Forget The Classic Bob – The Shaggy Bob Is What All The Cool Girls Are Wearing This Summer

If the great mullet mania of 2020 (and the subsequent wolf cut craze of 2022) taught us anything, it’s that textured, grunge-adjacent hairstyles are now mainstream. But what happens when rockstar layers meet this year’s biggest hair movement? You get the shaggy bob, of course.

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What Is A Shaggy Bob?

‘A shaggy bob is all about soft, messy texture, while keeping the signature short length of a bob,’ explains Phoebe Friend, hair stylist and salon manager at SHAG! West London. ‘Although the style sets itself apart from the classic bob by having shorter layers, which increase volume and movement throughout the hair.’

With both bobs and nostalgic hairstyles being major 2024 trends, it was only a matter of time before the two came together – offsetting the classic short haircut with the cool girl-approved 70s shag. And it’s proving to be a hit hairstyle, both in salons and online, with a quick look on TikTok revealing almost 113 million posts tagged under #shaggybobhairstyle. But Phoebe also attributes its popularity to the shaggy bob’s more adaptable qualities. ‘I think it’s a trending style because of the versatility of the shape and how it can work on all hair textures – straight, wavy or even coily,’ she says. ‘I’ve also recently seen Meg Ryan and Eva Longoria wearing the style and it works perfectly for their natural hair; I love how this style lets them embrace their waves.’

Who Suits This Cut?

Phoebe assures us that this is a hairstyle that can be tailored for pretty much anyone. ‘The style can be altered to suit most face shapes,’ she confirms. ‘Cutting the layers to sit at certain points can either accentuate or hide features on each individual; I’d recommend discussing this with your stylist and they can help advise you. I would, however, say that this hairstyle wouldn’t be best suited for people who have very thick hair or don’t like lots of volume, because adding layers will create bigger and bouncier hair.’

How To Ask For A Shaggy Bob In The Salon (& What To Expect)

As always, bring plenty of imagery that highlights the elements of the cut that you’d like to try, and be prepared to discuss with your stylist what you want and what might not work. As for what to ask for, Phoebe suggest you, ‘Ask your stylist for layers that have shattered edges at least a few inches above the bottom. They will add in these layers that flow from the shortest point all the way down to the longest length (the baseline).’

How To Style A Shaggy Bob

Experimenting is key to finding the right way to style your shaggy bob. ‘When it comes to styling this at home, you can do as much or as little as you like,’ says Phoebe. ‘ You can diffuse wavy or curly hair if you have time, but if not then scrunch in some texturising serum or curl cream and leave it to air-dry. For a straighter hair type you could add in a beach wave by using tongs or straightening irons. Alternatively, a sea salt spray could work really well to add a purposeful messiness when air-drying.’

What Next?

Musing on the future of the shaggy bob, Phoebe suggests that, ‘this style could evolve by adding in shorter curtain bangs or a pixie fringe to really give it a rock-n-roll edge.’ We like the sound of it already.

Hair Inspiration

Featured image: Meg Ryan at the 2024 MET Gala (c) The Hapa Blonde/GC Images (courtesy of Roger Vivier)