Contents
- 1 Timeless Tuck
- 2 Vintage Vision
- 3 Old Hollywood Glamour
- 4 Cool Curly Bangs
- 5 Lived-in Waves
- 6 Embellished Braids
- 7 Tousled Waves
- 8 Flirty Face-Framing Curls
- 9 Barely There
- 10 Deep Side Part Swoop
- 11 Slicked-Back Swoops
- 12 A Slick Swoop
- 13 Sleek S-Waves
- 14 One-Side Tuck
- 15 Wind Blown Wisps
- 16 Piece-y Bob
- 17 Va Va Volume
- 18 Lob With Bends
- 19 The Swoop
- 20 The piecey
- 21 Still Wet Waves
- 22 Side Bang Swoop
- 23 Sleek and Structured
- 24 The Posh Spice
- 25 Loose Curls
This year, side-part bobs are everywhere. Awards season It girl Ayo Edebiri sported a sleek and simple interpretation for this year’s Emmys; Gigi Hadid wore a curly version to the Met Gala; and Joey King debuted a retro take at Cannes.
Why have side-part bobs become so popular, even in the face of side-part side-eye? Together, an abbreviated cut and side-swept parting create a look that evokes romance and old-world glamour.
What's more, the side-part bob has many iterations that flatter a range of face shapes. Celebrity stylist Ashley Gomila says a chin-level bob with volume at the top and front can elongate a rounder face, while one cut just above the chin can help highlight the jawline. Celebrity hairstylist Gonn Kinoshita adds that a more subtle side part looks good on round faces, while a deeper side part works well with longer ones.
Want to try the style for yourself? Look no further. Below are 25 side-part bob looks of all shapes and sizes.
Meet the expert
- Dimitris Giannetos, a celebrity hairstylist whose clients include Megan Fox, Demi Moore, and Gigi Hadid.
- Ashley Gomila, a Los Angeles-based celebrity hair and makeup artist.
- Gonn Kinoshita, a hairstylist and Balmain Hair Ambassador whose clients include Sienna Miller and Simone Ashley.
Timeless Tuck
Ayo Edebiri kept things simple with a smooth, straight side-part bob cut above the chin and tucked behind her ears. It's the kind of look that looks right at home with a strapless top and tennis necklace.
Gomila explains how to get the look at home: "Press hair with a flat iron, taking horizontal sections and pulling the hair straight down. After pressing the hair completely straight, find the perfect part and secure the smaller side part with a flat bill hair clip. I recommend adding high-quality oil throughout the hair to protect the hair and add shine. Typically, I suggest using a small amount of shine wax where needed to polish off the look. I use Balmain Hair's Shine Wax to hold down any hairs that may need extra hold and a tiny amount on top to give a nice luster to the sleek style. "
Vintage Vision
Joey King debuted a sleek, '20s-inspired bob at Cannes Film Festival, channeling a flapper with strands that hit just above the jaw and are angled toward the face. Celebrity hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos achieved the look by straightening the hair so that it curled slightly inwards toward the chin. A single bobby pin above the eyebrow arch adds an extra retro touch.
Old Hollywood Glamour
Penelope Cruz channeled old-world glamour on the Oscars red carpet with her swooping pin curls. They frame the face, tucking just in front of the ears—a look fit for a starlet.
Cool Curly Bangs
Here, Yara Shahidi brings subtle side bangs into the mix with a triangular curly cut that is full of volume.
Lived-in Waves
Dixie D'Amelio's textured blowout with a deep side part lends an effortless look, suggesting you've just rolled out of bed and run your fingers through your hair. Giannetos calls the textured, mid-length bob fun, flirty, and "easy to keep up with."
Embellished Braids
Marsai Martin shows us just how good a braided bob looks with a side part. The addition of silver beads elevates the whole style.
Tousled Waves
Charlize Theron added body and movement to her side-part bob with tousled beach waves, which add body to an otherwise minimalistic cut.
Gomila shares how to achieve the texture: "Once your hair is dried and parted, I like to work in diagonal sections with a 1-inch iron to add some shape and texture to the hair. Take 1-inch sections, point the tip of your iron to the floor, and wrap the hair away from your face. Finish off this look by applying a good-quality texture spray."
Flirty Face-Framing Curls
Elle Fanning lets the untucked portion of her loosely curled strands fall in front of her face, adding a romantic flair. The look blends seamlessly with a red lip and blazer.
