First, there was global icon Jennifer Coolidge, then Elizabeth Olsen got involved, and just last week, Taylor Swift became the latest celebrity to try to trick us into thinking she’d lobbed her hair off into a chic bob.

But all was not as it seemed; in fact, it turned out that – like Jennifer and Elizabeth – Taylor’s hairstylist had simply styled her hair into a faux bob. It’s a look that’s been cropping up on the red carpet for a while now (Zendaya is another who’s particularly fond of it), but its popularity comes in waves, and it seems right now we are at the peak.

You might be wondering what the point of it is, though, and as celebrity hairstylist Sam McKnight – whose clients include Kate Moss, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Cate Blanchett and Kendall Jenner to name but a few – explains, the clue is in the name. 

“A faux bob is a style that appears to be a bob, but your natural – real! – hair cut is anything but,” he says. “It’s a great way to try something different without the commitment, and once you’ve nailed the technique, it can become a quick, go-to style you can do in minutes.”

How to do a faux bob at home

McKnight says you don’t need much to achieve this sort of style – just a great texturising spray, a hair band and some grips.

When it comes to styling, it’s first about deciding on the texture you want. “Whether you go wavy and tousled or smooth and polished, you need to get that right first,” says McKnight. “Then, once you’ve done that, mist my Easy-Up Do Texture Spray, £27, through the mid-lengths and ends – that’ll give you extra added grip that won’t slip. It’s essential for getting the hair to hold. I say it’s like 20 hairpins in a can.”

“Next, gather your hair into a low ponytail at the back, secure it with a small hair band at the end, and then roll it under until you reach the nape of the beck,” explains McKnight. “Using some grips, secure the roll to the hair at the nape, and gently pull hair towards the face to achieve that classic bob length.”

Sounds easy, right?

Images: Getty