We’ve written about many a bob here, and we can’t say we have many regrets about it. The bob is and will probably always remain a timeless classic haircut that is universally flattering. But we get it: there are other haircuts and styles worth exploring, and your options needn’t be limited if you’re looking for a haircut that will get you excited about making a change.
If you want shorter hair, but don’t want a bob, no sweat: these nine haircuts that aren’t bobs are chic and elegant, especially if you’re over 50.
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Sleek Lob
It may rhyme with “bob,” but the lob actually sits lower, usually extending to the collarbone or right above it. When worn blunt, it looks sleek and polished. You can also add face-framing layers to give it movement and help make thin or fine hair look fuller. The best thing about the lob is that it’s on the short side, but it’s still long enough to pull into a an updo or a half-up, half-down style.
Short Shag
Love seventies retro looks? Then consider the short shag, which features tons of layering around the sides and back, usually lighter, wispier, feathered layers. You can personalize your shag by a going a little longer or shorter at the bottom and it’s a look that can be worn with natural texture like waves and curls.
Pixie with Long Bangs
The pixie is as much a classic style as the bob, but is great if you want to go even shorter than chin-length. The pixie also features a much shorter back and sides, but with longer layers on top you can opt to sweep them to the side or back.
Short Pixie with Funky Spikes
Keep the short pixie, but cut the layers on top just slightly so that you can fashion them into spiky pieces that are playful, fun, and youthful in spirit.
French bob
We know we said NO bobs, but allow us this one: the French bob could really have its own name, without the “bob” in it, thanks to its much shorter length (it usually stops above the chin and hugs the face with layers and bangs). If you still can’t get the classic bob out of your mind, but want to try a shorter spin on it, this is the cut for you.
Bixie
We love a great cut that combines two great cuts into one — and that’s what you get when you choose a bixie. The bixie is a mix of the bob and pixie, with shorter layers at the nape of the neck and longer layers around the face. It has its roots in the ‘90s and is a fun, versatile style that refuses to be pigeonholed.
Short Afro
A short afro (also called a TWA, for “tweeny weeny afro) is about two inches of length, often with tapered or shaved sides. It’s a popular cut among celebs like Lupita Nyong'o and Willow Smith and allows you to let your natural hair shine.
Buzz Cut
Are you daring, confident, and always ready and willing to stand out from the pack? Not only will a buzz cut get your noticed, but you’ll feel cool as a cucumber (literally, cooled down) in the summer months and will save so much time and money having to style your hair.
Shoulder-Length Cut
The shoulder is the great compromise cut — it’s where your hair is neither long, nor short, but somewhere sweetly in the middle. Whether you want to take things slowly before trying a shorter ‘do, or prefer longer hair, but feel like you need a change, consider a shoulder length haircut with long layers, and maybe even bangs.
