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Lob (long bob)

Model W2 before the cut, with their own hair. AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
Lob (long bob) on Model W2 (fair skin · straight 1C hair with silver strands · 50s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
BeforeLob (long bob)

AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person

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A medium, classic and soft women's cut with 10–12 in (25.5–30.5 cm) on top, finished with a blocked neckline.

Also asked for as: long bob, lob haircut, collarbone length hair, shoulder length bob

Updated

The lob (long bob) at a glance

On top
10–12 in25.5–30.5 cm
Best on
Straight to curly hair
Recut
Every 8–10 weeks
Styling
5–10 min a day

Traditionally suggested for

Near universal; round faces (length below the chin), square faces (curved ends), a large chin.

Stylist rule of thumb

The lob (long bob) on 3 synthetic models

3 skin tones and 3 hair types, each shown only on hair the cut can hold. AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.

  • Lob (long bob) on Model W2 (fair skin · straight 1C hair with silver strands · 50s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Lob (long bob) · Model W2fair skin · straight hair with silver strands · 50s
  • Lob (long bob) on Model W3 (olive skin · wavy 2A–2B hair · 30s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Lob (long bob) · Model W3olive skin · wavy hair · 30s
  • Lob (long bob) on Model W4 (light brown skin · curly 3A–3B hair · 20s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Lob (long bob) · Model W4light brown skin · curly hair · 20s

AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person. Each picture starts from one AI-made portrait per model; only the hair is changed, and we publish it only if our check finds the face unchanged. Your own preview uses your photo.

Who it fits

Hair comes first: these decide whether the shape can hold.

  • Best on straight to curly hair.How hair behaves
  • Any amount of hair, thin to thick.How hair behaves
  • Still works with a hairline a little higher at the temples.Barbers agree
  • Scores higher if you have a square jaw.Stylist rule of thumb

Who should skip it

Any one of these moves it down your list, or off it.

  • Curly to coily hair: the shape needs a texture it can't hold, so we rule it out.How hair behaves
  • A clearly receding hairline or more: we flag it one step past its limit and stop suggesting it after that.Barbers agree

Barbers also flag: Few — a dependable middle ground.

Lob (long bob) vs side-swept fringe with layers

The lob (long bob) and the side-swept fringe with layers share medium length, the same best textures (1A–3A) and any density, which is why they get mixed up. Below are only the specs where they differ.

The lob (long bob) and the side-swept fringe with layers compared on the catalog fields where they differ
What the barber cutsLob (long bob): Blunt or light long layers; bevel the ends under or outSide-swept fringe with layers: Deep diagonal part; fringe blended into the layers
Length on topLob (long bob): 10–12 in (25.5–30.5 cm)Side-swept fringe with layers: 4–8 in (10–20.5 cm)
FringeLob (long bob): None in the specSide-swept fringe with layers: Long and side-swept from a deep diagonal part
NecklineLob (long bob): Blocked (squared-off line)Side-swept fringe with layers: Rounded
RecutLob (long bob): Every 8–10 weeksSide-swept fringe with layers: Every 6–8 weeks
Daily stylingLob (long bob): 5–10 min a daySide-swept fringe with layers: 5 min a day
Top 3 on proportionsLob (long bob): OvalSide-swept fringe with layers: No shape in the top 3
Traditionally suggested forLob (long bob): Near universal; round faces (length below the chin), square faces (curved ends), a large chin.Side-swept fringe with layers: Round and square faces (Milady: a diagonal adds height), a crooked nose, close-set eyes, a high forehead.

Every row is a catalog field or our engine’s geometry ranking; “traditionally suggested for” is stylist convention. Which of the two suits you comes down to your own texture, density and hairline: check your hair for free, or read the full side-swept fringe with layers spec.

What to tell your barber

The catalog spec, in barber terms. Your own card adjusts it: the part side from your crown, notes for your hair type, and a QR code your barber can open.

