Hair trends may come and go, but the bob haircut is always in style. And the triumphant return of the ’90s-supermodel bob and lob proves just that.
Also known as the flipped bob or “flob,” the ’90s-supermodel bob combines the texture and volume of Cindy Crawford’s signature bombshell blowout with the length, movement, and low-maintenance of Christy Turlington’s and Eva Herzigová's bobs. So while the look is (obviously) incredibly chic, it’s practical too.
“The ’90s-supermodel bob has the line and length of the bob but the top layers have much more texture, so it’s lighter on top and easier to flip around,” celebrity hairstylist Marc Mena tells Glamour, though you can also wear it just past the shoulders for a voluminous lob. “Flipping your hair can feel really heavy with a regular bob, since it’s cut with no part, but the flob is cut and parted all around—in the middle, on the left, and then the right—so the ends are just texturized and it gives the hair movement.”
The ’90s-supermodel bob is the easiest—and chicest—way to instantly add volume and texture to short hair. It’s no wonder so many celebrities are obsessed with the look. Sydney Sweeney, Madelyn Cline, Zendaya, and more have all worn the throwback cut as of late.
Sydney Sweeney
Eva Herzigova, 1998Daniel SIMON/Getty Images
According to Mena, the secret to ensuring a truly voluminous ’90s-supermodel bob is barely there layers. “The layers are so light and blended you don’t actually see a layer,” he says. So be sure to request super-light layers at the salon. If the top is too heavy, it won’t flip, which is a key component of the look.
“A hair flip creates body,” he says. “When you flip it back and forth, the hair cuticle starts to mold with each part, and gives your hair more volume. It’s like putting a roller in your hair.”
Zendaya
Christy Turlington
The flob signals a shift away from high-maintenance hair trends. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen that everything is so styled—you can’t touch it,” Mena says. “But with the flob, a lot of women are cutting off all those old balayaged colors, getting rid of split ends, starting fresh, and embracing, flipping, and playing with their natural hair.”
It’s also much less of a hassle when it comes to style and restyling, Mena adds. “You can style your flob one day, then the next day, when you wake up, just reset it at the top, and it’s right back to where you started.”
Madelyn Cline
Cindy Crawford, 1995
As for how to ensure your ’90s-supermodel bob has all that va-va-volume from the get-go? Start by switching to a volumizing shampoo and conditioner, and apply conditioner only to the ends. “I don’t like to condition roots, especially with the flob,” Mena says. “Just a little bit on the ends goes a long way.”
Next, Mena advises applying mousse to wet hair. “I’ve really been liking the Leonor Greyl mousse, because it’s very light and not sticky, and Pantene has a really great mousse as well,” he says. Once your mousse and heat protectant are applied, dry your hair with either a blow-dryer and round flat brush, or a blow-dry brush like the Dyson AirWrap or Trademark Beauty Easy Blo.
Kerry Washington
Danielle Campbell
“Use a round brush to style the top, then section it into inch-and-a-half sections, and set it in rollers,” Mena says. “Let it sit while you finish getting ready, then, once you’re done and it sets, it will flip around and feel movable and touchable.”