The Messy Bob: Chic, Modern, and Incredibly Versatile
Messy bob hairstyles have taken the hair world by storm, creating a buzz among fashion-forward individuals and hair enthusiasts alike. Their effortless charm and modern appeal make them a go-to choice for anyone looking to elevate their style. From edgy, choppy layers to soft, romantic curls, these hairstyles are incredibly versatile, suiting a wide range of personalities and occasions.
Whether you’re aiming for a laid-back everyday look or something more polished for special events, messy bobs offer endless possibilities. Below, we’ve curated 85 stunning messy bob styles that showcase their adaptability and flair. Scroll down to discover the perfect messy bob to match your vibe!
Why Choose a Messy Bob?
- Low Maintenance: Embraces natural texture, making it ideal for those with wavy or curly hair.
- Modern Edge: The slightly undone finish adds a contemporary twist to the classic bob.
- Versatility: Works for all face shapes, hair types, and lengths, from short crops to longer lobs.
- Occasion-Ready: Effortlessly transitions from casual daytime looks to glamorous evening styles.
From tousled waves to textured layers, these 85 styles highlight the beauty of imperfection—proving that sometimes, “messy” is the ultimate form of chic. Take a look and get inspired!
1. Vintage Rounded-End Bob
Keira Knightley has long been a trendsetter when it comes to iconic bob hairstyles, and this vintage-inspired look is no exception. Achieved by softly twisting and curling the ends of an ear-length bob, this style exudes timeless elegance with a retro flair. While it makes for an enviable choice for a themed event or a nod to vintage glamour, its versatility allows it to seamlessly transition into a chic, casual hairstyle perfect for a day out in town. Effortlessly stylish and undeniably sophisticated, this look proves that classic beauty never goes out of fashion.
2. Top Knot On Wavy Blunt Bob
If you have a sharp, blunt bob hairstyle that exudes an edgy vibe when styled messy, but you’re looking to soften it up for a more casual, approachable look—don’t worry, it’s simple! Just pull your hair into a top knot, and voilà, you’ve instantly transformed your style into a sweet, girl-next-door look. The top knot adds a playful yet relaxed touch, toning down the boldness of the blunt bob while keeping things effortlessly chic. It’s the perfect way to balance edginess with a softer, more laid-back aesthetic.
3. Sharp Wavy Bob With Baby Bangs
Baby bangs are taking the hair world by storm, becoming one of the must-try trends of the moment. Regardless of your hair length, influencers and celebrities alike are boldly chopping their bangs into these short, daring styles to experiment with the edgy yet chic look. The beauty of baby bangs lies in their versatility—whether you style your hair in bouncy curls, tousled waves, or sleek straight strands, this trend effortlessly complements any hairstyle while adding a cool, modern edge. If you’re ready to embrace a bold new look, baby bangs might just be the perfect way to refresh your style and make a statement!
4. Tousled Blunt Bob With Neat Side-Part
If there is one thing Dua Lipa’s bobs are iconic for, it’s the clean parting. For this look, while her bob is slightly tousled, the sharp side-parting is neat as ever.
5. Soft Messy Waves With A Middle-Part
Margot Robbie’s neat middle parting with her messy bob is another example of how this neat-messy combo works. Soft waves frame the face for a dreamy look. This style will help in slimming down wider face shapes.
6. Shaggy Bob
Rosie Huntington Whiteley is beautiful! This shaggy bob accentuates her beauty even more. Do note the blonde highlights that are accentuating the shaggy layers. Part your hair on one side with a slight lift to add more volume.
7. Messy Teased Bob
Kat Dennings slays with this messy bob. Her curls have been backcombed to add more volume. When recreating this look, don’t forget to comb the top of your hair to neaten it a tad.
8. Brown To Blonde Ombre
If you have brown hair, a great way to jazz things up is to go blonde. Consider a lovely blonde ombre. Keep your roots brown and lighten the color to blonde as you reach the tips. The middle parting helps accentuate your jawline.
9. Deep Brown Ombre
A deep brown ombre is just what you need this autumn. It will blend in well with the earthy theme of fall. I love how the very ends are slightly lighter. This is a great way to spice up your brunette hair.
10. Fluffy Messy Bob
Does your hair get fluffy when it is humid? This fluffy messy bob is a brilliant way to use it to your advantage. The sharp side-swept bangs go perfectly with this shoulder-length bob.
11. Sculpted Messy Bob
If you love planning things to a T, this hairstyle is for you. Sculpt your hair into curves on one side with the help of a round brush and a blow dryer. Pin back your bangs on the same side. The dark roots help in framing your face. They also give your hair a thicker appearance.
12. Windswept Crimped Curls
This crimped bob looks stunning. You can achieve this look with the help of a straightening iron and some mousse. Wrap your hair around the straightener to give it the crimped curl look. Tousle your hair with your hands to give it that windswept and naturally messy look.
13. Messy Layered Bob
This look can best be described as a beautiful mess. This bob with a messy texture brings out Dianna’s eyes beautifully. The dark roots make her hair look fuller at the top. The thinned-out ends enhance the volume further.
