Stacked Bob

The stacked bob is the graduated bob with layers stacked at the back so the silhouette steps upward from nape to crown. Length stays at the jaw or slightly below in front; the back is significantly shorter. The cut creates strong volume at the crown and the back of the head, which is most of the appeal.

It flatters round and oblong faces specifically — round faces benefit from the vertical lift the stacking creates, and oblong faces have the height to carry it. Square and heart faces tend to look top-heavy under the stacked silhouette. Straight hair shows the stack most cleanly; wavy hair softens the graduation into something less visible.

Medium daily maintenance — needs a smoothing blowout to keep the stack defined and the back volume up. Air-drying tends to flatten the stack. Trim every six weeks; as the back grows, the stack disappears and the bob goes asymmetric. The cut has stayed in rotation since the early 2000s when it became the standard 'professional short cut for women.' Ask for 'graduated stacking at the back, chin-length in front, the back should look like steps in a mirror' — describing it as 'a stacked bob' assumes the stylist will know what you mean.