Asymmetrical Bob

The asymmetrical bob is the bob with one side cut significantly longer than the other — one inch or two inches of difference at the front, with a sharp diagonal slope between. It's the bob that wants to be noticed. Posh Spice Victoria Beckham popularized the modern asymmetrical bob in 2007 with her signature pob cut; the look has cycled regularly since.

It flatters round, square, and heart faces — the asymmetry slims by pulling the eye off-center, making the face feel more elongated. The longer side typically frames the strong side of the jawline. Straight hair shows the asymmetric line cleanest; wavy hair softens the cut into something less geometrically defined but still distinctly asymmetric.

Medium daily maintenance — needs a smoothing blowout to keep the diagonal line crisp. Air-drying tends to disrupt the asymmetric line, especially on wavy hair. Trim every six weeks; the asymmetric line drifts toward symmetric as both sides grow at the same rate. The cut has cycled through fashion every few years since the 1990s. Ask for 'one side at the jaw, the other an inch or two below, with a sharp diagonal between' — describing it as 'an asymmetric bob' might get you something less aggressive than you wanted.