The butterfly bob is the short haircut that's perfect for the festive season (2024)

Hairdresser appointment this weekend? Ask for the butterfly bob – the low-maintenance, easy-breezy cut winging its way into salons.

Hair that sits beyond your shoulders? So last year. Everyone is going for the big chop, with bob hairstyles fast becoming the most sought-after cuts. The beauty of a bob is that it can come in so many different guises. There are your classics, like the French bob, Italian bob and blunt bob that have been boomeranging in and out of popularity for decades, and then there are the new, more outside-the-box bobs, like the inverted teacup bob, the bubble bob and the one we’re diving into here – the butterfly bob.

We’ll get into the finer details in a moment, but essentially the butterfly bob is an updated, shorter version of the butterfly haircut – also coined ‘The Rachel 2.0’, inspired by Jennifer Anniston’s layered style in the 90s. “The inspiration comes from a butterfly, as the style opens around the cheek area to create the illusion of a heart-shaped face through face framing,” says Jamie Benny, Artistic Director at Hare & Bone salon. Keen to know more about the butterfly bob, who it suits and how to style it? We’ve got the answers…

Jamie Benny

An experienced hairdresser with a wealth of industry experience and knowledge, you can find Jamie at London's Hare & Bone salon where he works as Artistic Director.

Everything you need to know about the butterfly bob

What is a butterfly bob?

“The butterfly bob is a playful style featuring heavy laters throughout and choppier pieces around the face,” says Andrew John, Salon Manager and Master of Colour at . “The name butterfly bob comes from those shorter layers at the front, creating a soft look that will suit many different face shapes and hair textures. What I love is that you can really tailor and personalise this look for each client.”

“Ask for it to sit just above the shoulder so it creates that curve and flick,” advises Issey Cook, stylist and Global Education Ambassador at Larry King. “I would keep it blunt around the base but less so when I’m adding the shape to the front by slicing out a grown-out fringe shape that connects through the ends. This allows it to be flipped either way, creating volume and soft movement.”

As the butterfly bob is an emerging trend rather than a classic cut, you can’t necessarily guarantee that your hairdresser will know exactly what you mean if you ask for it in the salon. If you do want to give it a go, it’s always wise to take a few reference images to show your stylist exactly what you’re after. “Bring a photo of what you like as well as what you don’t like – this is such a good indicator to your hair stylist,” says Emma Vickery, Creative Director at .

Andrew John

With a L'Oreal degree, there's not much that Andrew John doesn't know about hair. He has years of experience in the industry and is currently working as Salon Manager at Percy & Reed.

Who does a butterfly bob suit?

The butterfly bob is all about framing the face and encouraging movement, which, according to Benny, means that “the shape suits all hair textures, and can be adapted for curly and textured hair. That silhouetted fringe around the face can be created with all hair types.”

The only exception is if your hair is very fine or unbudgingly straight, as you’re going to have to work harder to achieve that flicky, fluttery, butterfly-esque movement that we’re after. “The hardest type of hair to create this look on is very straight hair that doesn’t like to hold a curl or any bounce, as these are key components,” says John. Ideally, your haircut should save you time in the morning rather than making your routine longer, so if you have been blessed with poker-straight hair then consider a chin-skimming box bob or a sleek side-parted bob that you can wash-and-go instead.

How to style a butterfly bob

Good news for those who want to spend as long as possible snoozing in the morning, “the best thing about the butterfly bob is that because of the layering and framing it’s easy to style at home, even on different hair types, textures and densities,” says Benny.

“To style, I would use a big round brush and blow-dry so that it’s bouncy but without a curl,” explains Cook. Instead of focusing too much on shaping the lengths, make sure you’re adding oomph at the crown and giving those face-framing layers plenty of softness and texture. Product-wise, “I would also use a volumising mist before picking up the hairdryer to add bounce, and a smoothing cream to finish,” adds Cook.

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It takes a bit of practice, but once you master it the Airwrap is the key to all kinds of styles. Use to add movement and bounce to your butterfly bob.

8 butterfly bob hairstyles to inspire your next chop

Looking for some butterfly bob inspiration? Take notes from these celebrity cuts...

