Zoey Deutch has given the varsity bob its most enticing reading so far, and it lands neatly inside the waterfall bob haircut trend in autumn. The style is moving fast online too: Google searches for the varsity bob are up 1600% year on year.
Tom Smith, who coined the look, describes it as a preppy, sporty cut with bluntness and structure, but also a relaxed finish. He says that combination gives the bob a nostalgic, almost collegiate feel, which is one reason it makes sense now.
Pinterest bob shapes
Pinterest’s first-ever Beauty Trend Report points to the bob as a major player across hair, but not as a single rigid shape. Its view is that the new bob is about shape with some give rather than one sharp, perfectly blunt cut, and that movement is part of the appeal.
The same report shows how broad the shift is across short cuts: searches for short layered bob haircuts are up 571%, textured french bob searches are up 338%, and shag bob hairstyles are up 214%. That spread suggests readers are not just choosing shorter hair, but looking for versions that feel softer and less severe at the ends.
Tom Smith varsity bob
Smith says to ask for a crisp, one length bob with subtle texturising at the ends. He says layers should be avoided or kept to a minimum unless very thick hair needs bulk removed, which keeps the outline clean while still letting the hair move.
He also links the style to celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, America Ferrera, Jessica Chastain and Halle Berry, while Zoey Deutch offers the most enticing interpretation of the look to date. Millie Bobbi Brown and Kendall Jenner have also dabbled in it, helping the cut read as current rather than niche.
Google searches for varsity bob
The practical side is the part that matters most for readers. Smith says the look does not require over-styling and can work with natural texture: apply an air dry cream to clean towel dried hair, create the parting of choice, and tuck the front part behind the ears until it dries. That creates a relaxed kink around the face.
There is still a trade-off built into the trend. Smith says the haircut is easy at home, but only after being more careful in the salon: “People understand that the benefits of having a great haircut can mean undone styling looks more intentional. I always say the more high-maintenance you are in-salon the lower maintenance you get to be at home.”
Which celebrity look pushed the varsity bob to a 1600% rise is not answered, but the next step for anyone tempted by it is simple: ask for the cut’s shape, keep the layers minimal, and let the finish do the work.
