Why the Bob Haircut Is the Look of the Summer

Plus, 8 ways to wear it.

Why the Bob Haircut Is the Look of the Summer

After the 18 months that we’ve all had, what better way to celebrate the transition to summer than with a change in hairstyle? Perhaps you’re feeling that itch to emerge from a salon fully transformed, but not quite sure which direction to go in. For starters, consider taking inspiration from a few muses who have been rocking the bob haircut in the last couple of weeks while putting their flair on the classic style: there was Regina King’s sleek, blunt bob at the Oscars and Hunter Schafer’s recent cut with flipped ends, while Kelsey Lu took things blonde and shaggy. “I feel like the bob is perfect for summer because it's easygoing. It's so hot, and the last thing you want to do is worry about your hair,” confirms Nigella Miller, owner of Nigella’s Hair Studio and celebrity hairstylist. “I love how chic it is and how it complements different face shapes. If you’re going to end up wearing your hair up all the time, why not cut it off?” Miller herself recently cut her own ear-length, green and blue bob with a trusted pair of clippers at the end of April during an Instagram Live session.

“I always lean towards a bob because I feel like it brings out my best features,” she says. But this time she gave it a new flair with the color, courtesy of her go-to colorist, Chereen. “I was really inspired by Billie Eillish,” she says. “I wanted a 2021, futuristic look and Chereen was the only person I trusted to do this. I think with something like this, it’s all about trusting your stylist. Going to the wrong person could’ve ruined my hair.”

The bob’s low-maintenance benefits extend into styling. Miller simply moisturizes with two oils—MoroccanOil and Verb’s Ghost Oil. “I alternate between each oil daily, adding a dime size onto my hair and then running my fingers through, from root to end,” she says. For nighttime maintenance, a silk scarf or bandana keeps her strands in place. For deep treatments, especially for those who go the color route, Miller recommends Olaplex N8 Bond intense Moisture Mask, and the Ouai Curl Cream for curly girls.