Billie Eilish's Hair Stylist Wants You To Try This ‘90s Boy Band-Inspired Bob

Thanks to social media, some beauty trends only make the most fleeting of appearances on our timelines and memories. However, when it comes to standing the test of time, the bob has more than earned its place in the beauty hall of fame, with its perennially stylish silhouette continually reimagined throughout the decades. When it comes to 2022 trends, the shapeshifting style’s influence can be seen in the hybrid edginess of the ‘Bixie’. As for 2023, the bob will be going back to basics in an evolution called ‘The Box’, spotted on the spring-summer ‘23 runway at Chanel, 16Arlington, and Ulla Johnson.

“A huge part of the bob’s appeal is that it suits so many different face shapes and hair textures, which is why it continues to be reimagined,” explains celebrity stylist Luke Benson who has created looks on everyone from Billie Eilish to Maya Jama. He says the style’s about to get shorter, sharper, and straighter for 2023.

It’s a message famous faces such as Christina Ricci, Nicole Sherzinger and Kerry Washington have already taken note of — they’ve recently debuted elegantly-chopped, shoulder-length styles. However, for a look that’s bang-on-trend Benson has been gently encouraging clients to take things shorter. “The look’s most striking when it sits above the jawline,” explains Benson. He references the long curtains sported by ‘90s boy band members as inspiration for the soon-to-be trending style.

If the floppy, cheekbone-skimming centre-partings of ‘90s Take That and BTS’s V are out of your comfort zone (I hear ya!), you can adapt the style’s to your taste and hair texture. “The most important thing about the Box Bob is that it’s perfectly square” says Benson. He explains that, despite the simplicity of the streamlined silhouette, its execution requires precision. “What sets it apart from other iterations is its uniform length, clean lines and blunt, sharp ends,” says Benson. He links the look to a resurgence of more structured, architectural styling.

While Benson says the shorter length of the style is ideal for finely textured hair (it helps give the illusion of fullness), the look can be adapted to curly and textured strands. Just ask for a softer finish. “When done expertly ‘The Box’ should have movement and require little maintenance,” says Benson. He says a light smoothing with straighteners and a mist of shine spray should be enough to keep the look polished.