14. Faux Sidecut Messy Bob
If you have a bob cut, one edgy way to style it is with a faux sidecut. You can either weave one side in thin braids or simply pin it up to achieve a faux sidecut look. Leave the rest of your bob messy and loose.
15. Short Red Wavy Bob
Did you know that Emma Stone is a natural blonde? It’s true! But red hair suits her better, and even Emma loves it! By styling her hair wavy, she adds texture and volume to it. I love the short layers at the front of this angled bob. Very stylish!
16. Messy Wavy Lob
Rosamund Pike looks like an angel with this messy lob. If your bob is growing out, leave it be! Style it in some subtle waves and let the compliments flood in.
17. Feather-Ended Lob
Cara Delevingne’s blonde hair and red lip color make for a stellar combination. They also bring out her gray eyes. If you have a lob cut, feather out the ends. This will give your lob more volume and make it look thicker.
18. Curly Blonde Bob
Ashley Benson brings us this stunning curly bob. I love how messy yet elegant this hairstyle looks. Place medium sections of hair around the barrel of your curling iron to get those perfect curls. Keep the ends of your hair wispy to give it a thicker appearance.
19. Sharp Layered Bob
The layers of this bob are accentuated by the crisp waves. Use a straightening iron to achieve this look. This messy hairstyle really suits Lana Condor’s black hair. I also love the sleek middle parting.
20. Side-Swept Bangs With Messy Bob
Olivia Wilde has stunning hair that she flaunts perfectly with this messy bob. Side-swept bangs are a great way to jazz up this bob. Love how the layers add to the messy vibe of this look!
21. Heavily Layered Bob
If you have a bob, flaunt it with layers. Start the layers from midway down. This will help frame your face and add dimension to your locks. Use the point-cut method to feather out the ends of the layers.
22. Slick Messy Bob
Uneven bangs add to the messy vibe of this slick bob. I love how it is neat at the top, but from midway down, you can see a few stray strands break away from the bob. This messy look is great for the workplace.
23. Messy Curly Ended Bob
Got a bob cut recently but your bangs are growing out fast? This is a great way to embrace grown-out bangs. The longer the bangs, the messier the bob looks. Add a nice swivel at the end of the bob to accentuate its messy texture.
24. Messy Blunt Lob
Sometimes, the best tools for taming your hair are your fingers. Use your fingers to give your blunt lob a messy look. Make sure your parting is not very neat as it adds to the messiness of the look.
25. Blonde Textured Messy Lob
If you have a lob cut, play around with it. If your natural parting lies at the center, part your hair on the side. It will give your messy lob a nice lift. This adds height to your hair and helps in framing your face. It also adds texture to your tresses.
26. Sharp Choppy Layered Bob
Jenna Dewan stunned all of us with this short bob cut. The ends are cut choppy and blunt, which enhances the messy vibe of her look. Don’t give your hairstyle a definitive parting, but keep shifting your hair from one side to the other. This will make it look beautifully messy.
27. Blonde Lowlighted Messy Bob
If you have light blonde hair, add some lowlights to it. Part your hair deeply on one side and let your bangs fall naturally. The light blonde color will give your messy bob a soft look, which makes it perfect for any occasion.
28. Brown Balayage Messy Lob
So your bob is growing out fast. This is the best time to get that balayage you have always wanted! A lob is a great way to showcase a new hair color. Keep the look messy with center-parted bangs.
29. Messy Short Bob
There is no hairstyle that Emilia Clarke cannot rock! And when it comes to short and messy hair, she absolutely nails it. This messy bob looks perfect with the long hair at the top and short hair at the back. The dimensional blonde color adds texture to her hair and frames her face beautifully.
30. Naturally Messy Bob
When you wake up, where does your hair naturally part? Embrace this natural parting to give yourself the perfect “just got out of bed” look. That’s the best thing about having a bob cut – you get to leave your hair messy, but it still looks great!
31. Voluminous Messy Bob
If you have a heart-shaped face that is the widest at the forehead, this hairstyle is for you. By teasing your hair from the midway down, you can draw attention to your jawline. Part your hair down the middle to cover up the width of your forehead.
32. Partially Highlighted Bob
So you have perfected the messy bob look, but now, you want to spice it up? Look no further than Demi Lovato. Take a cue from her and add in some partial highlights. They can be used for framing your face or to add color or contrast to your hair.
33. Messy Short Curly Bob
Carey Mulligan looks utterly adorable with this messy girl-next-door girl bob. Style your hair in curls with velcro rollers and arrange them with your fingers. This hairstyle looks even better when your hair is cut in layers.
American actress from the silent film era, Mary Thurman, is known to have popularized the short bob cut in the first half of the 1920s.
34. Messy Soft Lob
This hairstyle proves that Emily Blunt was the right choice to play Miranda Priestly’s right-hand woman in The Devil Wears Prada. This soft lob is just the right amount of messy and not shabby. The brown ombre accentuates the lower layers of her hair.