1. The classic butterfly bob

(Image credit: Getty Images)

With shorter pieces to frame her face and a shoulder-skimming length, Sienna Miller gives us a masterclass in the butterfly bob. Top marks for the softly waved styling too.

2. The cropped butterfly bob

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Starting with short hair? No problem. Helen Mirren’s cropped take on the butterfly bob puts the focus on her feature-framing sweeping fringe.

3. The sleek and smooth butterfly bob

(Image credit: Aubrey Plaza)

Aubrey Plaza is the perfect example of how you can lean into the movement of a butterfly bob but still look polished.

4. The curly butterfly bob

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Proving that the butterfly bob works on all hair textures, Rihanna’s shorter fringe blends beautifully with the rest of her curls.

5. The high-volume butterfly bob

(Image credit: Getty Images)

We love how Cate Blanchett has really embraced the movement of this style with tightly tousled waves. This, combined with the shorter length, makes her hair look extra voluminous.

6. The side-parted butterfly bob

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Not keen on the classic centre parting most commonly worn with a butterfly bob? Follow Viola Davis’ lead with a chic side parting instead. You still get the benefit of the fringe and choppy layers, just with an even softer finish.

7. The butterfly bob with root lift

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If you have straight hair like Charlize Theron, adding volume at the crown is a smart way to stop your style from falling flat.

8. The wavy butterfly bob

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The length of Rose Byrne’s grown-out fringe sits perfectly on the tops of her cheekbones, making them appear higher and wider.

Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

The butterfly bob is an emerging hairstyle that is gaining popularity in salons. It is a shorter version of the butterfly haircut, also known as "The Rachel 2.0," which was inspired by Jennifer Aniston's layered style in the 90s. The butterfly bob features heavy layers throughout and choppier pieces around the face, creating a soft and playful look. The name "butterfly bob" comes from the shorter layers at the front, which create a soft look that suits many different face shapes and hair textures [[1]].

To achieve the butterfly bob, it is recommended to ask your stylist to cut it just above the shoulder to create a curve and flick. The base should be kept blunt, while the front is given shape by slicing out a grown-out fringe shape that connects through the ends. This allows the hair to be flipped either way, creating volume and soft movement [[1]].

The butterfly bob suits all hair textures and can be adapted for curly and textured hair. The silhouetted fringe around the face can be created with all hair types. However, it may be more challenging to achieve the desired flicky, butterfly-like movement with very fine or straight hair that doesn't hold a curl or bounce well. In such cases, alternative bob styles like a chin-skimming box bob or a sleek side-parted bob that requires less styling may be more suitable [[1]].

Styling the butterfly bob is relatively easy, even on different hair types, textures, and densities. To style, it is recommended to use a big round brush and blow-dry the hair for bounce without creating curls. Focus on adding volume at the crown and giving the face-framing layers softness and texture. A volumizing mist can be used before blow-drying to add bounce, and a smoothing cream can be applied to finish the look [[1]].

Here are some celebrity examples of butterfly bob hairstyles for inspiration:

Sienna Miller's classic butterfly bob features shorter pieces to frame her face and a shoulder-skimming length [[1]].
Helen Mirren's cropped butterfly bob puts the focus on her feature-framing sweeping fringe [[1]].
Aubrey Plaza showcases a sleek and smooth butterfly bob, demonstrating how the style can still look polished [[1]].
Rihanna's curly butterfly bob blends her shorter fringe beautifully with the rest of her curls, showing that the style works on all hair textures [[1]].
Cate Blanchett's high-volume butterfly bob features tightly tousled waves, giving her hair extra volume [[1]].
Viola Davis opts for a side-parted butterfly bob, offering a chic alternative to the classic center parting [[1]].
Charlize Theron adds root lift to her straight hair, preventing the style from falling flat [[1]].
Rose Byrne's wavy butterfly bob showcases a grown-out fringe that sits perfectly on the tops of her cheekbones, creating the illusion of higher and wider cheekbones [[1]].

Remember, it's always a good idea to bring reference images to your stylist to ensure they understand the specific look you're after.