Layered Bob Hairstyles: 45 Celebrity-Inspired Cuts For Every Face Shape

Layered bob hairstyles have become a signature look for celebrities and everyday fashion icons alike. Their popularity stems from being exceptionally low maintenance while delivering maximum style impact.

The perfect layered bob creates a youthful, fresh appearance that frames your face and enhances your features. With minimal styling required—just a quick tousle and perhaps a touch of mousse, wax, or hairspray—you can achieve a polished look in minutes that lasts all day.

Don’t believe us? Just take a look at these Hollywood celebrities who went for layered bob hairstyles and looked amazing with it!

There probably aren’t many women out there that can say they’ve never had a bob haircut. The bob is a fairly common and easy cut, and it can be done in a variety of styles. This ability to change up the look and style makes it a popular cut.

One of the great things about the bob, and the layered bob, is that it is a style that works for everyone. No matter what face shape you are blessed with or what your hair type is, a layered bob can work for you.

What Is The Bob?

In the beginning, the bob was a jaw-length cut, the same length from the back to the front, with some dramatic straight bangs (long or short) in the front. The cut got its start in the 1920s, a favorite of the flapper era.

Since the 20s, the bob has grown into something more and comes with many different looks. From the layered bob to the bob with no layers, to short and long bobs – there is a bob for everyone (and even some men wear their hair in this style).

1. The Michelle Dockery

Michelle Dockery wore a 1920s elegant and aristocratic bob as Lady Mary in Downton Abbey – and then she got one in real life as well. We think she made the perfect choice with this dark chestnut chin-length bob which highlights her fair skin and brown eyes.

2. The Jamie Alexander

She is a warrior on screen and she is also a source of inspiration when it comes to styling and fashion. Jaime Alexander had the world at her feet as Lady Sif in the Thor movies and in real life, she used to sport a magnificent short layered bob.

3. The Natalie Portman

Up next is another leading lady from the Thor franchise. Natalie Portman is a timeless beauty who was also the face of Dior Mademoiselle. Here she is with a gorgeous voluminous layered bob haircut and dark red lipstick.

4. The Lea Seydoux

If you loved Beauty and the Beast, we suggest watching its French version as well. It features a blonder Lea Seydoux and viewers will definitely be mesmerized by the fantastic cinematography and fairy tale quality of the movie. Oh, and by Lea herself, of course!

5. The Lena Headey

It may come as a surprise to some, but Queen Cersei is not blonde. In real life, actress Lena Headey’s hair color is as brunette as it gets. Also, her hairstyles toe the line between long pixie cut and short layered bob with side-swept bangs.

6. The Scarlet Johansson Layered Bob Hairstyles

Long before she was a famous redhead as Black Widow in The Avengers movies, Scarlet Johansson was everyone’s favorite blonde. Here she is wearing a very edgy and choppy layered bob that looks great on her straight hair.

7. The January Jones

Speaking of perfect blondes, it’s our turn to admire January Jones. She just seems to have been made for medium-length sandy blonde styles, cat eyeliner, and red lipstick. It’s no wonder she was cast in Mad Men.

8. The Clemence Poesy

Her Fleur Delacour days are well behind her, so let Clemence Poesy teach you how to wear your hair like a French woman. Have you seen a more beautiful almost inverted bob with a more interesting makeup than what she’s wearing? Girl crush!

9. The Sienna Miller

Speaking of girl crushes, Sienna Miller is our forever It girl. She can’t do anything wrong in our eyes when it comes to beauty and style. We love the fact that she always goes for the natural or nude looks – just like she did here. It looks especially good when coupled with this minimal bob cut.

10. The Monica Belucci

La bella Italia has gifted many things to the world over the ages and we couldn’t we more grateful for that. One of them is definitely actress Monica Belucci, spotted here with a very shaggy, brunette layered and stacked bob.

