Say "Oui" to the French Bob This Winter With These 14 Styles

It's the chicest haircut around.

A model with her hair in a French bob.

@angele_vl / Instagram

It's no secret that the French are beauty and fashion connoisseurs. Heck, they even have their own namesake haircut: the French bob.

A French bob hits right under the ears and above your chin (i.e. cheekbone-length). The style may have originated with French actresses in the 1920s, who wore their hair in a cropped bob, sometimes with a beret. Often worn with bangs, the cut is usually blunt at the ends.

Short and flirty, this version of the already sought-after style is modern and cool, notes hairstyle pro Garren. "I've been pushing it recently to clients who want to be freed of hair that has grown out," he says. To learn more about the French bob, we tapped Garren and IGK co-founder Aaron Grenia to get their best styling tips, plus rounded up our favorite iterations of the classic cut.

Meet the Experts

  • Garren is a celebrity hairstylist who has worked with Farrah Fawcett, Karlie Kloss, and Victoria Beckham. He is also the co-founder of R+Co.
  • Aaron Grenia is the co-founder of IGK, who has created looks for designers Carolina Herrera, Dolce and Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta, and Marc Jacobs.
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The Classic

Person with a classic French bob

@erickinvisible / Instagram

Model Taylor LaShae's head of hair is probably one of the most referenced examples of a quintessential French bob haircut out there. Everything about it, from its cheekbone grazing length to its tantalizing texture is on point. J'adore.

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Tousled

Ayo Edebiri with her chic French bob.

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One of the best things about the French bob is that styling can be a breeze. You can wear it sleek and polished or playfully tousled. "The style gives your hair that just-out-of-bed but still chic look, that never looks like you tried hard," Grenia says. If you want a slicked-back look, he recommends passing gel throughout your strands. "You can also use some texturizing spray to enhance your natural waves," he adds.

For daily styling, Garren says less is more— a styling serum will do if you seek a smooth finish. "Comb through wet hair and let it air dry. A combination of mousse and texturizing products will give your French bob lift and bounce.

03 of 14

Flipped to the Side

Kat Graham with a flipped French bob, shimmery pink eyeshadow, and glossy pink lipstick

Momodu Mansaray / Getty Images

With its off-center parting, Kat Graham's French bob gets an instant boost of volume. Switching up your part is an easy way to change up your look that doesn't involve any commitment. To get her healthy high-gloss finish, apply some shine spray.

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Smooth Finish

A French bob with a smooth finish.

@nikki_makeup / instagram

Personality isn't the only thing about the French bob that makes it a timeless standout. It's a versatile cut that can be customized for most people's texture and face shape. It tends to work best for those with stick-straight hair, but your stylist can also cut it in such a way that accentuates your natural hair texture with scissors or a razor. "You can ask for the same length for all hair types," Grenia says. "That's the beauty of it."

05 of 14

Curly

A curly French bob.

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The French bob can look boxy with curlier textures if it's not done right, says Garren. He stresses that you go to someone familiar with working with your natural wave pattern and who's skilled in using scissors and razors.

06 of 14

Textured and Mussy

Person with a textured French bob

@vivipinho / Instagram

This textured, wind-blown style has got that certain je ne sais quoi. The ombré color and mussy styling create a visually effortless look that is low-maintenance and cool.

07 of 14

Choppy with Baby Bangs

Paloma Elsesser with a French girl bob haircut at the 2022 Met Gala

Arturo Holmes / MG22 / Getty Images

At the 2022 Met Gala, model Paloma Elsesser stunned in this choppy French girl bob with micro bangs (shout out to her stylist, Ursula Stephen). With ends that hit right at the cheek—plus sculpted contouring—the cut draws attention to her cheekbones. The result is ultra-flattering.

08 of 14

Pin-Straight

Person with a slick straight French bob

@erickinvisible / Instagram

Perfectly framing the face, this straight bob with bangs is simple, yet strikingly beautiful. It works best on those with naturally straight hair and requires a bit of maintenance (read: regular trims) to keep it looking chic.

09 of 14

Grown-Out

Zendaya with a red, textured French girl bob at the 2018 Met Gala

Karwai Tang / Getty Images

Another Met Gala look that also happened to be done by Ursula Stephen, Zendaya's red, "grown-out French bob" (actually a wig) was electrifying. It perfectly complemented her Joan of Arc-inspired outfit and is great for those with natural curls or waves. To replicate her style, apply a texturizing spray to strands, followed by some mousse, and then finish with a high-hold hairspray.

10 of 14

The Wet Look

Jourdan Dunn with a wet look, side-parted French bob on the red carpet

Stuart C. Wilson / Getty Images

Not your standard French girl bob, Jourdan Dunn's version loses the bangs but gains some edge. Her modern wet-look styling, side part, and slight hair tuck behind the ear demonstrate that there's more than one way to wear this cut.

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Voluminous Waves

Selena Gomez with her French bob.

@selenagomez / Instagram

Selena Gomez's latest bob hairstyle is a lesson on just how good volume, bounce, and body can make your hair look. It's longer than your average French bob, but proof that it'll look just as good as it grows out.

12 of 14

Full and Glossy

Person with a glossy French bob

@shaughnessy / Instagram

If you have thick hair, a French bob shouldn't scare you. This wavy version is full of bounce and proves that the cut can make hair look so full and healthy. Just remember to ask your stylist to take some bulk out of the ends so your bob doesn't take on a triangle shape.

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Lush with Side-Swept Bangs

Person with wispy French bob and side-swept bangs

@harryjoshhair / Instagram

While front or wispy bangs are typically what you think of when you think of a French bob, don't discredit a side-swept bang. On Rose Byrne, it feels playful, flirty, and effortless. Plus, it does a gorgeous job at framing her face.

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Asymmetrical

Halle Berry with her asymmetrical French bob.

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If you do a French bob with a side or middle part sans fringe, Garren instructs that you have to be irregular in the bottom and longer in the front to avoid an A-line shape.

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