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Ready for a change? Maybe your next haircut should be a layered bob that’s playful, tousled, casual, sleek, blended, or soft. No matter your preference, read on to see all the best ways to rock a bob with layers.
What Is a Layered Bob?
Ah, the classic layered bob. It’s the go-to haircut when you’re itching to go shorter but don’t want to wear your hair pixie-short.
Classic bobs are prim and proper – typically ending at the ear or chin level, with minimal or no layering and tucked-under ends. But bobs with layers bring something feisty and fun to the table.
Since the layered look has become so popular for bobs, we went digging to find the best and most flattering examples. And since this is such a versatile look, there’s no shortage of the different styles and aesthetics you can create with this cut.
Maybe you want your bob to be sleek, low-volume, and perfectly coiffed. We’ve got you covered! Or perhaps you prefer a playful, heavily layered style that looks messy on purpose.
Maybe you’re all about pumping up the volume and want a stacked bob that flatters your face shape. You’ll find tons of options here, no matter what your style preference is!
In the look book below, you’ll get to see 25 different ways women are rocking a layered bob beautifully. From soft and chic to tousled and casual, we’ve got something for every aesthetic in our layered bob roundup. Get ready to screenshot your favorites – it just might be all 25!
25 Gorgeous Layered Bob Examples
Your perfect bob might be short (ear-length), medium (chin-length), or long (lob). Find out which style you like best by checking out all the gorgeous examples below! Which bob can you see yourself rocking proudly?
1. Loose Boho Curls
![Woman with a BOHO layered bob haircut leaning against a rock in a green blouse](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_311712179.jpg.webp)
Anna Demianenko/Shutterstock
One of the best things about choosing a layered bob is that it will highlight and play up any hair texture from straight to coily. We love how big, loose curls give this chin-length bob a playful vibe.
2. Mega Volume Waves
![Lady with a layered bob haircut looks to her left out of the corner of her eye](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_1935999211.jpg.webp)
Sofia Zhuravetc/Shutterstock
We’ll never get sick of waves because there are so many ways to wear them! Long layers in this chin-length bob haircut add body and give the style a little more substance.
Read Next: How to Get Waves
3. Long Bangs and Soft Layers
![Long Bangs and Soft Layers haircut](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_256178392.jpg.webp)
Sanneberg/Shutterstock
If you don’t want your layered bob to look like a carbon copy of everyone else’s, play around with fun twists like these long, side-swept bangs. Soft, angled layers break up the length and give your hair lots of movement.
4. Hollywood Waves
![Layered bob haircut on a woman wearing old-hollywood style clothes](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_748987225.jpg.webp)
Sofia Zhuravetc/Shutterstock
Long layering helps you keep a sleek outline for your bob – no chunky, short layers here! A curling wand or iron is all you need to create these glamorous, full-of-body waves for the style.
5. Feathered With Blunt Bangs
![Feathered With Blunt Bangs](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_1881425257.jpg.webp)
Sun Shock/Shutterstock
Feathered hair hearkens to the laid-back 70s, while a fierce blunt bang adds a modern and stylish twist. The layers help transition the bangs into the rest of the chin-length bob.
6. Invisible Layers
![Portrait of a smiling woman wearing a layered bob haircut holding her right arm while leaning against a blue fence](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_428797165.jpg.webp)
Look Studio/Shutterstock
Invisible layers are one of the latest haircut trends for any length, but isn’t it perfect for a bob? These layers are carefully cut to avoid the “choppy” look while tapering the hair and keeping the weight out of the ends.
7. Burgundy and Copper Layers
![Layered bob with Burgundy and Copper Layers](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_127123928.jpg.webp)
margo_black/Shutterstock
The best way to show off your layers with a bob haircut? Intense hues like burgundy red and copper. These colors create even more dimension and take a layered bob to the next level.
Read Next: Burgundy Hair Color
8. Casual and Tousled
![Casual and Tousled layered bob on a Euro woman in a blue room](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_1663087177.jpg.webp)
Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
Tousled, messy looks can be a challenge to “perfect,” but a heavily layered bob cut like this will make it so much easier to style! Let your hair’s natural texture shine through with lots of short layers and side-swept bangs tucked behind your ear.
