As women increasingly chop off their hair, we're entering a hilarious new era of the bob: Meet the '

May 2024 · 3 minute read

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Women on TikTok are going viral chronicling the process of lobbing their hair into an array of shorter styles, as beauty experts forecast that bobs will be in vogue for the fall. 

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While the cut broadly refers to clipped styles shorter than shoulder length, TikTokers are giving hilariously imaginative names to variations of the bob, like "fuck ass bob" and "the Robert." 

In late September, Vogue dubbed the "executive bob" — a straight, lengthier cut in a solid hair color — as "autumn's most in-demand haircut," while InStyle chronicled in October the ascent of the "jellyfish haircut," which has two disparate layers: a classic bob on top, and a longer bottom. 

The term jellyfish haircut, similar to a Japanese hime cut, was popularized by the TikToker Mari Melody, per Instyle, and celebrities like Lily Collins and Kerry Washington have even put their own unique spin on the fad.  

But bobs aren't for the faint of heart. Many on TikTok are showcasing disastrous results they're calling "fuck ass bobs," which have even brought some traumatized hair victims to tears

The hilariously heated discourse surrounding the 'fuck ass bob' (FAB)

The FAB has sparked heated discussions on TikTok, specifically about what one is, given the term's somewhat nebulous and negative connotations. In August, a creator who goes by Milo sought to get to the bottom of it by dissecting a photo of Kim Kardashian sporting what she constituted as a FAB in a Skims campaign.

@pretendingtobehot #greenscreen ♬ original sound - Milo

In the clip with 5.6 million views, the TikToker traced the term back to a 2017 Vine and a scene in HBO's hit show "Euphoria." FABs refer to blunt, chin-length cuts parted down the middle, she said, typically without bangs. And it's not a good thing.

"If the bob can also be described as 'Farquad' or 'Dora' then it's an FAB," a commenter echoed, referring to Lord Farquaad in "Shrek" and the famous child cartoon character Dora the Explorer.

'The Robert' emerges — and has also divided TikTok

More recently, another viral bob variation has gone viral on TikTok: "The Robert."

The dramatically angular cut, posted last week by the Italian salon Tagliati x Il Successo, garnered 1.7 million views. It features long, sharp layers in front that dramatically graduate to a clipped, bulky bowl in the back. 

The creator, Dr. Casanova Brown, who coined the term "the Robert," reacted to the style in a hilarious stitch that has amassed 8.6 million views. 

@drcasanovabrown

We like a Bob but we love a Robert

♬ original sound - Dr. CasanovaBrown

"That's not a bob, that's a Robert," he said, joking that the style was evocative of the Karen meme. "I just know she is the villain of the homeowners association," he quipped. "There ain't a cashier alive who can reject her expired coupon."

Oddly enough, many viewers actually liked the haircut – including the TikToker himself. 

"I had my hair cut like this in 07, no cap. I loved it," one commenter wrote. "It's the perfect haircut for that slick back look," another added.

"I really love it tho!" Dr. Casanova Brown replied to a viewer.

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