- A chic mix of bottleneck bangs + textured bob = the “bottleneck bob.”
- The cut flatters oval, heart, and long faces—plus it can add fullness to fine hair and help balance thicker textures.
- It's a modern, versatile look that sits between a classic bob and a shag.
Fact: There are more bobs in the world than there are oat milk brands in NYC. Bob from HR, Bob the Builder, Bob Ross, and of course, the hundreds of bob haircuts. We've dissected what defines the Italian bob, the layered bob, and the heart-throb bob, but today, we're tapping the minds of hairstylist and trend forecaster, Tom Smith, to break down the trending bottleneck bob.
One of the many bob styles, yes, but the bottleneck style not only has a flair for the dramatic but is also flattering on almost everybody. More on who it's best suited to, below, as well as how to style the cut and inspo pics galore...
Like I said, the possibilities bobs are endless!
What is the bottleneck bob?
The bottleneck bob is elusive in name, so Smith explains more about what defines the style. "It's a hybrid haircut that extends the soft, face-framing fringe of a bottleneck bang into a textured, ruffled mid-length bob shape," he says. The top of the head begins with a bottleneck shape, narrow and shorter between the brows, curving out and around, and finally extending outward from the cheeks to the chin.
Think of it as a step towards the shape of a shag haircut, but more wearable. "It's modern, flattering, and more versatile," Smith adds.
Who is the bottleneck bob best suited to?
Not everyone is going to think they're suited to a short bob haircut—it can be scary territory for the long-haired girls! That said, Smith says, "This cut is particularly flattering on oval, heart, and longer face shapes because the fringe narrows the forehead and the length balances the jawline." Noted.
"Very round face shapes," on the other hand, "may find the face-framing layers emphasise roundness unless the bob is left slightly longer and styled more with a side parting," he adds. After all, when it comes to haircuts, it's all about finding facial harmony and working out what suits you best!
In terms of hair type and texture, Smith says the weight of the cut makes it super versatile. "The bottleneck bob works beautifully on medium to thick hair textures, as the fringe and shaping help distribute weight, but it can also help to add the look of fullness in hair that is finer or flatter."
However, those with very curly or coily textures may want to be cautious when it comes to this hairstyle; "It can turn more into a rounded shag shape, and you may find smoothing it out too much maintenance, unless they have the time and interest in daily heat work," Smith says.
How to style the bottleneck bob
To get the best out of your bottleneck bob, Smith reminds us that it's all about the texture. "Styling should enhance the undone, effortless quality of the cut," he says. "A round brush or a wide barrel tong can add soft bends through the lengths, while a texture spray will give it that modern, airy feel. The fringe should skim the brows and cheekbones, creating softness rather than any blunt edges."
Bottleneck bob inspo
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.
