The Tuft Bob
Every few months a bob comes along that makes half of London want to book in for the chop. This autumn it's the Tuft Bob: a very short, graduated cut with ends that flick outwards instead of tucking under. It has been spotted on Emma Stone and Zoë Kravitz and all over the Fashion Week street style galleries, and it's a cut our stylists at Oxford Street and Covent Garden can tailor to almost any hair type. Here's what it is, who it suits and how to wear it without spending your mornings fighting a straightener.
What Is the Tuft Bob?
The Tuft Bob is a short bob, usually sitting somewhere between the cheekbone and the jaw, where the lengths are cut with graduation so the ends kick outwards in little tufts. That flick is the whole point. A classic blunt bob sits heavy and straight; a Tuft Bob has lift and movement built into the shape, so it looks a bit undone even when it's freshly cut.
The back is often left slightly longer than the front, which sounds counterintuitive for such a short style but makes it far easier to live with day to day. You get the crisp, cheeky silhouette from the front and a softer line at the nape that doesn't need constant attention. If you liked the polish of the Italian Bob but want something shorter with more attitude, this is the natural next step.
It All Comes Down to Graduation
The reason the ends flick out on their own is graduation: the hair is cut at an angle so that each section sits on the one beneath it, stacking up rather than hanging in a single line. Get the angle right and the ends turn outwards naturally. Get it wrong and you end up with a bob that either flattens or puffs out like a mushroom.
This is why the Tuft Bob is a cut to trust to a stylist who does a lot of short work. When you come in, we'll look at how your hair falls, where your crown sits and how much natural bend you have before deciding how steep the graduation should be. On straight hair we keep it slightly sharper so the flick holds. On wavy or curly hair we soften it, because your texture will do some of the lifting for you. The cut works on all three, which is part of why it's caught on so quickly.
When you book, bring a photo of the version you like and tell us how you wear your hair on a normal Tuesday, not just on a good day. That tells us far more than any trend name.
Why Fine Hair Loves It
If your hair is fine, you'll know the problem with most bobs: they look full for a day after the salon and then lie flat against your head. The Tuft Bob gets around that. Because the graduation pushes the ends out and builds a bit of height through the back, it creates the impression of volume without you having to blow-dry it in every morning.
Taking fine hair shorter also removes the weight that drags it down, so what's left has more bounce. Pair the cut with a lightweight texture spray and it can look genuinely thick. We've written more about this in our guide to the best haircuts for fine and thin hair, and the Tuft Bob now sits near the top of that list.
Thicker hair can absolutely wear it too. We'll just take out more internal bulk so the shape stays neat rather than wide.
How to Style the Flick at Home
The good news is that the styling is quick. A couple of products and a few minutes will cover most days.
- Rough dry your hair with your fingers until it's about 80 per cent dry, then finish with a small round brush or simply your hands, directing the ends outwards.
- Run a flat iron with rounded edges through the lengths and turn your wrist away from your face as you reach the ends. That small flick is what gives you the tuft.
- Mist a texturising spray through the mid-lengths and scrunch lightly so it looks lived in rather than set.
On days off, let it air dry and push the ends out with a little texture paste. Because the shape is in the cut, it still reads as deliberate.
Upkeep is the one thing to plan for. Short graduated shapes lose their flick as they grow, so expect to come back every six to eight weeks to keep the tufts sharp. If you'd prefer something with a longer grow-out, the Butterfly Bob gives you movement with a bit more length to play with.
Ready to try the Tuft Bob? Our stylists at both Gusto salons can cut it for you, and a quick chat at the start of your appointment is all it takes to tailor the graduation to your hair. Book at Oxford Street | Book at Covent Garden