11. The Michelle Williams

Let’s face it: nobody does blonde hair colors like Michelle Williams. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why she was chosen to portray the supreme blonde, Marilyn Monroe. In My Week with Marylin, she sported the diva’s signature bob. Here, she is wearing a more relaxed and layered bob.

12. The Rita Ora

We are absolutely in love with this short and shaggy layered bob. It has the look and feel that all you need to do to style it is run your fingers through your hair and you’re done! Although it does actually need some help from a curling iron as blow-drying alone might not be enough.

13. The Emma Watson

First, she cut of all her hair in a boyish pixie cut as a sign that her Harry Potter years had come to an end. Then, she started growing back her hair and, in the process, we got to see Emma Watson’s glorious medium-sized layered bob. What a treat!

14. The Keira Knightley

From one British siren to another. At one point, even the queen of pirates went for a chin-length bob. Still, although we love the cut in itself, it might not have been the best choice for her.

She has a diamond-shaped face with an elongated chin which was accentuated by the end-line of the bob. Chin-length bobs will not look as well on all face shapes, unfortunately.

15. The Kristen Stewart

The same can be said about Kristen Stewart’s bob. Although her face is not as prominently angular nor as thin as Keira’s, this ear-length layered bob cuts her face horizontally in half and exacerbates her triangular chin.

16. The Emma Stone Layered Bob Hairstyles

One lady whose face shape is made all the prettier by a layered bob, however, is cutie Emma Stone. At one point, she went for a medium-length bob cut that served to frame her round face and give it a bit of attitude. The side-parted bangs open up her gaze and accentuate her pretty hair color.

17. The Jennifer Lawrence

The same kind of face, and, of course, the same kind of haircut. This is proof that if you have a round face, you should follow their example and get this layered bob right now. It’s Emma and Jennifer approved, after all! As you can see, it also works great on thick hair.

18. The Khloe Kardashian Layered Bob Hairstyles

Now let’s show you how a diamond and angular face like Keira’s and Kristen Stewart could have been accentuated the right bob way. Khloe Kardashian opted for a shoulder-length shaggy bob which softens and minimizes her features instead of blowing them up.

19. The Rachel

Here is one of the most famous hairstyles in the history of cinematography. It’s called “the Rachel” and it became famous after Jennifer Aniston wore it on the first season of Friends. This is a 90s style layered bob that worked great with her hair texture, but the actress later admitted that she hated it.

20. The Salma Hayek

Speaking of 90s style layered bobs, here is actress Salma Hayek wearing a fantastic turned out bob with a side swept long fringe. It makes for a timelessly classy look.

21. The Claire Foy

She might have impersonated one of the most powerful women in the world on her show, The Crown, but in real life, actress Claire Foy strays far away from a Queen Elizabeth-like hairstyle. Instead, admire her shaggy bob with choppy ends.

22. The Beyonce

From one Queen to another. Not only does Queen Bee’s long angled bob have layers, but the layers themselves were dyed in different shades to accentuate them. She went for a dark chocolate for the undergrowth and shades of beige blonde on top.

23. The Lana Parilla

The evil queen in Once Upon is a true beauty in real life. We absolutely love her idea of a slightly messy bob which reminds us a little bit of the out turned bobs of the 90s. Lana Parilla is one classy lady, whether she’s chasing Snow White through the woods or not.

24. The Jessica Simpson

This chicken of the sea starlet used to wear a layered and graduated bob as well. She had a long set of bangs that were swept to one side to make her look even sweeter and prettier. We also love how the hairstyle was slightly pouffed up in the back to make her look slimmer and taller too.

25. The Cate Blanchett

Actress Cate Blanchett has a unique brand of beauty that is very difficult (or impossible) to replicate. She has been wearing layered bobs in her signature blonde for a very long time and we are really grateful that she has. She looks absolutely stunning!

26. The Charlize Theron

Speaking of stunning, Charlize Theron is one of the most beautiful women in the world. She has been the face of J’Adore Dior for many years now and we can definitely see why. Therefore, it’s no surprise she can make a layered bob on wavy hair look this good.

