25 Messy Bob Haircuts for a Low-Maintenance Refresh

Laura Harrier with a Messy Bob Hair Cut
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If you're on the hunt for a hairstyle that strikes the perfect balance between low-maintenance and high style, look no further than the messy bob. This effortlessly tousled, undone look exudes chic, offering a refreshing departure from the overly structured bob. Seen on A-list Hollywood stars and fashionable influencers alike, the messy bob haircut has been embraced by stars far and wide.

Curious about what sets a messy bob apart from the rest? It's the simplicity. “A messy bob is essentially a classic bob that isn’t blown out or straightened," says celebrity hairstylist Clayton Hawkins. "Anyone can rock this style, no matter what hair texture you have.” The texture is ultimately what makes a messy bob messy, adds celebrity hairstylist Anthony Hernandez. “A sleek classic bob contains little to no texture in comparison to a messy bob,” Hernandez explains.

Both stylists agree that there are a number of ways you can add texture to a bob, including a tailored cut and using hot tools like a curling iron or a diffuser. "From a cutting perspective, you’ll need to ask your stylist to texturize or remove weight from your hair — this will give it a messy or airy effect,” says Hernandez. The styling products you use can also help enhance the texture of a bob. “If you have naturally straight hair,  you can achieve a messy bob by diffusing your hair and applying a product," says Hawkins, who loves SexyHair’s Foam Party Texturizing Foam.

For messy bob haircut inspiration, look no further than the array of interpretations below.

  • Clayton Hawkins is a celebrity hairstylist whose clients include Olivia Rodrigo and Ashley Park.
  • Anthony Hernandez is a celebrity hairstylist in New York City.
01 of 25

French Messy Bob

Taylor Lashae with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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This chin-length blunt bob with bangs on Taylor Lashae gives off a French girl vibe. “If your hair is straight-to-wavy, try let it air dry and then spray it with SexyHair Big Fun Raiser Volumizing Dry Texture Spray for added texture,” says Hawkins.

02 of 25

Effortless Messy Bob

Emma Watson with a Messy Bob Hairstyle

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We love these cropped bends on Emma Watson. “This style is soft and effortless,” says Hernandez. “To try this look, ask your stylist for a long bob or lob with long layers and light texture.” The stylist adds that this bob can be achieved by blow-drying your hair straight and adding loose waves with a flat iron or curling iron.

03 of 25

Face-Framing Messy Bob

Jennifer Lawrence with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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As shown on Jennifer Lawerence, “this shoulder-length bob with face-framing layers looks great air-dried or diffused with the Sexy Hair Curling Creme,” says Hawkins.

04 of 25

Soft Fringe Messy Bob

Karlie Kloss with a Messy Bob Hairstyle

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This cut on Karlie Kloss is a great style that helps to accentuate every feature. "To try out this look, ask your stylist for the shortest bob that your hairline allows, with lots of texturizing and a soft fringe," says Hernandez. To achieve the rounded bends in the hair, blow-dry using a round brush or set your hair in velcro rollers.

05 of 25

Curly and Blunt Messy Bob

Beyonce with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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“I would describe this as a curly, blunt bob,” says Hawkins. “This can be achieved by diffusing your hair using SexyHair Style Curling Creme.” Beyoncé wears this look beautifully in an ombré color.

06 of 25

Loose Waves Messy Bob

Hilary Duff with a Messy Bob Hairstyle

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“I like that the style utilizes and showcases the hair's natural texture,” says Hernadez. “To try out this look, ask your stylist for a long, blunt bob and have it thinned out or texturized from the cheekbones down.” To style it like Hilary Duff, let the hair dry naturally or diffuse it. If your hair is straight, you can curl it with a curling iron to achieve loose waves.

07 of 25

Layered Messy Lob

Olivia Munn with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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This layered, shoulder-length lob on Olivia Munn looks great and has a slight wave to it. “To achieve this look, I would use a 1.25-inch curling iron to create the waves,” says Hawkins.

08 of 25

Lightly Textured Messy Bob

Jourdan Dunn with a Messy Bob Haircut

“The length of this bob is perfect for her face,” says Hernandez of this cut on Jourdan Dunn. “The back hits the jawline, and the front hits right at her mouth. If you can match the length of your bob with your bone structure, it’s usually more flattering.” To try out this look, ask for a side-parted bob with light texturizing and light layers just in the ends. “This style is blunt but still a little messy,” says the stylist.

09 of 25

A-Line Messy Bob

Lucy Boynton with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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“This blunt, chin-length bob works great on straighter textures,” says Hawkins. “In order to get a style like Lucy Boynton’s vibe, try using SexyHair Big Fun Raiser Volumizing Dry Texture Spray and a bit of the SexyHair Style Matte Clay for definition.”