9. Super Side-Swept
![Super side-swept bob with layers](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_1040319889.jpg.webp)
SunCity/Shutterstock
A deep side part is a great way to shake up your look and achieve more volume. Balance the look with short, tapered layers that lend lots of movement to the cut.
10. Textured Lob
![Textured lob on a woman in a black shirt in a grey room](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_386782666.jpg.webp)
popcorner/Shutterstock
Long bobs (lobs) are a great way to wear the short hair trend without fully committing to a traditional chin- or ear-length bob. Add gorgeous platinum and choppy layers for an edgy look that straddles the line between short and medium length.
11. Blunt Layers
![Gal with a blunt layered bob that looks like a bowl cut with bangs smiles wearing a low-cut shirt and red lip](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_700513963.jpg.webp)
SunCity/Shutterstock
Blended layers are fun, but blunt layers are an edgy way to rock layers if you want a more modern look. Instead of blending the layers in carefully, have your stylist cut shorter layers in a distinct line around the face. Blended layers in the back taper the length at the nape of the neck.
12. Layered Ends
![Bob haircut with layered ends on a woman in a studio looking ahead so we can't see her face](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_1103289650.jpg.webp)
Oksy001/Shutterstock
To avoid unwanted flyaways and hard-to-style shorter pieces, stick to layering at the ends only. Here, the short layers at the tips break up what would’ve been a blunt cut and soften it up a bit.
13. Goth Chic
![Goth chic layered bob haircut on a woman with red lips whose bangs cover her eyes and most of her nose](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_494946400.jpg.webp)
Volodymyr Tverdokhlib/Shutterstock
Mistresses of the night, this is your cut! Lots of short layers add a little dimension to an otherwise homogeneous black color. The layers “stack” at the ends for a flattering shape.
Read Next: Emo Hair
14. Trendy Tousled Waves
![Trendy Tousled Waves on a woman with skunk hair holding her face in a street](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_495855418.jpg.webp)
Sun Shock/Shutterstock
Soft, trendy waves will make the most of any layered haircut, and we love what they’re doing for this bob! Add a fun accessory like this wide-brimmed hat to finish the look.
Read Next: Best Hair Waver
15. Modern Mushroom Bob
![Modern mushroom bob haircut with purple hair streaks on a woman looking toward a wall](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_1063542908.jpg.webp)
sruilk/Shutterstock
Undercut in the back and long in the front, this mushroom bob creates a bulbous shape thanks to stacked layering in the back. A pop of a vivid color will bring this cut to life!
16. Layered and Stacked
![Layered and stacked bob haircut on a woman with fair skin and big brown eyes](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_64183459.jpg.webp)
FXQuadro/Shutterstock
A stacked bob features layers that get progressively shorter toward the nape of the neck. It adds a boost in volume at the back, plus long layers in front give you flattering face-framing pieces to play around with.
17. Blended and Sliced Layers
![Blended and Sliced Layered bob on a woman in front of a bunch of boats smiling](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_150692654.jpg.webp)
brickrena/Shutterstock
Looking for a casual style that you can air dry with great results? Opt for a bob with short, blended layers all around. A side part and shaggy bangs put your eyes front and center.
18. Voluminous Long Layers
![Voluminous Long Layered bob haircut](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_1825622264.jpg.webp)
Anna Krayova/Shutterstock
Lots of sky-high volume is the key to making the most of a layered bob when you have straight hair. Long layers that begin around the temples break up the cut and keep it from being heavy on the bottom.
19. Heavy Fringe
![Heavy fringe layered bob that's so silver it almost looks like a wig on a topless woman holding her left hand to her chin](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_1697825575.jpg.webp)
VAndreas/Shutterstock
A bold, silvery platinum really sets this layered bob with bangs off! The bangs are cut thick to create a heavy, eyebrow-grazing fringe. Long layers are the key to keeping the silhouette relatively sleek.
20. Shaggy Lob
![Shaggy lob on a woman holding the left side of her hair](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_463356863.jpg.webp)
Alexander Molofeev/Shutterstock
Shaggy, long layers make this basic cut much more versatile when it comes to styling possibilities. Play around with a side or middle part, straight hair, waves, or curls for different looks.
