The ’90s Supermodel Bob Is the Chicest Way to Add Volume and Texture to Short Hair

Hair trends may come and go, but the bob haircut is always in style. And the triumphant return of the ’90s supermodel bob proves just that.

Also known as the flipped bob or “flob,” the ’90s supermodel bob is the best of all hair worlds: The chop combines the texture and volume of Cindy Crawford’s signature bombshell blowout with the length, movement, and low-maintenance of Christy Turlington’s beloved bob. So while the look is (obviously) incredibly chic, it’s practical too.

“The ‘flob’ cut has the line and length of the bob but the top layers much more texture, so it’s lighter on top and easier to flip around,” celebrity hairstylist Marc Mena tells Glamour. “Flipping your hair can feel really heavy with a regular bob, since it’s cut with no part, but the ‘flob’ is cut and parted all-around—in the middle, on the left, and then the right—so the ends are just texturized and it gives the hair movement.”

Translation? The ‘90s supermodel bob is the easiest—and chicest—way to instantly add volume and texture to short hair. It’s no wonder so many celebrities are obsessed with the look. Zendaya, Hailey Bieber, Kourtney Kardashian, Aubrey Plaza, Kerry Washington and more have all rocked the retro cut as of late.

According to Mena, the secret to ensuring a truly voluminous ’90s supermodel bob are its barely-there layers. “The layers are so light and blended you don’t actually see a layer,” he says. So be sure to request super-light layers at the salon. If the top is too heavy, it won’t flip, which is a key component to the look. 

“A hair flip flip creates body. When you flip it back and forth, the hair cuticle starts to mold with each part, and gives your hair more volume,” he says. “It’s like putting a roller in your hair.”

Besides its volume and texture, the flob has the added benefit of fitting right into the movement away from high-maintenance hair trends, along with the decline in balayage and rise of lazy hot girl hair. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen that everything is so styled so you can’t touch it, but with the flob, we’re seeing a lot of women cutting off all those old balayaged colors, getting rid of split ends, starting fresh, and embracing, flipping, and and playing with their natural hair,” Mena says. 

It’s also much less of a hassle when it comes to style and restyling, Mena adds. “You can style your flob one day, then the next day when you wake up, just reset it at the top, and it’s right back to where you started.” 

As for how to ensure your ‘90s supermodel bob has all that va-va-volume from the get-go? Start by switching to a volumizing shampoo and conditioner, and only apply conditioner to the ends. “I don’t like to condition roots, especially with the flob,” Mena says. “Just a little bit on the ends goes a long way.”