The gift that keeps on giving? No, the bob that keeps on giving. Since Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, went for the ‘big chop’ this summer, she’s shown us a whole host of ways to wear shorter hair, from supersized volume to softly rounded ends. Now, she’s embracing her sleekest style yet, with a really flattering ‘slip bob’.
The Duchess, 61, was spotted with her polished new style yesterday at Windsor Castle during the state visit of the Sultan of Oman. Her blonde locks float gently, just above the shoulders, smoothed to perfection with not a hair out of place.
Sophie shows off a sleeker version of her bob
If you’re unfamiliar with the term ‘slip bob’, it’s essentially a polished, minimalist take on the classic bob, and is particularly brilliant for fine, mature hair. It’s already had plenty of A-list approval, too, including the likes of Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore.
It gets its name from the silky satin slip dresses of the ’90s. Like those dresses, this bob is sleek, fluid and effortless.
As stylist Conor McLaughlin of the coveted Hershesons Belgravia salon explains, ‘the slip bob sits at, or just above, the collarbone, which is one of the most universally flattering lengths.’ Sophie embraces the shorter version.
It’s no coincidence that more and more celebrities over 50, including Sophie, are choosing the style. As Conor notes, it’s one of the most flattering cuts for mature hair. ‘It’s a style that’s soft, rather than severe, which keeps it youthful.’
It's a brilliant style for those with finer, mature hair
He adds, ‘it’s brilliant if you have fine, or thinning hair, because it’s characterised by a blunt, weighted perimeter which actually creates the illusion of thickness. It works with the hair’s natural fall instead of fighting it, so you’re not relying on a curling iron or root lift every morning.’
Low maintenance is another major part of the appeal. ‘It relies on its shape rather than styling for its finish,’ says Conor. ‘It can be dried with a round brush in minutes, or even left to air-dry, and it’ll still look polished. There’s no need for daily heat styling, which is exactly what makes it such a realistic everyday cut.’
Sophie’s look proves just that. Her silky bob appears to be the result of a simple, smooth blow-dry, with a boost of volume at the roots and ends that curve softly inwards to frame the face. As Conor suggests, a hairdryer and round brush should do the trick.
It ticks all the boxes: it’s easy to style, and leaves fine, mature hair looking full and healthy — and Sophie is a shining example.