10 of 25

Razor-Cut Messy Bob

Kelly Rowland with a Messy Bob Haircut

This bob on Kelly Rowland is a great example of how texturizing can create movement when styled. “Ask for a blunt bob with lots of texturizing throughout, either cut with scissors or a razor,” says Hernandez. To achieve this style, blow-dry your hair straight and curl with a curling iron or flat iron. Use a texturizing spray at the end for airy texture.

11 of 25

Faux Messy Bob

Jennifer Lopez with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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Styled on Jennifer Lopez, this is a faux messy bob. It’s an easy way to fake the style if you have long hair — just use pins to hike your hair under, making sure to create a symmetrical shape.

12 of 25

Long and Blunt Messy Bob

Emma Meyers with a messy bob

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“I love that this bob shows off her natural texture and is blunt but still has lots of movement,” says Hernandez of this look on Emma Meyers. “To try this look, ask for a long blunt bob with some light texturizing. This style can be cut dry — it’s a good way to see the hair's natural texture take shape as it’s cut.”

13 of 25

Rounded Messy Bob

Laura Harrier with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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To achieve a chin-length blunt bob like this one on Laura Harrier, Hawkins recommends blowing out your hair and leaving a little natural texture at the hairline.

14 of 25

Center-Parted Messy Bob

“The texture of this bob shows how you can achieve a different look by changing your part,” says Hernandez. “This bob has been cut with a middle part but styled to the side. To try this look, ask for a longer middle-part, blunt bob with lots of texturizing.” To style it like Hailey Bieber, you can diffuse your hair for volume, with the option of going in with a flat iron or curling iron for added texture.

15 of 25

Medium-Length Messy Bob

Emma Stone with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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To create a medium-length bob with face-framing layers like Emma Stone's, use a 1.25-inch curling iron and a generous spray of SexyHair Big Fun Raiser Volumizing Dry Texture Spray, says Hawkins.

16 of 25

Curtain Bang Messy Bob

The ombré color in this messy bob on Kaia Gerber gives this look more definition and vibrance. “To get the texture in this bob, ask for a razor-cut with curtain bangs, face-framing layers, and lots of texturizing,” says Hernandez. “Style with sea salt spray and diffuse the hair while scrunching. Go in with texturizing spray to finish.”

17 of 25

Side-Bang Messy Bob

Kerry Washington with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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To recreate Kerry Washington's chin-length bob with a side bang, blowout your hair till it’s completely straight then use a curling iron to create spiral curls for an old-school look.

18 of 25

Layered Fringe Messy Bob

Charlize Theron with a messy bob haircut

Styled on Charlize Theron, “this bob is a great length and shows how to style layers with a fringe,” says Hernandez. “To achieve this look, ask your stylist for a slight A-line bob that’s shorter in the back and longer in the front with long face-framing layers at the ends.” Style with a leave-in conditioner and rough dry straight. Finish with a flat iron, if needed.

19 of 25

Shoulder-Skimming Messy Bob

Ella Purnell with a Messy Bob Hair Cut

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This shoulder-skimming bob with long piecey bangs on Ella Purnell is a wash-and-go style that looks gorgeous when air dried.

20 of 25

Textured Messy Bob

Olivia Palermo with messy bob haircut

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To achieve Olivia Palermo's look, "ask for a long blunt bob with minimal texturizing. To style, use curl cream and oil, and let the hair air dry or diffuse,” says Hernandez.

21 of 25

Edgy Messy Bob

Emily Ratajkowski Messy Bob

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Who says bangs always have to look perfect? Emily Ratajkowski's fringe gives this wavy messy bob an edge. To style, use a straightening iron or curling iron to create loose waves.

22 of 25

Blunt Messy Lob

Chiara Ferragni with a messy bob haircut

This style on Chiara Ferragni "is a good example of what your hair would look like if you were growing out a bob,” says Hernandez. “To try this look, ask your stylist for a blunt lob or collar-bone-length bob with very light texturizing on the ends.”

23 of 25

Curly Side-Part Messy Bob

“This is another good example of using the part to change the look,” says Hernandez of Lori Harvey's look. “I love that it shows how a bob looks on curly textures. To try out the same style, ask for a middle-part, blunt bob, texturized to bring out your curls. To style the look, part your hair on the side and use leave-in conditioner and curl cream to define your coils. Air dry or diffuse for added volume.”

24 of 25

Inverted Messy Bob

Halle Berry Messy Bob

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If you're looking for a quick, effortless style like Halle Berry's, inverted messy bobs are great as they require minimal styling. The style speaks for itself.

25 of 25

Front-Bang Messy Bob

The use of layers and texturizing on Lily Allen's bob really gives it more shape. “To try something similar, ask for a texturized bob with layers from the cheekbone down and a fringe with lots of texture on the ends,” says Hernandez. “Blow-dry the hair using a round medium brush and texturizing spray to finish. Dry the fringe with a flat brush or flat iron.”

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