The boyfriend bob is the coolest, most laidback style everyone will be getting in 2022

Remember when derriere-sweeping, Mermaid hair was all the rage? We all refused to cut our hair and slathered it in Moroccan Oil in the hope it would grow out into beautiful, long beachy waves like Blake Lively’s. But 2021 has changed everything and made us plump for much more practical and effortless hairstyles. Enter: the bob.

And no, we’re not talking about the unflattering page boy-esque bowl cut of the 90s – this is the bob 2.0 and it has many, many incarnations. Kaia Gerber, Kim K and Dua Lipa, have all proven that the new bob can be modern, refreshing and a little bit sexy (see the sliced bob and blunt bob for reference). As it goes, peekaboo necks are a sophisticated and sultry way to show a little more skin. Just take a look at J-Lo’s new bob – so damn sexy, right?

In fact, the bob style has just taken the crown as the most popular in the world with 222,580 average monthly searches! This was followed by the bun (85,890 average monthly searches) and in third place, bangs/fringe (85,830 average monthly searches). The bob is the most popular hair look in 52 countries including UK, USA, Belgium and Germany. Woah!

Now we’ve convinced you that the bob is the ideal hairstyle to plump for this season, allow us to introduce you to the boyfriend bob – the latest (and arguably coolest) iteration of the hairstyle.

“Think of it as a square outlined, shorter, blockier bob,” explains Adam Reed, UK Editorial Ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel. “It’s so flattering, wearable and totally changeable depending on your personal style.”

Adam explains that it can be worn smooth and sleek for that sharp, clean cut look, or much edgier with added texture for a messier look. “Have a conversation with your stylist and they will be able to guide what will suit you best, taking into consideration your face shape, how you style day to day and so on. If you have an image in mind then a photo is always helpful too.”

To really give the hairstyle some ‘oomph’, Adam’s absolute go-to product for all variations of this look is L’Oréal Professionnel TECNI.ART Pli, which he says you should spritz onto damp hair before drying for that extra grip and mould.

For added texture, he recommends trying a root-boosting dust, which you can sprinkle at the roots for extra height and then take down to the mid length and ends for that beachy look. For something a little more sleek, run a serum through the mid lengths and ends that need a little more love.

If you’re stuck in a Tier 4 zone where hairdressers are sadly closed, use this as your inspo for your New Year haircut. It’s going nowhere.