With the end of COVID restrictions in sight and spring around the corner, many of us are starting to plan for the haircuts and colors we want as life begins to return to normal. If you've been toying with the idea of going for the chop for a while, post-lockdown is the ideal time to do it.
That's where the bob haircut comes in. We're calling it: 2021 is going to be the year of the bob. Just look to Kaia Gerber, Kim Kardashian, and Dua Lipa for takes on the bob that feel modern, refreshing, and a little bit sexy (see the sliced bob and blunt bob for reference). Not convinced there are enough modern iterations of the bob? Allow us to introduce you to the blunt bob, the A-line bob, and the midi bob. Still looking for a fresher take? Enter the modern Diana bob.
Inspired by the late Princess Diana, whose beauty look has been brought back to life via Emma Corrin on The Crown and Kristen Stewart in Spencer, this is the modern bob 2.0.
“People are due a change,” says Syd Hayes, BaByliss ambassador. “We are coming to the end of a period of time where the winter was extremely tough and your roots weren’t as much of a concern as they were hidden under a beanie. Now that spring is in the air and we go back out into society, there’s carefree mood, and I think more people will want to go for bold, fun styles.”
Suzie McGill, international artistic director at Rainbow Room, says she thinks that when COVID restrictions lift, there's going to be a huge surge in people asking for the Diana bob but with a more modern finish. “Diana has always been a style icon and the bob never goes out of fashion,” she says. “Diana sported a bob, sometimes hitting just past her cheekbones and sometimes slightly longer at the back, but what was always a statement look of Diana’s bob was the deep side parting and the volume and layers within her hair.”
The beauty of this hairstyle is that, if it’s cut at a good length, like at your cheekbones, it can be left to grow out beautifully and can be a very low-maintenance cut, which is ideal with future potential lockdowns forecast. Want to make it even more modern? “If layers and a side parting are incorporated into your hairstyle, this instantly adds volume and can make your look even more low-maintenance in terms of styling,” McGill says. “Then you can simply add some styling product to add further texture to your hair, or blow-dry for a smooth finish like Diana’s.”
Andreas Wild at Larry King agrees that the modern Diana bob will be major for spring because it's so fresh. “This is a really extreme look and is a great start for spring and coming out of lockdown,” he says. “It's so feminine in a masculine way.” The hair expert emphasizes that layers are so important because they open up your face, and blow-drying the layers back and then forward gives bounce and provides a modern look.
Wild also says the beauty of the look lies in its versatility. “Play with it; try different partings—side, front, and slicked back—and when it grows out, leave it for a while before you get a cut, as it adds chicness to it and, when styled with the right outfit, is on point.”
So what do you need to ask your hairstylist for? “This is all about the haircut,” notes Hayes. “A razor is vital for this. Shattered edges with a short shape to the haircut. Be sure to invest in texture sprays as they are great for really showing that undone and not too styled haircut. A favorite of mine is Sam McKnight's Cool Girl Spray—he's the man behind Diana's infamous bob.”
To maintain the look at home, Hayes recommends investing in a Babyliss Hydro-Fusion 2100 Hair Dryer, which he says is perfect with its diffuser and nozzle attachments to bring out the natural movement when your drying your hair. “Tuck the sides behind your ears like Diana would and diffuse on a high heat and low power,” he says. “When it's about 85% dry, turn off your hair dryer off and let it dry naturally.”
“To make the haircut more modern and on trend today, wear the hairstyle a little messier for a more relaxed take on the trend, scrunching in some mousse or texturizing spray like a salt spray into your hair and leaving to air-dry rather than blow-drying,” suggests McGill. “Alternatively, use a heated styling iron to bend some soft waves into your bob to give it an instant modern finish. This is a look that’s very on trend today and that we are seeing a lot of Instagram influencers wearing, since it gives your hair an undone finish, taking Diana’s bob from royal to chic street style. Full fringes are also very on trend this season and look particularly great paired with this bob hairstyle.”
Check out some more of our favorite variations of the modern Diana bob, below.
.jpg)
