If you were to imagine the Goldilocks haircut — that just-right length that looks good on everyone — you'd probably envision a lob. The fresh, collarbone-grazing cut has all the chicness of a swingy bob, but it falls at a length well within most people's comfort zone. Plus, it's still long enough to be pulled back in a ponytail.
Given the wearability, it's no surprise that lob inspiration is everywhere. So to help you differentiate between all the adorable lobs on Instagram, we've rounded up this season's most wearable variations of the mid-length cut.
Whether your aesthetic is blunt and polished, styled with a centre parting, or you want to add some flair — with bangs, shaggy t exture, an A-line shape, or feathered layers — we have the lob for you. Check out the four trendiest takes on the cut, ahead, and schedule the salon appointment you need to start your 2019 fresh.
Blunt Lob
The shoulder-skimming lob has been trending since mid-autumn, and the style has seemingly picked up steam since. If you source hair inspiration by scrolling through Instagram, you may have noticed that many fashion influencers are rocking either a trendy bob or a longer mid-length lob — both blunt and polished.
If your hair is thin or fine, you can ask your stylist to cut into your ends to create a little extra body and keep the cut from falling flat.
Joseph Maine, a stylist at Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon in NYC tells us that the blunt lob is very popular right now, but that the stylist shouldn't cut it razor-sharp. "With this cut, I always cut into it to achieve some added texture and movement," Maine explains. "I like adding invisible layers — you can tell there are shorter bits throughout, but you can’t tell where they start or end."
The best part about a blunt lob is the styling versatility — we're particularly into the centre part paired with softly flipped ends.
Shaggy Lob
The shag haircut is another a major trend right now. While you can infuse shag — heavy layers and lash-skimming bangs — into any length, hair that falls just around the shoulder seems to be the sweet spot.
If your hair is fine and curly, celebrity stylist Jillian Halouska recommends asking your stylist to blur the edges of your cut, softening the perimeter with long, seamless layers. Add a wispy bang and you'll have an edgy-yet-polished style like Parisian cool-girl Mélodie Vaxelaire.
When your ends fall right at your shoulder, you have length to play with. But with a shag, you can still maintain the fun bangs and face-framing layers around the face. Adding a pop of colour in the form of honey caramel-tinted highlights will give your look even more dimension.
Blurred A-line Lob
If you've been considering the A-line cut, but can't commit to the short bob length, you can achieve the same vibe — unexpected texture with longer layers tilted towards the front — with a mid-length cut you can comfortably pull back into a ponytail.
L.A.-based stylist Anh Co Tran sparked the "parallel undercut " trend, which is a transitional layering technique that delivers body and movement to fine hair. A parallel undercut can be cut bluntly at the ends and styled with that signature soft, A-line shape. Rose pink colour also adds some oomph to the finished look.
The A-line lob is striking in profile — especially when you clip it back with a pearled barrette.
Feathered Lob
If you're looking to infuse some texture in your lob without adding bangs or an A-line tilt, consider long, soft layers blended through mid-shaft to ends of the hair.
Strategic feathering can open up the face, as proven by the stunning Priyanka Chopra and her polished mid-length lob, which was styled by Maine.
The gradual layers add subtle shape and dimension when infused into a curly lob.
If your hair is on the fine side, you can ask your stylist to layer your lob with choppy top layers — which gives extra body around the cheekbones — and fresh ends right at the shoulder.
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