The Old Hollywood Bob Has Pure Movie-Star Energy

Some things just look expensive — French tip manicures, red lips, and brown mascara come to mind. Add to that list an old Hollywood bob, and suddenly you’ve got the recipe for looking like the most polished person in the room.

Luckily, you don’t need to time-travel back to the ’60s to unlock that level of glamour. On recent red carpets, vintage-inspired bobs have been back in full force, with celebrities like Selena Gomez and Ayo Edebiri stepping out at the Golden Globes in short, coiffed curls. The modern twist is that today’s old Hollywood bob gets a softer finish — think blown-out and swishy, flipped to the side, and glossy enough to catch the light, rather than sculpted to perfection.

Online, the hair trend has been following suit. TikTok creators are styling their “old-money” bob blowouts with jumbo rollers and a light misting of hairspray at the roots — just enough to lock the volume in place without sacrificing movement. The result? Bouncy, ’90s-inspired supermodel blowouts combined with a Marilyn Monroe-style silhouette. (Because she’s forever the inspo.)

Keep reading for everything you need to know about the romantic hair trend showing up everywhere from red carpets to date nights — proving that classic glamour looks best when it’s lived in.

Modern “Old Hollywood” Bob Inspo

There’s a reason old Hollywood-inspired bobs keep resurfacing right now: More people are going shorter, period. With celebrities from Sydney Sweeney to Millie Bobby Brown rocking cropped cuts lately, the Marilyn-coded blowout has become the next logical step.

Selena Gomez keeps hers close to the blueprint with a jaw-length bob, rounded curls, and a fringe that falls over the eyes — classic in shape, but with an undone finish that nods to ’90s tossed kitten hair.

It’s almost a rite of passage for A-listers at this point — the moment when a bob graduates from chic to cinematic. Pamela Anderson went high-octane at the WWD Style Awards on Jan. 9 with flippy ends and a brushed-back lift at the crown.

Before her bob grew into its current lob length, Hailee Steinfeld was an Old Hollywood devotee. With tight curls concentrated at the ends, slight waves throughout the body, and a deeply swooped side part, this look gives weight to the term “bombshell blowout.”

While relaxed styles had their moment at the Golden Globes on Jan. 11, retro bobs ultimately stole the spotlight. Case in point? Ayo Edebiri. The softly sculpted shape was made even more elevated by a perfectly placed kiss-curl bang, making it one of the night’s most polished looks.

Elsa Hosk’s take on the trend tones down the curls, letting a single front bend do the work while the rest of the hair stays glossy and curved inward. The asymmetrical shape teeters between vintage and modern, proving you don’t need a full set of ringlets to sell the Old Hollywood look.

How To Try The Trend

To test out the flirty style, start with a strong blowout — volume at the roots is non-negotiable. Prep damp strands with a lightweight mousse or cream, then use a round brush to over-direct the hair away from the face, focusing on lift at the crown and a smooth bend through the ends.

After drying each section, grab a jumbo roller. You want the curls to bend inward, so twist the roller toward your face. If you’re looking for tighter curls at the end, swap out a jumbo roller for the next size down.

Once the hair has fully cooled, remove the rollers and gently brush everything out to soften the shape. For a more retro finish, try adding a structured front bend à la Elsa Hosk or a kiss-curl bang like Ayo Edebiri using a flat iron. Finish with a flexible hairspray — mostly focused on the roots — for a hold that looks sleek, not stiff.

Whether worn blown-out and tossed or delicately curled, the vintage-inspired style adds instant polish to an already sleek haircut. After all, Marilyn proved long ago that when it comes to timeless beauty, old Hollywood bobs are a girl’s best friend — well, that and diamonds.