Read Next: Short Shag Haircuts
21. Short Layered Taper
![Short layered taper on a woman with yellow lips in a white spaghetti strap shirt](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_202368520.jpg.webp)
Yuri Shevtsov/Shutterstock
Short layers around the circumference of this ‘do create the widest point of the haircut. From the mid-point toward the nape of the neck, the layers taper for weightless ends.
22. Effortlessly Casual
![Skinny brunette with a layered bob in a red cami looks to her left](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_156661985.jpg.webp)
Olena Zaskochenko/Shutterstock
Soft layers that curve away from the face and piece-y, eyebrow-grazing bangs keep this layered bob from looking too structured. Add highlights to the shorter layers for added dimension!
Read Next: Easy Everyday Hairstyle
23. Messy Texture
![Messy texture layered bob haircut on a woman standing in front of a camo-looking wall](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_1177138495.jpg.webp)
Ganka Trendafilova/Shutterstock
If blended, soft layers aren’t your thing, you may like this messy take on short layers. Here, the layers are stark and choppy because they’re meant to be the focus of the style.
24. Relaxed and Layered
![Relaxed and layered bob haircut on a black woman with red lips standing in a white room](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_261274670.jpg.webp)
iconogenic/Shutterstock
If you’re rocking straightened hair after a relaxer, there’s no better style to wear than a short, heavily layered bob!
25. Deconstructed Ends
![Gal with a lob with deconstructed ends stands in a silk nightshirt and holds her chest](https://youprobablyneedahaircut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_112771636.jpg.webp)
George Mayer/Shutterstock
Keeping the layers and choppiness focused on the ends only will give you more freedom to style your bob. With most of the hair the same length, updos and styles like braids are easier. But the choppy, uneven ends make this cut more modern.
Things to Consider With Layered Bobs
You’ve seen examples of how pretty a bob with layers can be on a variety of hair colors, types, and face shapes. We’ve shown you how these styles look at short, medium, and long bob lengths.
If you’re considering rocking this type of bob in the near future, there are a few things to think about before you book that appointment. A bob with layers can be the answer to your hair prayers – but if you don’t know exactly what you’re getting into, it can be a decision you’ll regret.
Let’s avoid the possibility of hair heartbreak and talk about the things you should consider before getting a bob with layers.
- Layers can be a pain. Yes, layers are cute and add movement, body, and volume to almost any haircut, including bobs. But layers that aren’t properly cut are a pain to style and may look wonky when you air dry. Think long and hard about this before you ask for layers in your bob.
- Do you want short or long layers? Short layers are cut close together and are best for adding volume to a bob. If you want a stacked bob or layers only at the ends, you want short layers. Long layers have more space between them and are “sliced” into the hair. Opt for long layers if you want more movement without taking off much length, or if you prefer to rock loose and casual styles with your bob.
- Know your style options. Before you get a bob with layers, know the style possibilities you’ll have. Most bobs are too short to allow for ponytails or buns, so if those are your go-to styles, you might be happier with a lob instead.
- Are you okay with styling daily? If your hair texture makes it easy to air dry and go, you’re lucky! Most women rocking a layered short haircut like a bob will find that daily styling is a must. Make sure you’re okay with this before you get the snip!
- Can you achieve the look you want with a longer style? If layers are what you’re after, you may be able to achieve the type of look you want without going for a cut quite as short as a bob. A long bob or medium-length style with lots of layers may be easier for you to manage and have more style possibilities than a short bob.
- Do you have a good stylist to do the haircut? Make sure you’ve got a talented, trustworthy stylist to handle your hair transformation if you’re looking to get layers that give your new bob a boost. We don’t recommend cutting a bob and layers yourself.
Layers transform a classic bob haircut into something a little more feisty, fun, and fresh. If you’re sure this is the cut for you, bring a screenshot of your favorite bob examples and show your stylist.
They will be able to recreate the look in a way that perfectly accentuates your hair type and texture while flattering your face shape.
When you’re ready to choose a cute, shorter hairstyle, it’s hard to beat a good ol’ bob with soft, blended layers. Don’t be afraid to jump right in and make this popular style your own!