Madonna, Britney Spears, Rihanna, and Kim Kardashian have all rocked
the bob, and Anna Wintour is still killing it after 30 years. The "hair
bob" is making a comeback this season, and the first stop for beauty
connoisseurs seeking to get "bobbed," is Arsen Gurgov, the celebrity
hair stylist who shears the Upper East Side from his tony 60th Street penthouse salon. Famous for his work on the Today
Show’s "Ambush Make-Overs," Gurgov has an intuitive understanding of
what styles look best on clients, based on head size, shape of face,
bone structure and hair texture. And for spring/summer, it’s all about
the bob, which has come in and out of fashion since it first started to
appear in 1910, courtesy of French singer and actress Polaire. This
season, it’s definitely in.
"This is a cut that flatters almost any woman,” said Gurgov. "It’s
sleek, stylish, and low- maintenance, whether it's short or
medium-length. The bob is especially great for spring/ summer, which is a
time many women gravitate to newer, fresher looks."
The perfect bob features hair cut straight around the head at
jaw level, with fringe on top. Of course, there are different variations
of the style, depending on personal preference. Among them, there is
the A-line bob (slightly longer hair in front, curling under the chin);
the inverted bob (stacked layers in back, curved instead of straight);
the shingle bob (tapered in the back, exposing hair line); the
chin-length bob (cut straight to back, with without bangs); and the
shoulder-length bob (a blunt style that reaches the shoulders with many
layers).
The bob has come and gone through the decades. Vidal Sassoon brought it
back in style in the 60s, but it wasn’t until the mop-topped Beatles
crossed the pond that American women realized the look was also
flattering (maybe even better suited) on "the fairer sex.” Since then,
hundreds of starlets have worn the haircut, from Billie Davis to Linda
Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Uma Thurman, T-Boz of TLC, Rihanna in her
"Umbrella" video, Kiera Knightly in Chanel’s "Coco Mademoiselle"
campaign, Britney Spears during her Australia tour, and, of course,
Vogue's legendary editor Anna Wintour, who has worn the cut throughout
her 32-year reign as America’s foremost arbiter of fashion. Kim
Kardashian, perennially a chameleon on the red carpet, has successfully
played with different incarnations of the bob. But perhaps the greatest
influencer is Taylor Swift, who cut her tresses to reveal a short bob,
accentuating her long neck and refined cheekbones, but softened the look
with the addition of bangs to cover her forehead.
"Celebrities exert major influence on hair styles," Gurgov notes.
"Clients come in with photos all the time, but not every cut looks good
on every face. The bob is versatile, and it projects confidence and
empowerment. Given what’s going on in the world, people want to take
back control. And you start with yourself."
Images provided by Google
