The Flip Bob Hairstyle Is Back, So Call Your Stylist

From the Rachel to the Mop Top to the Pob (that's the Posh Spice bob if you didn't know), iconic haircuts have served as modern-day hairspiration for as long as they've been shorn. It's easy pickings. Any cut that once warranted its own bonafide name is primed and ready for a decades-later zhoosh.

For the past few years, the Shag haircut has been the golden child in all of its layered, fringed, shaggy Joan Jett glory. Out of pure versatility and a serious 'tude the modern shag was born. And all the cool girls sprinted to the salon.

Now we're seeing an uptick in hairstyles decidedly more retro—with banana clips and curtain bangs heading up the pack—going all the way back to the 1960s. Not the bouffant, nor the beehive—but the flipped bob. We can already hear those cool girls running.

The Flipped Bob Throughout History

Many trends have come and gone, but this hairstyle seems to come back nearly every decade, and that's for a good reason: It's a classic style that is adaptable to each decade's essence. From First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to Jane Fonda, here is a glance at the flipped bob throughout the ages.

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, as pictured, wore the flipped bob as her signature look. As the picture of style and grace, millions mirrored her style and the flipped bob became a huge trend in the 60s for its timeless and classic look. Mary Tyler Moore was also a major champion of the flipped-out hairstyle during her time on The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show during the 60s and 70s.

The trend has traveled into almost every decade since then. Olivia Newton-John as Sandy in Grease sported the flipped look in 1978, causing this look to catch even more notice.

This style then made its way into the 80s, usually a little over-the-top, with a colorful headband. In the early 2000s, Pop singer Dido modified this look with her mini flipped-out shag bob with lots of layers coined "the Dido flip"—it's a little less controlled, and a little more free-spirited and fun. Jane Fonda, along with her many iconic hair moments, did the same thing, modifying the look with layers.

The Flipped Bob is Back

With a lot of anticipation, the flipped bob is finally back—and we are so here for it. Over the last few years of those overly-mussed beach waves and slept-in shaggy cuts, you're bound to be a little jarred by the sleek, silky finish of the classic flip bob. (Well, unless you modify it a little to add a little bit more flair as Dido or Fonda did.) But don't let the smooth, aesthetically-pleasing lines give you whiplash.

This hairstyle is all about embracing your inner boss babe, as we have seen many iconic women do over the years. She's into smoothing oils, shine sprays, straightening irons, and—above all—a generous flip on the tail-end. It is the elegant, timeless cut that finds itself back in every decade because it is just that good.

Imagine a cut with the style of the retro '60s and the attitude of the totally buggin' '90s. That's this flipped bob cut. It might vary in length and on the matter of bangs versus no bangs, but the sentiment of chic-meets-sweet lives on.

And some like to dress it up for the occasion, which is about the sassiest thing we've heard since Ouiser Boudreaux's best quips. We especially how Kahh Spence styles Keke Palmer's look with a glittery barrette here. It undoubtedly adds a glam factor.

Get The Look

Get the classic look by asking for a collarbone-grazing long bob with blunt ends (those are key). Style with Bumble and bumble's Hairdresser's Invisible Oil, do your best sleek blowout, and clamp the bottom two inches of hair under or over with your curling iron, piece by piece until you've nailed the flip hairstyle. Finish by taming any loose frizzies with the trusty L'Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hairspray. Or try a more nontraditional version of this style like Dido or Jane Fonda did, by adding a little more layers to this classic look.

Now's the time to head to the salon and get this trendy cut. Let's get flippy with it.