27. The Nina Dobrev

Actress Nina Dobrev is proof that a well-tailored bob can make anyone look young and fresh. Hers is very feathery and light, especially since she has swept it all across one side of the head. This sort of haircut can look amazing even on fine hair as it will boost up its volume.

28. The Elizabeth Moss Layered Bob Hairstyles

Here’s another Hollywood actress who loves to play with our minds and keep us guessing. Is it a long pixie cut? Is it a chin-length bob?

Well, we don’t care what it is. All we care about is the fact that it looks absolutely stunning on her and we want one too!

29. The Kaley Cuoco

Just like Emma Watson, Kaley Cuoco went through her pixie phase as well. After surprising us all when she went for a really short cut after sporting long hair, she decided to grow it all back. In the process, she sported this shaggy, layered bob – hers was a platinum bob with dark roots.

30. The Katy Perry

It was time for a spot of color on our list. So, naturally, we turned to Katy Perry, our favorite California girl. Here she is with a long bob or lob and beach waves, all in a solid block of imperial blue.

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31. The Penelope Cruz

Is there anyone in the world who does smokey eyes better than Penelope Cruz? Because we have the feeling she was born looking like this. Here, she takes things up a notch by adding a bit of a 60s vibe to it all and, of course, a wind-swept layered bob.

32. The Anne Hathaway

The thing we love most here, besides Anne herself, of course, are the peekaboos and lowlights in her hair. If you look closely, you can see them around her face and forehead. They are lighter than the rest of the hair and were placed there to warm up her pale face.

33. The Taylor Swift

Say hello to the shaggy 60s mane! Taylor Swift went from good-girl teen to sultry 60s goddess faster than the speed of light thanks to this: a layered smokey blonde bob. She also mixed beige blonde with ashy gray, and the results are spectacular.

34. The Jane Fonda

If you want to see a real, live haircut from the 70s, look no further than Jane Fonda! She is still gracing red carpets everywhere and her layered bob is going strong. And it’s a thing of beauty, isn’t it? Just imagine the hours put into getting every strand of hair looking perfectly inverted or standing out!

35. The Rose Byrne

By far one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, Rose Byrne is the picture of grace and elegance meets sexy with this one-of-a-kind look. We are positively in love with her shocked and voluminous bob and hope to see her wear it more often.

36. The Jenna Coleman

We call this one the good girl layered bob. Wear it for school or university or if your office enforces a very strict dress, hair, and makeup code. It’s stylish and chic and extremely well behaved in public.

37. The Naomi Watts

Actress Naomi Watts is here to model the asymmetrical layered bob. They were all the rage a couple of years ago and you can still get one if you fancy it. Still, we recommend asking for advice from your stylist if this is the best solution for your type of face and hair texture.

38. The Ciara

Here’s a bit of balayage for short hair that will last for a long time. That’s the beauty of balayage, after all – it looks so natural when it grows, that you can take your time between hair salon appointments.

39. The Olivia Palermo

Few ladies can pride themselves with this amazing facial bone structure. What do you think? Isn’t Olivia Palermo the goddess of cheekbones? All in all, let’s sit back and admire her grungy, totally 90s revival, messy and layered bob.

40. The Cristine Baranski Layered Bob Hairstyles

You know her from The Grinch, Chicago, The Birdcage, The Big Bang Theory, and many other movies and TV series. Cristine Baranski is a treasure and so is her hairstyle that looks just as classy and good nowadays as it did some years ago.

41. The Raquel Welch

Another historical lady of the screen is none other than Raquel Welch. Her layered bob mixes cocoa brown, sandy blonde, and a bit of red – for good measure. It gives this fiery lady the verve she needed to play all those wonderful roles.

42. The Monica Geller

Of course, this is actress Courtney Cox, you will say. But we specifically picked this layered bob from the first seasons of Friends which we believe truly depicts Monica Geller, not the actress herself.

