Stop thinking about getting a Leslie Bibb inspired bob — just do it

As you might have noticed, we spend a great deal of time forecasting the latest trends in hair, including most recently, Autumn's must-try cuts and colours.

However, it's been a while since we've reported on a bob hair trend that hasn't been heavily layered and — to be frank — an easy switch for those of us who're perennially terrified of chopping our hair. Think: the kitty cut and the butterfly bob.  

But that all changed when Leslie Bibb decided to grace our screens in the third season of The White Lotus sporting a lobe-grazing, layer-less cut that was equal parts chic and low maintenance. 

Naturally, we wanted to book an appointment with our hairdresser as soon as possible, but not before doing a bit of research. Lucky for us, Bibb's own hairstylist, Chris McMillan shared a behind the scenes look at how the pair created the cut for the series. 

How Chris McMillan created Leslie Bibb's 'c**ty little bob' haircut 

Yep, you read that correctly. McMillan and Bibb have dubbed the razor sharp style the c**ty bob, which is no doubt a nod to Bibb's The White Lotus character, Kate Bohr, who loves to talk sh** about her besties behind their backs.

"Some people have 'The Rachel', I have the c**ty little bob," Bibb joked in a reel shared by McMillan. 

"Okay so here I am giving Leslie Bibb her c**ty little bob for The White Lotus," he narrated. "It's just a super blunt, straight across, slightly-angled — longer in the front — bob."

"Continuity plays a big part when you do a TV show or film," he explained. "Having something really easy and simple to maintain, especially in the humidity of Thailand — I think we nailed it — and then we also created kind of an iconic look."

How to style the 'c**ty little bob' haircut 

Obviously, we're not going to tell you to get a short, blunt bob without properly preparing you for the inevitable upkeep required. In fact, if you can afford to visit your hairdresser every six to eight weeks for a trim, we'd highly recommend it. They'll keep your hair from entering into messy mop territory. Unfortunately, these are just the risks we must take when trying one-length cuts. 

As for styling? We asked ghd’s education manager, James Kavanagh, for a few expert tips. 

"The versatility of having a short bob and being able to wear it in multiple ways: sleek and smooth, rolled under with curved ends, big and bouncy or tucked behind the ears, is the best part," he tells BEAUTYcrew. 

1/ Prep the hair properly

"To get The White Lotus bob, I first would prep the hair with ghd Bodygoals Total Volume Foam ($33.60 from ghd) to give the hair some grit and texture," he explains. "Then using a paddle bush, and the ghd Helios Hair Dryer ($288 from ghd), blow dry flat to have minimal volume in the root areas."

2/ Use a mini hair straightener for short hair

"Once completely dry, add some ghd Bodyguard ($36.80 from ghd) for coloured hair heat protection spray to protect blonde or coloured strands, and take sections and straighten using the ghd Mini Hair Straightener ($248 from ghd)," Kavanagh tells us. "The mini styler is great for shorter hair and getting close to the root area, creating a super sleek smooth finish."

3/ Define the mid-lengths and ends

To finish, apply the tiniest amount of ghd's Dramatic Ending Smooth & Finish Serum ($42 from ghd) to define just through the mid-lengths and ends, but avoid the roots at all costs, warns Kavanagh. 

Main image credit: @thewhitelotus

Prefer a more classic-looking bob? This is the affordable routine behind Selena Gomez's glossy hair at the Oscars.