Barely There
When you're working with very short hair, this pared-back look is a great alternative to an updo or slick-back style. Here's how to recreate Iris Law's at home, according to Gomila.
"First part wet hair on the side, combing down the smaller parted section behind the ear. Then, apply a small amount of styling cream through the hair; I recommend the Moisturizing Styling Cream by Balmain Hair. Apply a mousse product, like Volume Mousse Strong by Balmain Hair, to the top larger section of the hair. Then, using a small round brush, dry the hair up and away from the face, creating soft volume. Work your way throughout the hair avoiding the smaller side part section, keep that section flat and straight. I like to apply a flat bill clip to the smaller section to keep it in place. Once styled I follow up with texture spray and a light bit of hair spray to the smaller section to keep it in place."
Deep Side Part Swoop
America Ferrera shows us how to exaggerate the silhouette of a side part bob by deepening the side part so that it sits over the crease of one eye. This adds volume and exaggerates the swoop of the hairline. To top it off, use a round brush and blow dryer to pull the hair back toward the face, creating flippy ends that complete the playful shape.
Slicked-Back Swoops
Slick-back buns have had their moment in the sun, but it's time for the slick-back bob to shine. Xenia Adonts balances out the sleek silhouette with ultra-bouncy ends for a playful, mod look.
A Slick Swoop
For a more avant-garde look, Willabelle Ong slicks back both sides, leaving a single strand out to swoop playfully across the forehead.
Sleek S-Waves
Stefanie Martini's paired back take on sculpted S-waves features one super structured piece up front while the rest of the hair remains relaxed. It's elegant but doesn't necessitate a red carpet. Here's how Gomila would recreate the look:
"Blow dry wet hair with a large round brush to create soft, natural volume. Use a flat iron to shape the volume and bend the ends of the hair upward and downward to create a bit of movement. Create a large barrel curl in the very front of the hair, on the larger side part. Once the desired shape is there, set it with a strong-hold hair spray. You can add a small amount of a matte styling gel to the smaller parted section; I recommend using a small amount of matte paste activated and warmed in the hands, applying from the top of the smaller parted side to behind the ear."
One-Side Tuck
If a sleek, everyday look is what you're after, keep things simple by blowing your hair straight and tucking one side behind the ear, à la Olivia Palermo. A side part just above one eye allows the untucked side of the hair to frame the face gracefully.
Wind Blown Wisps
"When working with a blunt bob, there is less room for mistakes as you’re working with less hair," says Giannetos, who styled this look on Megan Fox. That said, he adds, "it can be easily styled by blowing it out, adding a soft wave, or wearing it naturally curly depending on hair texture. For this specific look, a blowout was enough and gave it a very natural touch."
Piece-y Bob
Sabrina Dhowre Elba switched things up by keeping most of her hair tucked behind her ears, but leaving a front section out to frame the face.
Va Va Volume
With this voluminous blowout, Bebe Rexha proves straight hair doesn't have to be sleek. It's simple but impactful.
Lob With Bends
For a subtler take on the trend, try a lob—or long bob—with a subtle side part positioned over the corner of one eye, rather than the center. Cate Blanchett demonstrates the look with loose waves that skim her shoulder.
The Swoop
Lily Allen sports a diagonal part that creates a swooping hairline mimicking a bang. It's a fun way to add volume and drama to a shorter cut.
The piecey
Who said having a bob excludes you from that piecey, oh-so-'90s look? Sarah Ellen proves the key is to stick with small pieces.
Still Wet Waves
A side part bob lends itself particularly well to a still-wet texture, especially on curly hair, as demonstrated by French filmmaker Maïmouna Doucouré.
Side Bang Swoop
Side bangs and a side part may sound like a combination best left in 2007, but Karlie Kloss proves it can work, especially when offset by a choppy jaw-bob.
Sleek and Structured
Giannetos says that D'Amelio's side part, styled for an autumn/winter 2025 Louis Vuitton show, was a collaborative decision. "We gave the hair a more modern twist by opting for a sleek, polished look. Adding texture with beach waves to the side part would also be a stylish option."
The Posh Spice
Who could forget Victoria Beckham's asymmetrical bob? Longer front pieces skim her chin while short layers create volume toward the back of her head.
Loose Curls
Julia Roberts's early aughts curls are just as enviable today as they were two decades ago. The subtle side part adds a touch of that old Hollywood glamour.