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Stacked / inverted bob

Model W1 before the cut, with their own hair. AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
Stacked / inverted bob on Model W1 (light skin · straight 1B hair · 20s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
BeforeStacked / inverted bob

AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person

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A short, classic and edgy women's cut with 6–10 in (15–25.5 cm) on top, finished with a tapered neckline.

Also asked for as: inverted bob, a-line bob, graduated bob, angled bob, stacked bob haircut

Updated

The stacked / inverted bob at a glance

On top
6–10 in15–25.5 cm
Best on
Straight to wavy hair
Recut
Every 5–7 weeks
Styling
10 min a day

Traditionally suggested for

Round faces (angled lines lengthen), crown thinning, fine hair, a long neck.

Stylist rule of thumb

The stacked / inverted bob on 3 synthetic models

2 skin tones and 2 hair types, each shown only on hair the cut can hold. AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.

  • Stacked / inverted bob on Model W1 (light skin · straight 1B hair · 20s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Stacked / inverted bob · Model W1light skin · straight hair · 20s
  • Stacked / inverted bob on Model W2 (fair skin · straight 1C hair with silver strands · 50s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Stacked / inverted bob · Model W2fair skin · straight hair with silver strands · 50s
  • Stacked / inverted bob on Model W3 (olive skin · wavy 2A–2B hair · 30s). AI reference on a synthetic model — not a real person.
    Stacked / inverted bob · Model W3olive skin · wavy hair · 30s

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 wavy hair.How hair behaves
  • Thin to medium hair.How hair behaves
  • Still works with a clearly receding hairline.Barbers agree
  • Scores higher if you have fine hair.How hair behaves
  • Scores higher if you have low-density hair.How hair behaves

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 receding hairline and a thinning crown or more: we flag it one step past its limit and stop suggesting it after that.Barbers agree
  • Helmets, hats or daily swimming: they flatten the volume the shape needs.How hair behaves
  • A humid climate with wavy or curly hair: it needs a blowout to hold.How hair behaves
  • Less than 10 minutes a day for styling: it needs 10 min a day.Your call
  • Scores lower if you have coarse hair.How hair behaves

Barbers also flag: Long faces (keep the front at chin length); coarse curly hair puffs out.

Stacked / inverted bob vs classic pixie

The stacked / inverted bob and the classic pixie share short length and low to medium density, which is why they get mixed up. Below are only the specs where they differ.

The stacked / inverted bob and the classic pixie compared on the catalog fields where they differ
What the barber cutsStacked / inverted bob: Graduation at the nape; front left longer (chin to collarbone)Classic pixie: Point-cut; debulk if thick; coily hair: shape the top, taper the sides
Length on topStacked / inverted bob: 6–10 in (15–25.5 cm)Classic pixie: 1–3 in (2.5–7.5 cm)
FringeStacked / inverted bob: None in the specClassic pixie: Soft side fringe
Best onStacked / inverted bob: 1A–2B hairClassic pixie: 1A–2B, 4A–4C hair
RecutStacked / inverted bob: Every 5–7 weeksClassic pixie: Every 4–6 weeks
Daily stylingStacked / inverted bob: 10 min a dayClassic pixie: 5 min a day
Also needsStacked / inverted bob: Volume at the crown and a blowout in humid weatherClassic pixie: Nothing beyond the trim
Top 3 on proportionsStacked / inverted bob: RoundClassic pixie: Round and square
Traditionally suggested forStacked / inverted bob: Round faces (angled lines lengthen), crown thinning, fine hair, a long neck.Classic pixie: A long neck, small-to-medium features, cheekbones, fine hair (a pixie adds lift). The chin-to-earlobe ≤ 5.5 cm rule is an unvalidated stylist heuristic.

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 classic pixie 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

“Graduated stacked nape; front longer at chin to collarbone; angle to taste.”
Sides
Graduated, with a stacked nape
Top
6–10 in (15–25.5 cm)
Neckline
Tapered (fades out naturally)
Technique
Graduation at the nape; front left longer (chin to collarbone)
Product
Volumising mousse; round-brush dry
Recut
Every 5–7 weeks

Get the look

Products and tools for the stacked / inverted bob

Product types, not brands, picked from the barber spec above. 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
5–7 weeks
Per year
7–10 cuts a year, about $210–$300 at $30 a cut
Daily styling
10 min a day
Product
Light product
Heat tools
Not needed

Proportions, by face shape

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

Where the stacked / inverted bob places in the geometry-only top 10 for each face shape
Face shapeOn proportions
OvalNot in the top 10
Round#2 of the top 10
Square#6 of the top 10
OblongNot in the top 10
HeartNot in the top 10
DiamondNot in the top 10
TriangleNot in the top 10

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

Guides that mention the stacked / inverted bob

Stacked / inverted bob: questions

What do I ask my barber for with a stacked / inverted bob?
Read this out: “Graduated stacked nape; front longer at chin to collarbone; angle to taste.” That's 6–10 in (15–25.5 cm) on top with a tapered neckline, recut every 5–7 weeks. Your own barber card adjusts it for your part side and texture.
Stacked / inverted bob vs classic pixie: what's the difference?
The stacked / inverted bob and the classic pixie share short length and low to medium density, which is why they get mixed up. The stacked / inverted bob is cut as “Graduation at the nape; front left longer (chin to collarbone)”; the classic pixie as “Point-cut; debulk if thick; coily hair: shape the top, taper the sides”. On texture, the stacked / inverted bob takes 1A–2B hair; the classic pixie takes 1A–2B, 4A–4C hair. Beyond the trim the stacked / inverted bob needs volume at the crown and a blowout in humid weather, the classic pixie needs nothing beyond the trim. 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: classic pixie.
Is the stacked / inverted bob a women's cut?
Yes: our catalog lists the stacked / inverted 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–2B hair at low to medium density, and it still works with a clearly receding hairline. The free check measures your texture, density and hairline, then ranks the stacked / inverted bob against every other women's cut.
Does the stacked / inverted bob work on curly or coily hair?
It's best on 1A–2B hair. On 3A–4C hair the shape doesn't hold, so our analysis rules it out.
Does the stacked / inverted bob work on thin or fine hair?
Yes: the catalog allows low to medium density, so low-density hair isn't ruled out. Nothing else in its spec marks it down for fine strands or low density. It also needs volume to hold its shape, so anything that flattens your hair works against it. 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 stacked / inverted bob need?
A trim every 5–7 weeks: 7–10 cuts a year, about $210–$300 at $30 a cut, plus 10 minutes of styling a day.
Who should skip the stacked / inverted bob?
3A–4C hair (curly and coily): the shape depends on a texture it can't hold, so we rule it out. A hairline past Norwood 3: at stage 4 it's shown with a caveat; beyond that we hide it. Helmets, hats or daily swimming: they flatten the volume the shape needs. Barbers also flag: Long faces (keep the front at chin length); coarse curly hair puffs out.
Which face shapes suit a stacked / inverted bob?
On proportions alone, our engine places it in the top 3 for round 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 a-line bob the same as a stacked / inverted bob?
“A-line bob” 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 stacked / inverted bob fit you? Find out before you sit down.

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