The rumours are true: it appears that the red carpet’s bob era is finally drawing to a close. After several years of choppy chin-length trims and romantic vintage crops, the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party signalled a shift to a more natural, effortless realm of hairstyles, led by the likes of Hailey Bieber, Priyanka Chopra and Kaia Gerber. Cue the return of mid-length, or ‘midi’, hair.
Not quite a lob, but a far cry from some of the hip-grazing lengths we’ve become accustomed to seeing in the spotlight, midi hair offers a believable, natural length, often accompanied by soft layering and gentle texture. It lends itself to an aspirational realness: a hair shape that anybody can achieve, one that doesn’t require a statement cut, but instead looks its healthiest with a high-shine gloss and flattering, subtle styling.
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Hailey Bieber gave a perfect example of the trend on last night’s red carpet: a collarbone-length, grown-out bob, finessed with flipped ends and a mirror-like glaze. While her look didn’t fail to appear glamorous and voluminous, as you would expect from a hairstyle at one of the calendar’s most highly anticipated events, there’s a uniquely real-world quality to her beauty that feels both achievable and understated. Quiet luxury, if it were just a whisper.
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Priyanka Chopra and Kaia Gerber also made a convincing case for the trend, with the Indian actor adding a soft blowout and bevel to her brunette lengths, and the supermodel opting for light, airy texture and a deep side part. Both looks have one thing in common, of course: an absence of extensions and a natural length that sits no further than bust length.
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Another thing all these stars share is a history of statement haircuts. Bieber’s boy bob made a striking statement in its day, while Chopra’s tousled crop was an unexpected style change for the star at the time. Gerber’s supermodel lob provided ample beauty inspiration for a short period, though it’s undeniable that all of these stars are now retiring their sliced signature looks. It’s official: the bob has fallen out of favour. Even its latest adoptee, Emma Stone, appears to be debuting gradually longer lengths as award season progresses.
The good news is that even if you fear you missed the bob trend at its peak, there’s plenty of long-bob inspiration to choose from as you shift to floatier lengths. Love your short cut? We’d recommend a tousled bixie for a textured take on cropped hair in 2026.
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Katie Withington (she/her) is the Beauty Writer, at ELLE UK and Harper’s Bazaar. Working alongside the ELLE UK Beauty Team, she covers all things beauty for both print and digital, from finding backstage make-up trends at London Fashion Week and investigating buzzy skincare ingredients, to unzipping the beauty bags of Hailey Bieber and Margot Robbie. Prior to joining ELLE UK in 2022, Katie studied (BA) Fashion Journalism at London College of Fashion and has previously contributed to Red, Good Housekeeping and Prima.