43. The Helen Mirren

Hairstyles for women over 60 have never looked better than this! Take a cue from Helen Mirren’s sense of personal style. She wears a platinum blonde in a shaggy bob here, and she’s also played with shorter cuts.

44. The Kate Moss

The mother of all supermodels, Kate Moss is, without a doubt, the face of the 90s. Her hair is all grungy, her makeup is natural, her red lipstick is but a smear, and she’s decked in white faux fur. This is how you do off-duty supermodel style.

45. The Cameron Diaz Layered Bob Hairstyles

The beautiful and bubbly Cameron Diaz wore layered bob hairstyles for along time. She’s toyed around with the length, but the essence has always been the same.

1. Bangs Or No Bangs

While the bob got its start in the world as a women’s haircut with bangs, these days, there are plenty of people wearing a bob cut without any bangs at all. Plus, when it comes to bangs – you can pick the type you want.

For people with oval faces, a pixie bang can make a dramatic addition to your bob style haircut. Or, you can go with a side-swept emo-look bang, in any length you prefer. To wear bangs or not to wear bangs, the choice is yours – and both options look great with the layered bob.

2. Short

The original bob was along the jawline, which would make it a chin-length cut. These days you can get your bob in any length you’d like – including shorter than chin length.

Consider a bob that has the nape of your neck undercut, and the bob comes in line with your cheekbones. This is an extremely fun and dramatic look. It’s one of those cuts that not everyone will be able to pull off.

This style of bob doesn’t leave a lot of room for layers, but it’s still possible. The pixie bangs are the perfect addition to a shorter bob – giving it an even more dramatic flair.

3. Chin Length

If you want the more traditional bob, chin-length is the way to go. This can be a layered bob or not, but know that layers can add to a sleeker look or they can give your hair more body (this depends on your hair type and your styling choices).

With any length of bob, bangs are all up to you. You can even get a layered bangs “look” if you’d like, which can add to the impact of the bangs. The right layers can make bangs curl under without the need for a curling iron.

4. ​Shoulder Length

A shoulder-length layered bob is the perfect place to start if you want to go from long hair to a bob. It’s less dramatic than the chin-length style, but still gives you the easiness of the bob haircut.

Bob styles, especially the shoulder and chin-length bobs, can often be a “wash and go” go look. For the right hair type, you can avoid blow drying, curlers, and even straighteners. Though, if you want to add a little extra style, you can.  

5. ​Messy

Layered bobs don’t have to be perfectly quaffed at all times. In fact, the more layers you put in, the messier you can get with your bob. Messy bobs can be fun, and they take a lot of prep time out of getting ready, no matter what hair type you have.

To keep your messy look if you have extremely straight hair or your hair is fine, you may need to invest in some gel or mousse. Styling products can help you add some waves, keep the tousled look, and more.

6. ​Curly

While a quick Google search of “layered bob” may bring you a bunch of beautifully straight haircuts, you can have a curly or wavy bob as well. It’s a little in between the normal bob and the messy bob but with a little more of a “neat” and clean look.

This means that if you have naturally wavy or curly hair, you can still pull off a bob. If you’re bored with your straight hair, get a wavy perm and a layered bob, and you’ll have a fresh and fun look that’s easy to take care of and keep up.

7. ​Flipped Out

If you get your layers on the outside, instead of underneath (inverted), it can make it look that your hair flips out instead of curling under. While most people want their layered bob to lay flat or curl under, the flipped out look can be really cute and whimsical.

This is a look to consider for people that like fun hairdos. If you’re normally someone that wears a pixie cut but wanted to go with something longer, this is a cut that would suit your face and style well.

8. ​Half Bob

Not necessarily the technical term for this style of haircut, but a bob cut with a stacked back (for a “soccer mom” cut) is a great look, and it adds a little something different to the typical layered bob. You can also use this style to give you more of an angled cut going from the stack back up to your chin.

This is a look that really frames the face and can have a slenderizing effect on puffy cheeks and even chubbier chin lines.

