Is there a hairstyle more iconic than the bob? From film to fashion to politics, the chin-length crop has always been a hit: just think of Gwyneth Paltrow in The Royal Tenenbaums and Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction; actress Nancy Kwan’s geometric bob courtesy of Vidal Sassoon in 1963; and Jacqueline Kennedy’s timeless cut, tucked neatly under candy-colored pillbox hats.
Popularized by Hollywood’s silent movie stars in the early 1920s, the blunt bob quickly became a byword for flapper-era rebellion. Josephine Baker had her slick Eton crop, Clara Bow had her halo of curls and Louise Brooks’s shingle bob has inspired countless imitations (Anna Karina in Vivre Sa Vie, Liza Minnelli in Cabaret, Audrey Tautou in Amélie). Fast-forward to the 1960s, and neat bobbed styles were de rigueur for designers like Mary Quant and Jean Muir, while the tousled nonchalance of Debbie Harry defined the 1970s and 1980s. Since then, everyone from Rihanna to Beyoncé has experimented with the dramatic style, but few cuts have been as divisive as Victoria Beckham’s. When she debuted an angular, graduated bob in 2006, dubbed the “Posh Spice bob” or “Pob”, it became a pop culture sensation.
Even today, the bob’s popularity shows no signs of abating. We’re all looking for new iterations of the look, whether it’s the French bob or the baroque style, and A-listers always offer excellent additions to our mood boards. Here, Vogue shortlists 35 of the most memorable bobs in fashion history for you to peruse now.
- Getty Images1/34
Mary Quant
Vidal Sassoon tends to the designer’s trademark bob in 1964.
- Getty Images2/34
Sienna Miller
The pioneer of boho chic displayed a more deliberately polished look at the 2015 Golden Globes: a gently tousled bob.
- Getty Images3/34
Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry’s rock chick bob, seen in 1979, was a key part of her look, which remains a style touchstone to this day.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images4/34Saoirse Ronan
Bluntly cut, ultra short and styled with a slight bend through mid-lengths, Saoirse Ronan’s effortless blonde bob is simply perfect.
- Getty Images5/34
Barbra Streisand
The legendary singer and actress sporting a bobbed hairstyle in 1965.
- Getty Images6/34
Diana Ross
She’s known for her halo of curls, but in 1973, Ross experimented with a sleek bob.
- Getty Images7/34
Karlie Kloss
The supermodel showed off a glossy dark blonde bob at the 2013 MTV Movie Awards.
- Getty Images8/34
Natalie Portman
Her sharp early aughts bob was one of Portman’s most memorable looks to date.
- Getty Images9/34
Victoria Beckham
Before she brought in the relaxed pony, the former Spice Girl’s “pob” style, seen here in 2007, spawned many a copycat.
- Getty Images10/34
Naomi Campbell
The supermodel pulled off an ultra short bob and choppy fringe with ease in 2007.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images11/34Laura Harrier
Laura Harrier shows off a bouncy baroque-style bob in December 2023.
- Getty Images12/34
Gwyneth Paltrow
Paltrow’s best bob will always be that of her character Margot in “The Royal Tenenbaums”. But this 2008 look is a close second.
- Getty Images13/34
Keira Knightley
Chanel muse Keira enjoyed a brief flirtation with the bob at the house’s SS11 show in Paris.
- Getty Images14/34
Beyoncé
It was a blunt, chunky bob for Beyoncé at the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar party.
- Getty Images15/34
Jennifer Lawrence
J-Law is famous for her flowing blonde mane, but her short wavy chop, seen in 2014, is just as striking.
- Getty Images16/34
Twiggy
The British model wore her hair in a gently waved bob in the 1972 Ken Russell film The Boy Friend.
- Getty Images17/34
Beverly Johnson
Model Beverly Johnson shows off a sleek bob in the pages of a 1974 issue of Vogue.
- Getty Images18/34
Taylor Swift
The preppy pop star’s glossy 2016 bob was as perfectly polished as her song lyrics.
- Getty Images19/34
Irina Shayk
Shayk’s razor sharp cut and centre parting show off her model features to full effect at the 2019 Academy Awards.
- Getty Images20/34
Rihanna
Naturally style chameleon RiRi has experimented with the bob to great effect—as seen at her 2016 Fenty x Puma show.
- Getty Images21/34
Kristen Stewart
At Cannes in 2016 the actress teamed her signature smoky eye makeup with an artfully undone bleach blonde bob.
- Getty Images22/34
Zendaya
Few people can pull off the bowl cut bob. Zendaya, seen at the 2016 Met Gala, is one of them.
- Getty Images23/34
Jennifer Lopez
The Met Gala red carpet is always an opportunity for the stars to experiment. In 2018, J-Lo swapped big hair for a slicked back bob.
- Getty Images24/34
Margot Robbie
For her first Academy Awards night as a nominee in 2018, the I, Tonya star chose a simple bob to offset her sleek Chanel gown.
- Getty Images25/34
Saoirse Ronan
The rising star kept things simple at the 2018 Oscars with a slick cropped cut.
- Getty Images26/34
Bella Hadid
The model wore her brunette locks in a bob at the SS19 shows in Paris in June 2018.
- Getty Images27/34
Charlize Theron
The long-time blonde bombshell dramatically switched up her look for 2019, unveiling a brunette bob on Oscar night.
- Getty Images28/34
Dua Lipa
The Vogue cover star’s blunt bob, seen on the 2019 Brit Awards red carpet, is as recognisable as her many hits.
- Mike Coppola29/34
Ashley Graham
Ashley Graham wears a lob (or “long bob”) at an event in 2019.
- Getty Images30/34
Charli XCX
The singer unveiled a dip-dyed bob and fringe on the red carpet at the 2019 Met Gala in May.
- Jeff Vespa31/34
Rosamund Pike
A side-parting is an easy way to switch up a bob—just see Rosamund Pike at the 72nd Golden Globes for inspiration.
- John Lamparski32/34
Ciara
Ciara wears her jaw-skimming bob tousled and soft at an event in New York in 2013.
- Matt Winkelmeyer33/34
Hailey Bieber
It’s a gentle, beachy wave for golden girl, Hailey Bieber.
- David M. Benett34/34
Jourdan Dunn
Jourdan Dunn wears her bob thick and cut blunt at the ends to attend an event in London in 2015.