Read this to your barber

“Collarbone length; blunt or light long layers; bevel the ends under or out.”
Sides
Collarbone length
Top
10–12 in (25.5–30.5 cm)
Neckline
Blocked (squared-off line)
Technique
Blunt or light long layers; bevel the ends under or out
Product
Smoothing cream or texture spray
Recut
Every 8–10 weeks

Get the look

Products and tools for the lob (long bob)

Product types, not brands, picked from the barber spec above and split by hair type. Your own results match them to your hair.

We may earn a commission if you buy through these links; it doesn't change what we recommend.

Upkeep and yearly cost

Priced at $30 a cut. Your results use your own local price.

Trim every
8–10 weeks
Per year
5–7 cuts a year, about $150–$210 at $30 a cut
Daily styling
5–10 min a day
Product
Light product
Heat tools
Not needed

Proportions, by face shape

Where the lob (long bob) places in our engine’s top 10 for a textbook face of each shape, on proportions alone: a top-3 pick for oval. Proportions are the smallest part of a real score; your hair counts for more.

Where the lob (long bob) places in the geometry-only top 10 for each face shape
Face shapeOn proportions
Oval#1 of the top 10
Round#7 of the top 10
SquareNot in the top 10
Oblong#6 of the top 10
Heart#6 of the top 10
Diamond#5 of the top 10
Triangle#9 of the top 10

Full ranked lists: women's cuts for oval faces.

Guides that mention the lob (long bob)

Lob (long bob): questions

What do I ask my barber for with a lob (long bob)?
Read this out: “Collarbone length; blunt or light long layers; bevel the ends under or out.” That's 10–12 in (25.5–30.5 cm) on top with a blocked neckline, recut every 8–10 weeks. Your own barber card adjusts it for your part side and texture.
Lob (long bob) vs side-swept fringe with layers: what's the difference?
The lob (long bob) and the side-swept fringe with layers share medium length, the same best textures (1A–3A) and any density, which is why they get mixed up. The lob (long bob) is cut as “Blunt or light long layers; bevel the ends under or out”; the side-swept fringe with layers as “Deep diagonal part; fringe blended into the layers”. The neckline differs too: blocked against rounded. Our engine scores both against your own texture, density and hairline, so the free check tells you which of the two ranks higher for you. Full spec: side-swept fringe with layers.
Is the lob (long bob) a women's cut?
Yes: our catalog lists the lob (long bob) as a women's cut, so it comes up when your check is set to women's cuts, and not in the men's list. That is where gender stops counting: the shape is decided by your hair and your proportions. The spec wants 1A–3A hair at any density, and it still works with a hairline a little higher at the temples. The free check measures your texture, density and hairline, then ranks the lob (long bob) against every other women's cut.
Does the lob (long bob) work on curly or coily hair?
It's best on 1A–3A hair. On 3C–4C hair the shape doesn't hold, so our analysis rules it out.
Does the lob (long bob) work on thin or fine hair?
Yes: the catalog allows any density, so low-density hair isn't ruled out. Nothing else in its spec marks it down for fine strands or low density. Density is measured in the free check, and our thinning hair guide lists the cuts our engine favours for thin hair.
How much upkeep does a lob (long bob) need?
A trim every 8–10 weeks: 5–7 cuts a year, about $150–$210 at $30 a cut, plus 5–10 minutes of styling a day.
Who should skip the lob (long bob)?
3C–4C hair (curly and coily): the shape depends on a texture it can't hold, so we rule it out. A hairline past Norwood 2: at stage 3 it's shown with a caveat; beyond that we hide it. Barbers also flag: Few — a dependable middle ground.
Which face shapes suit a lob (long bob)?
On proportions alone, our engine places it in the top 3 for oval faces. Proportions are the smallest part of a real score; texture, density and hairline count for more, which is why the free check looks at your hair first.
Is a lob haircut the same as a lob (long bob)?
“Lob haircut” is one of the names people use for it. Ask for it by the spec above rather than the name, since names vary between barbers.

Related cuts

All haircuts

Will the lob (long bob) fit you? Find out before you sit down.

We check it against your face and hair. Your best cut is free, shown on your own face. Members see every cut that fits, with the numbers for your barber.

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