The "Scandi Bob" Is The Minimalist Haircut With Maximum Cool

Copenhagen street style has been defining this season’s biggest trends, from slouchy suit pants with flip-flops to striped tops with linen shorts. It’s all about clean, minimalist looks with just enough personality.

Now, that effortlessly cool energy is coming for your hair. The Scandi bob is shaping up to be the cut of the summer, with searches for the style up 408% in recent months, according to beauty booking platform Fresha. “It represents the Scandi aesthetic,” says Philip Downing, creative director and hairstylist at Bed Head. “Minimalistic and clean.”

As quiet luxury fashion evolves into a more effortless, less polished approach to style, it makes sense that hair is following suit. With little-to-no layering and an airy finish, the Scandi bob is making a classic blunt chop feel less fussy — much like the outfits that go with it. Ahead, everything to know about the cut bringing Copenhagen cool to your summer hair.

What Is The “Scandi Bob” Haircut?

French bobs, Japanese bobs, Italian bobs — the haircut has collected so many passport stamps over the past few years, it might be hard to keep them straight, much less decide which one you want. But each has its own signature look.

A French bob is mid-length with a tousled, romantic finish; Riviera bobs are layered, beachy, and easygoing; Japanese bobs are ultra-cropped, sleek, and sharp. Scandi bobs, meanwhile, split the difference between polished and casual, pairing a strong shape with a more relaxed finish. Basically, if your closet is equal parts streetwear and Toteme-inspired, this haircut toes a similar line.

When it comes to the chop itself, the Scandi bob keeps things simple. “It’s precise and clean, with minimal to no layers,” says Downing. “You want the perimeter to be sharp, with a target length of chin level,” though he suggests going slightly longer on rounder face shapes for a bit more softness.

Because you’re not adding any layers to the perimeter, the ends stay nice and full, making your hair look thicker in the process. That being said, if you already have a lot of density, invisible layers underneath can remove some of the excess weight without losing that signature shape.

Downing says the breezy, relaxed quality of the haircut comes from the texture, not the shape. It works especially well on wavy hair, since the natural movement offsets the blunt chop. Curly textures can work, too, though he recommends leaving a little extra length and adding soft layers to keep the silhouette from feeling too heavy.

How To Style It

One major perk of the cut? It doesn’t require you to fight your natural texture every morning. If your hair already has some movement, you can let it air-dry. The whole point is for the finish to feel lived-in, not overly styled.

That’s why, if you do reach for the blow-dryer, you don’t want to create too much volume on top. Instead of using a round brush, Downing recommends using a paddle brush to “keep the silhouette closer to the head for more of a sporty, ’90s feel.” To add shine and fight off frizz, he reaches for Bed Head’s After Party Smoothing Cream before drying, then adds loose bends through the ends with a curling iron to bring back a little movement.

From there, the details can change the vibe. A middle part keeps things clean and understated, while a side part adds a little extra movement and personality, especially with one side casually tucked behind your ear.

Bangs are fair game, too. A piecey fringe à la Margot Robbie plays into that light, airy effect, while Penélope Cruz’s side-swept bangs add some softness around the face. Either way, you want to avoid anything too heavy — a little separation balances out the strong shape of the rest of the cut.

The same goes for color. Of course, you don’t need to be blonde to rock it — but lighter pieces around your face can brighten things up and add dimension to the otherwise blunt silhouette. Like the Scandinavian wardrobes that inspired it, the Scandi bob proves that the coolest looks are often the ones that feel the least complicated.