35. Sculpted Curly Messy Bob
Have an event to get to, but you can’t get your hair looking the perfect amount of messy? No worries. Here’s a stunning messy hairdo you can sport to your prom or wedding! Sculpt your hair in waves using a round brush, blow dryer, mousse, and hair clips. Once it is in place, spritz on some hairspray and leave it be.
36. Highlighted and Grown Out Pixie
This is a short ash brown pixie with golden brown and natural blonde highlights. Being a grown out one with the visibly unkempt layers, it can be a good choice for you as a messy short bob.
37. Highlighted Curly Bob with Long Bang
This is a very short boyish bob on dark brown silky smooth hair with light brown highlights. The large messy curls all over the head and a long spiral side bang have given it a distinct look.
38. Full Head Highlighted Bob With Wispy Ends
Get a full-head bob cut on your ash brown wavy hair with natural golden blonde highlights. Add volume to it and give the ends of the waves a beautiful wispy effect for a true messy look.
39. Reverse Stacked Bob With Uneven Front Fringes
This is a very short jet-black bob with reverse stacks. The wispy ends of layers and the irregular front fringes are two unique features of this hairstyle.
40. Chin-Length Wavy Bob With Frail Ends
Side-part your chin-length black bob with random waves. Make sure that their ends are frail enough and add a messy flair to the whole look. Set the style with pomade or hair wax.
41. Curly Rounded Bob With Highlights
In this rounded bob, the layers are curled up intensely for a cute and adorable look. The light brown highlights on ash brown locks, the coils swinging over the forehead and the overall tangled finish are the biggest features of the style.
42. Side-Parted Bob With Messy Textured Layers
The long layers and the dark roots have given this short blonde bob an exclusive appearance. The layers are textured and messed up slightly, while the front section is swept over the forehead for a neat look.
43. Neck-Length Layered Bob With Volume and Curls
A layered neck-length bob can look awesome if the ends of the layers are curled up nicely in the outward direction. Let the sides and the top remain wavy and a bit messy and sweep the front section over the forehead for a trendy look.
44. Wavy Jaw-Length Bob With Rounded Back
A jaw-length bob goes excellent with almost all face shapes. Here, the side-parted bob is rounded at the back, while the side locks are waved up and allowed to frame the face in a tangled way.
45. Super Wavy Inverted Bob With Highlights
Ditch your straight inverted bob and go for this tapered style by giving it a super wavy look with wispy ends. Dark brown highlights, side part and an untidy effect will make you look truly different.
46. Side-Parted Bob With Messy Waves
Part your neck-length bob hair to one side. Now, take the locks in thin sections, create waves on them and give a tangled finish. That’s all.
47. Blonde Curly Bob With Side-Swept Bang
This sexy natural golden blonde bob will give you a refreshing look in no time. Just part it to one side, curl up the messy locks randomly and add pretty long side-swept bangs to them.
48. Highlighted Asymmetric Curly Bob With Long Curvy Fringes
If you want to get something edgy, an asymmetrical bob will never disappoint you! You can get this cut on your jet-black hair with dark brown highlights. Create curves on the long front fringes and let them swing over your eyes, while the rest of the hair should be curled up subtly.
49. Golden Blonde Curly Bob With Layered Side-Swept
Dark roots, layered side-swept bangs and a touch of pink are the USPs of this golden blonde bob. Curl up the locks in thin sections and texturize them for a better look.
50. Smart Bob With Graduated Fringes and Highlights
This smart bob is almost similar to the regular boy cut hairstyle with graduated fringes lying over the forehead. However, you can tease up the crown to add volume to it and add golden brown highlights for a difference.
51. Jet Black Boyish Bob With Wispy Layers
This short jet black bob with fringes is also quite boyish in appearance. Apply mousse to add volume to the roots of the hair and also, make sure that it includes small layers with wispy ends so that you look elegant.
52. Layered Bob With Wispy Ends and Random Fringes
In this very short bob hairstyle, the layers are made extremely short, frequent, and wispy at the ends to get a voluminous look. The random front fringes complement the entire style perfectly.
53. Trendy Bob With Pointy Ends and Forehead Band
This very short trendy bob can make you look super smart and highly stylish at the same time. Cut your jet black hair into wispy layers with pointy ends and wear a monochromatic forehead bandana to balance off the look.
54. Messy Short Bob With Random Layers and Fringes
When it comes to achieving a true casual look, this short bob can be your ideal solution. It features random layers with graduated fringes. But, the totally unkempt finish adds a real casual feel to it.
55. Voluminous Highlighted Curly Bob With Smooth Side
This is an ear-length light brown bob with golden and silver blonde highlights. Create a deep side part on it, add volume to the crown and curl up the locks in the larger section intensely, while leaving the smaller section smooth.
56. Voluminous Wispy Full-Head Bob
If you are ready to sport something unique, this reddish blonde wispy bob with golden blonde highlights will be a good choice for you. The full-head bob features thin wispy layers, almost straight fringes and a fluffy voluminous look.
57. Glossy Copper Pointy Bob With Textured Waves
The sizzling copper color and the shiny texture of this cheek-length bob is enough to make you stand out from the crowd. You can get pointy ends and texturize the messy waves nicely for amazing add-ons.
