can choose. A long bob with a sideswept fringe has become an increasingly-requested hairstyle in salons all over, and for good reason; this is a style that looks good on just about every face shape, and is particularly good for those who have round faces.

One of the most versatile styles out there, the long bob can be worn sleek or textured, pulled back or with a dose of added volume. For those who want to experiment with a shorter hairstyle but are afraid to make the cut all at once, a long bob can also be a great transitional hairstyle; you can ease your way into seeing yourself with shorter hair while still retaining your ability to pull it back if need be.

A woman cutting her hair into a bob hairstyle may no longer be looked upon as the act of rebellion it once was, but it is perhaps not the act of cutting one’s hair into a bob so much as the freedom to do so that makes the bob such a popular and versatile hairstyle all these years later. The three style archetypes here are just the tip of the iceberg. There are as many permutations of the historic Roaring Twenties bob hairstyle as you can dream up making it the perfect way to go short this season.

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About the author

Kristin Buchholz-MacKillop

Kristin is an American writer based in the Scottish Highlands. She is a saxophonist, an obsessive tennis player, a U.S. Air Force Veteran, and holds a Master's degree as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. She is the author of the online style blog highlandfashionista.com

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