Why the ‘Grace Kelly bob’ is summer’s unexpected preppy hairstyle

‘Tis the season for shorter cuts and while the bob still answers that siren call, Kirsten Dunst is making a case for a more preppy iteration: the Grace Kelly bob.

At the starry red carpet launch of Killers of the Flower Moon at the Cannes Film Festival, Kirsten switched up her signature straight blonde hair by putting a modern spin on a ’40s style reminiscent of silver screen star Grace Kelly.

It borrows heavily from the French bob, which is only fitting given the South of France backdrop, but there are some key differences. The Grace Kelly bob is a little fussier and less free-spirited than its Gallic cousin. It is also more polished than the mussed-up jaw-grazers that have dominated our feeds of late.

Typically, the Grace Kelly bob sits at shoulder level and features a soft wave through the mid-lengths and curved ends that doesn’t look too perfect.

“I love the drama of this bob,” says hairstylist Syd Hayes. “It’s great to see a classic sharp shape – something striking and less about the layers and more about straight lines and angles.”

First and foremost, Syd emphasises the importance of a good cut. “Ask your hairdresser for a blunt, shoulder-skimming bob with no layers,” he says, adding: “You may think a short haircut needs less attention, but hair grows quickly so you need to keep this bob looking sharp with regular trims.”

The trick when styling, he notes, is to zero in on the volume by prepping the hair with mousse. “This will give height at the root and ensure hair doesn’t fall flat or create an unwanted, long silhouette,” he says.

The easiest way to create the waves is with heated rollers (Syd likes the BaByliss Thermo-Ceramic Rollers). “Start by placing them on the top section of hair, working in parallel sections from the front to the crown,” he recommends. “You want the rollers to stay in this section longer than elsewhere in order to create more volume on top. Continue applying the the rollers through the sides and down the nape of the neck.”