Let's get one thing straight—the graduated bob is that girl. An old maiden, Karen-type cut, she is not, but chic, low-maintenance, and forever in style. Nostalgic? Perhaps. Timeless? Absolutely! Basically, this short haircut has been turning heads since before we even knew what a blowout was. Think: Clean lines, stacked layers, and major "I woke up like this" energy.
Essentially, the graduated bob is the main character of short haircuts. Not convinced? Well, from sharp angles to soft curves, we've rounded up the best graduated bob haircut ideas that are anything but basic, plus styling tips from professional hairstylist Jordanna Cobella to keep your look on point.
So, if you've been flirting with the idea of chopping your locks, consider this your sign. Whether you're a bob newbie or a ride-or-die short hair stan, there's something here to inspire your next salon trip.
What is a graduated bob?
"A graduated bob is a classic haircut where the hair is cut shorter at the back and gradually gets longer towards the front," Jordanna explains. "It creates a stacked effect at the back, with layers that add shape, volume, and movement."
She does, however, mention that there is an extreme version of the style (read: The Karen). But (!!) don't let this put you off because it's all about the wearer, the vibe, and how you rock the graduated cut.
How to style a graduated bob?
Fans of the graduated bob will be happy to hear that it's designed to be worn easily and with little maintenance. "The graduation cut naturally creates a bevel, but if the hair is straight, blow-drying under with a round brush is a nice sleek version of it," says Jordanna.
But if you are looking for a more textured, casual, lived-in look, Jordanna has some tips. "Prep the hair with living proof or volumizing spray or mousse or sea salt spray and air dry or diffuse upside down or rough dry," she says. "Then, once dry, go in with a bit of spray wax or texturizing spray to define the layers and waves.
"My clients love this look, and on day two or three, they use a medium-sized tong to refresh a few of the waves on the top layer of the bob that may have become frizzy from being slept on. It lasts a few days without a wash!"
Try These Hair Tools:
AIMIKE NaturaVol Round Brush
Conair Radiance Boost Dryer
T3 SinglePass StyleMax Professional 1" Flat Iron
T3 LuxeDry High-Performance Hair Dryer Set
Who is best suited to a graduated bob?
Face shape and hair type are up for debate when it comes to choosing a hairstyle. Some may want to pick a style best suited to these factors; however, others base it on personal preference. There are no rules, after all!
That said, Jordanna says, "Graduated bobs can work wonders for super fine hair that lacks volume as the stacking effect creates the illusion of thickness." The shorter you cut your hair, the thicker it appears.
Continuing, she says that personally, "the best grad bobs are cut on curly hair as it creates the most incredible, striking silhouette. Curly hair sits with an exaggerated and expanded shape so the layers and stacking effect can build insane shapes and volume, which makes managing curly hair so much easier."
The style also celebrates the width of curly hair rather than fighting its natural groove of being big and voluminous, Jordanna tells Cosmopolitan.
Inspiration and ideas:
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from viral celebrity hair and makeup news to the latest trend predictions, she’s an expert in recognising the season’s next big beauty look (before it ends up all over your social media feeds). You’ll usually find her putting TikTok’s recent beauty hacks to the Hype Test, challenging the gender-makeup binary and social stereotypes, or fangirling over the time Kourtney Kardashian viewed her Instagram Story (yes, it’s true). Find her also on LinkedIn.
