It's True—Everyone's Searching for This Y2K Bob for Hairstyle Inspiration
It's true—the bob is the haircut trend of 2024. However, not all bobs are created equal. From the longer and voluminous Italian bob to the sleek box bob, there are so many types of bobs, and there is a shape and style to suit everyone. With just about every celebrity from Zendaya to Hailey Bieber jumping on the trend and every hairstylist I speak to confirming it's the most in-demand short hairstyle trend in the salon, it's safe to say this is a haircut trend that isn't going anywhere any time soon.
Just when we thought we couldn't spy any more bob trends, another one is just cropping up on the haircut horizon. But this time, it's with a Y2K twist. Enter the graduated bob. I won't lie. I didn't have this haircut on my 2024 hair-trends bingo card. The mention of a graduated bob might make you think of Victoria Beckham's 2000s-era angled bob or the haircut that screams "I'd like to speak to the manager," but 2024's graduated bobs are far chicer and have a modern update—I promise.
While those Y2K graduated haircuts featured a dramatic angled bob with the hair much shorter at the back and growing increasingly longer towards the front of the head, the 2024 graduated bob is far more subtle. If the graduated bobs of yesteryear have a sharp 45-degree angle, this year's iterations are more like 20°—far softer with a gradual incline towards the back of the head. From straight hair to braids and curls, this is a bob trend that works across hair types and feels really fresh right now. The stats prove it, too, as the term "graduated bob cut" is up 60% in Google searches this week.
Ahead, you'll find more graduated-bob haircut ideas to save for your next salon appointment. Chop, chop!
Graduated-Bob Haircuts
You know the graduated bob is back when Gigi Hadid goes for it.
Hailey Bieber has also co-signed the graduated bob trend.
The subtle graduated short-to-long layers really frame the face and complement the jawline.
The razor-sharp ends make this graduated bob feel premium.
Jourdan Dunn's long graduated-bob haircut is a permanent fixture in my IG Saved folder.
The graduated bob also works well in reverse, with shorter hair at the front and jawline-length hair towards the back.
Halle Berry shows how the graduated bob can be elevated for the evening with her side-parted face-framing curls.
This rounded graduated bob is sleek and chic.
A beachy wave and a graduated bob are a winning pairing.
A cropped graduated bob is a whole vibe.
I'm still thinking about Kaia Gerber's side-parted graduated bob that she had in lockdown.
How to Style a Graduated-Bob Haircut
A classic pair of GHD irons are great for any hairstyle, but if you want a sleek graduated bob or want to add beachy waves to your lengths, this tool has you covered.
Price shown is member price.
This smoothing hair-booster liquid lends lustre and hydration to all hair types after shampooing.
If you want to grow out a shorter style into a longer graduated bob, you can't beat these hair gummies for boosting hair growth and encouraging thicker hair growth—trust me. They also taste delicious.
Just a drop of this hair oil is all you need for a shiny finish after styling.
Give the roots oomph with a few spritzes on damp hair before drying—your hair's volume will increase tenfold. Plus, this smells amazing.
Next Up: I'm Too Scared to Get a Bob—This Is How I Fake One All the Time
Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman & Home and junior beauty editor at beauty website Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections with written and styling work.Working as a beauty journalist since 2015 after graduating in fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion, she has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.Eleanor’s journalistic focus is to provide readers with honest and helpful beauty content. Through words, video and live broadcast, she has interviewed several celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and top dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson. She has a particular interest in finding solutions for acne and eczema, which she has experienced firsthand. She has also amassed a large collection of fragrances and can never say no to a new candle.When she’s not writing or testing the latest beauty product or treatments, she’s on the seafront in her hometown of Brighton and Hove, where she lives with her partner and her miniature dachshund.
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