9. ​Colored

To add a little something more to your layered bob, enhancing the layers or enhancing the look in general, add some color. Highlights can extend the work your layers do to give your hair more depth.

Colored bangs can put the focus on the bangs and your eyes, instead of other parts of your face. The right colors with your layered bob, even if they’re some of the brightest colors of the rainbow, can give your hair the look of more body, even when it doesn’t have that much bounce.

Why The Bob Is Such An Easy To Care For Cut

The layered bob is cut in a way that makes your hair sit a certain way. Depending on how the layers are put in, it can sit flat, curl under, or curl out. Because it’s cut to sit a certain way, it allows you less time styling and the ability to use fewer products in your hair (which can build up on your hair follicles and weigh your hair down).

For most people, you’ll be able to hop out of the shower, air dry your hair, do a quick comb through and run out the door. If your hair is naturally curly or frizzy, you may need to use a blow dryer or a straightener.

The ease of this style doesn’t mean you can’t use products and styling tools. Some well-placed curls with your curling iron can make your layered bob go from office chic to party on the dance floor. When you do add some curls, or if your hair is naturally frizzy, some styling products can help things under control and in place.

Maintaining Your Layered Bob

Maintenance on this cut depends on the length you go with. The shorter you get it cut, the more often you’ll need to upkeep. When you go for a shorts bob, chin-length or shorter, you’ll need your neck trimmed up every couple of weeks.

The cut itself will only need an upkeep trim every couple of months. For a longer bob, three months between trims is ideal. Talk to your hairdresser – they’ll be able to give you a more specific time frame since everyone’s hair grows differently.

Final Thoughts On The Layered Bob

This is such a versatile haircut, with so many styling options – it’s really hard to go wrong with this haircut. It doesn’t matter what length of bob you get or how you choose to style your hair. It will be a fun cut that you’ll want to get over and over again. Plus, the stylishness of the bob makes it never go out of style.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Layered Bob Hairstyles

Which layered bob hairstyle is best for round faces?

For round faces, an asymmetrical or angled layered bob works best as it creates the illusion of length and definition. The side-swept styles like those worn by Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence (examples 16 and 17) are particularly flattering because they create vertical lines that slim and elongate round face shapes. Avoid chin-length bobs that hit exactly at the fullest part of your face.

How do I style a layered bob for more volume?

To maximize volume in a layered bob, apply a volumizing mousse to damp hair and blow-dry using a round brush, lifting at the roots. For extra lift, try root clipping while drying or use a texturizing spray on dry hair. The Rose Byrne style (example 35) demonstrates excellent volume that can be achieved with the right styling techniques and products.

How often should I trim my layered bob to maintain its shape?

Layered bobs typically require maintenance every 6-8 weeks to keep their shape and prevent the layers from blending together. For shorter, more precision cuts like Elizabeth Moss’s style (example 28), you might need trims every 4-6 weeks. Longer, more textured layered bobs like Khloe Kardashian’s (example 18) can sometimes go 8-10 weeks between trims.

Can I get a layered bob if I have curly hair?

Absolutely! Curly hair often benefits from layers as they remove weight and allow curls to spring up naturally. For the best results, seek out a stylist who specializes in cutting curly hair dry to see how the layers will actually fall. The Charlize Theron example (number 26) shows how beautiful a layered bob can look with wavy to curly texture.

What’s the difference between a layered bob and a graduated bob?

A layered bob has layers throughout the hair that create movement and texture, while a graduated bob (sometimes called a stacked bob) is shorter in the back and gradually gets longer toward the front. The graduated bob creates more volume at the crown. Many of the styles shown, like Monica Belucci’s (example 10), combine both techniques for a customized look.

So, Ready to Change Your Look?

So there you gave, the layered bob hairstyles worn by your favorite celebrities that we promised at the beginning of this article. They include chin to shoulder length bobs, shaggy bobs, grunge ones, and choppy to elegant bobs.

Now there’s only one question left: which one(s) did you like best? Write to us in the comment section below and let us know what celebrity layered bob will be your next go-to style!

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