Finding Your Ideal Lob Length

The lob, or long bob, remains a standard for its utility and adaptability. It sits between the chin and the collarbone, offering the structure of a short cut with the versatility of longer hair. Achieving a balanced look depends on where the ends fall relative to your chin and neck.

Correct length selection creates visual harmony, drawing attention to desired features while softening others. This guide focuses on identifying your face shape to determine the most flattering endpoint for your hair.

1. Measure your face shape. Stand before a mirror with your hair pulled back entirely. Observe the widest point of your face: the forehead, the cheekbones, or the jaw. Compare the length of your face to its width to determine if it is oval, round, square, or heart-shaped.
2. Identify the reference point. For round faces, aim for length below the chin to elongate the silhouette. If your face is square, a length slightly below the collarbone softens the jawline. Oval faces allow for any length between the chin and the collarbone.
3. Pin your hair to test. Gather your hair at the nape of your neck and fold it under to your desired length. Use bobby pins to secure the ends against your neck. Walk around and view the profile from multiple angles to check the weight distribution.
4. Review the collarbone intersection. Observe how the hair hits the collarbone. Hair that sits directly on the bone often flips outward due to contact with the shoulders. Decide if you prefer a straight, inward-turning style that hits above the bone or a textured, shoulder-grazing length.

Alob length is determined by where you want the eye to land on the face.