It’s official: Celebrities cannot stop wearing flippy bob hairstyles. But before A-listers like Kim Kardashian and Lupita Nyong’o were attending the most fashionable events sporting the short and sweet style, there was That Girl — Marlo Thomas, that is. The star of the late ‘60s television show about a young woman trying to make it in New York City was one of the first to put the flippy bob on the map, and many would follow. At the time, Thomas’ version was much bigger than the ones we’re seeing these days, with tons of teasing at her roots and shoulder-skimming ends that were perfectly curled upward.
As trends tend to do, the hairstyle came back into fashion in the 1990s, and famous faces like Drew Barrymore and the Olsen twins proved to be fans, making it once again the look everyone was requesting at salons. But this time around, the flippy bob is much sleeker with considerably less volume than its ‘60s counterpart. And while current day celebrities are opting for versions much closer to the ‘90s edition in style, an even more minimalist flip has been adopted by emerging beauty muses like Ayo Edebiri and Gracie Abrams. Think chin length or shorter with the faintest flick at the ends.
All this to say, there’s no one exact way to do this celebrity-approved hairstyle. And to prove it, we’ve rounded up over a dozen versions from this past year alone as worn by some of the biggest trendsetters in the business. So if you’ve been tempted to try it yourself, keep scrolling — your inspiration awaits.
Kim Kardashian
Kardashian was first pictured with the trendy look on the set of her upcoming show, All’s Fair. However, she’s been sticking with flippy style while off-duty. For the 2024 Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Gala, she dressed up a sleek version with a single spit curl.
Michelle Williams
A longtime fan of super-short hairstyles, Williams has been wearing one of the most 2024 versions of the ‘90s throwback: A slick, jaw-length cut with the the faintest little flick.
Lupita Nyong’o
Earlier this fall, the A Quiet Place: Day One star started wearing her “sisterlocs” (dubbed by her stylist, Vernon François) in a chin-length bob. Since then, she’s shown just how versatile the cut can be, going from perky ponytails to center-parted to of course, the of-the-moment flipped style.
Hailee Steinfeld
Steinfeld copped her bob over the summer, and stylist J.R. Fraser has fashioned it into a few different flippy forms, from smooth, sleek, and center-parted to bouncy and voluminous.
Selena Gomez
Clearly the Emilia Pérez got the same memo as Kardashian for the Academy Museum Gala, since she also donned a similarly wet-look flipped bob to the fashionable event.
America Ferrara
The Barbie star wore her flicked-out style to a Chanel dinner earlier this year, proving that it can be such a chic choice for more formal events.
Gigi Hadid
Who better than iconic hairstylist Chris McMillan — best known for giving Jennifer Aniston “The Rachel” — to chop the supermodel’s hair into a cut everyone instantly wanted to copy? Since created Hadid’s chin-length bob this past spring, she’s worn it flipped to the most fashionable events of the year, including Vogue World and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Gracie Abrams
The “That’s So True” singer is also a fan of the faintly flicked-out bob, so clearly it’s also won the approval of the Gen Z set.
Hannah Einbinder
Hacks fans don’t just love Einbinder for her dry sense of humor on the Emmy-winning show, but for her flawless fashion sense as well — and that extends to her hairstyles. The actor and comedian loves an effortless beauty look, so the unfussy, flippy cut works perfectly with all her ensembles.
Ayo Edebiri
The Emmy-winning actor and emerging style star loves changing up her hair depending on the event — from braided updos to fluffy curls, but she’s cosigned the flippy bob trend by wearing the style on a few occasions.
Emma Stone
The Poor Things star wore her copper hair in a smooth, center-parted flippy bob to the 2024 Golden Globes, where she picked up a statue for Best Female Actor in a Musical or Comedy.
Carey Mulligan
Mulligan has been sporting her jaw-length bob since last year and one of her favorite ways to style it has been ever-so-slightly flicked at the ends with a tousled texture that feels so fresh and effortless.
Kelly Rowland
Rowland has pretty much perfected the bob in all its forms. Sometimes it’s angled, sometimes it’s bleached, and sometimes it’s neatly curled under. That said, of course the R&B singer has toyed around with flipped out styles and always manages to make them feel so luxe.
