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Out of all the short haircuts to choose from, bobs have reigned supreme in popularity this year. While there are plenty of ways to wear a bob—French bob, flippy bob, box bob—the classic style is one you want to keep in your repertoire. Old Hollywood hair encompasses styles from the golden ages of 1920 to 1960 and have remained timeless for good reason. The hair was loaded with volume, face-framing curls, and sleek shapes that held for hours on end. While these signature features look great at any length, the styling time remains slim for bobs. Ahead, we’ve rounded up 20 Old Hollywood bobs to inspire your holiday look this season and a few tips to keep your styling efforts low-key.
01 of 20
Softly Sculpted
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A classic characteristic of Old Hollywood hairstyles is the beautiful curled shape that frames the face. Setting the front sections of your hair in rollers and brushing it out will give you that soft, yet sculpted signature shape.
02 of 20
Curled Ends
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To create lots of body and movement throughout your hair, small-sized curls (1" or smaller) are the way to go. Keep curls near the hairline directed away from the face and, give the hair time to cool off before you brush it all out for that fluffed-up finish.
03 of 20
Bouncy Blowout
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If you’re looking for a more relaxed approach, opt for a big bouncy blowout. To create a large side sweep, as seen here on Sydney Sweeney, overdirect your round brush or hot brush upward and forward, away from the face. The shape of your hair—how that volume falls around the face—is what you want to emphasize for dramatic effect.
04 of 20
Side Parts
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A dramatic side part is a detail you’ll notice in most Old Hollywood hairstyles. Especially in shorter cuts, those minor details have a major impact. Moving your part to the side and adding some curls is a quick and easy way to glam up your bob.
05 of 20
Asymmetrical Bob
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Asymmetrical bobs are great for any type of hair texture. When styled in a curled, Old Hollywood style the final look can appear extremely full, bringing attention to those angled ends and the overall shape of the haircut.
06 of 20
Contemporary Color
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We may not have seen any bright hair colors gracing the historic Hollywood hair scene, but that’s what makes this long bob so stylish. Adding a pop of color is a playful way to modernize the timeless S-wave shape derived from Old Hollywood esthetic.
07 of 20
Flapper Bob
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This 1920s micro-bob is a quintessential old-Hollywood look. Chin-length bobs were at their height in the roaring ’20s and there were two main ways flapper girls wore their shortened length: straight with baby bangs or curled with a side-swept bang like we see here on Gigi Hadid.
08 of 20
Lifted Lob
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Getting a good lift at the roots is needed for the necessary volume of an Old Hollywood hairstyle. When your roots are naturally kinky or curly, smoothing the roots can be a tandem effort. Use a hot comb to safely smooth near the scalp and apply it in the same direction as you would your curling iron to support the shape you build in.
09 of 20
One Length Lob
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Layer-free lobs are great for round face shapes as they have an elongating illusion. To add that Old Hollywood flare to a longer length, focus on the ends. That soft but curled fall still gives the hair a lot of body and bounce.
10 of 20
Teased and Tousled
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Volume, as we’ve mentioned, plays a big role in Old Hollywood hairstyles. But what if we told you it doesn’t always need to be placed at the crown? By backcombing or back-brushing the ends of your curls, you can give a tousled finish to your bob that’s much more sultry and much less polished.
11 of 20
Undone Blowout
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An undone blowout has a soft, fluffy finish that nods to the famous ’90s supermodel volume. Combined with a deep side part, the style brings a very cool and carefree vibe to the overall look.
12 of 20
New Hollywood
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The waves on Ciara's long bob modernize the trendy hairstyle. The curls have less structure but the body and face framing side sweep are still there. Her dark red lip and tousled texture are a modern play on the old classics of Hollywood beauty.
13 of 20
Platinum Blonde-shell
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The term “blonde bombshell” derives from Old Hollywood actresses like Jean Harlow and Marilyn Monroe who wore their platinum blonde bobs in a similar fashion to what we see here on Beyonce. To maintain healthy platinum blonde color, make sure your hair is receiving the right balance of protein and moisture.
14 of 20
Relaxed Waves
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To create soft disheveled Hollywood-inspired curls like Jennifer Lawerence, use your 1″ curling iron to wrap sections of hair around the head in the same direction. To finish, fluff out with an extra wide tooth comb. The result is a relaxed version of an Old Hollywood style that still has that structure in less time than a blowout.
15 of 20
No Bangs Required
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Greta Lee’s take on the Old Hollywood bob proves that bangs are not required. Keeping the soft strokes of a finger wave or brushed-out S wave throughout the hair is more than enough to recreate the look.
16 of 20
Wand Waves
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If blow drying with a round brush or volume at the crown isn’t your area of comfort, you can rely on a curling wand for a fast track to your Old Hollywood bob. Direct the curl in your side part away from the face and continue in that direction throughout. The larger the barrel, the softer the finish.
17 of 20
Bubble Bob
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Bubbled ends can also give your bob an Old Hollywood appearance. The smooth, straight root gives the ends their emphasis. To create a similar look, a large round brush or curling iron will help lock in those wrapped under voluminous ends.
18 of 20
Roller Set Shape
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Roller sets are such a great, hands-free way to achieve an Old Hollywood shape for your bob. A large, over-directed roller in the front of your head will give the lifted, dramatic side bang its flair. Keeping all the ends rolled at a lower angle around the head will cause that curl and flip on either side, similar to Florence Pugh.
19 of 20
Blunt Bob
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Blunt bobs are excellent for recreating Old Hollywood style. It allows short, fine hair types to appear fuller and is the perfect palette for molding that curved face-framing shape.
20 of 20
Bottom Bounce
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Getting bouncy curls to sit at the bottom of your bob can be achieved with pinned-up curls or rollers. As soon as the hair has cooled down, let your curls drop and shake them out for a bounce with lasting hold.
