Bob's the job

Middle-class scissors at the ready, as the bob is back in town.

  Leisa Stafford bobIf you haven't long enough hair for summer's ubiquitous ponytail, but you're an in-betweeny who wants to be in with the in-crowd, then having your hair cut into a bob makes just the right statement. Charlize Theron's powerful new look says 'take me seriously', but remains intensely sexy at the same time, and Amber Valletta's sleek, dark-blonde, above-the-shoulders version is one luxe look. Whether sleek, chic, graduated or one length, cut just below the jawbone or kissing the shoulders, the bob is a basic shape that has achieved iconic haircut status. Bobs are associated with strong, sassy women: Cleopatra, Jazz Age 'flappers', Uma Thurman's Mia Wallace character in Pulp Fiction and Natalie Portman's wannabe pre-teen assassin in Leon; and Big Brother house mother Davina McCall.

In the 1920s young women were given the vote and went out to work and play and ditched long 'submissive' locks for decadent short, straight, mannish styles. The 1960s were also a golden age for the look. The Godfather of modern hairdressing, Vidal Sassoon, created a hairdressing revolution with his high-impact, low-maintenance geometric cuts; his precise, touchable styles - the Five Point Cut, Nancy Kwan and Quant Cut were all ultra-modern bob shapes that epitomised 'Swinging London'. Cut short at the nape with clean, blunt lines, heavy or asymmetric fringes, hair moved naturally for the first time in years.

Bobs are so versatile because they can be customised to suit most bone structures and hair types by varying the length, keeping the edges hard or soft, adding layers and by having a fringe or not – see our gallery. This makes them very low maintenance, but for really precise shapes the best texture is fine to medium straight hair with movement. At the summer fashion shows there were funky, disconnected versions with longer pieces at the nape, so you don't have to stick to the conventional, either.

For all-over volume apply Wella ShockWaves Power Volume Mousse, £3.49, to damp hair and blow-dry, section by section, starting from the front and sides of the face, working towards the back of the head. Straight hair that you want to stay that way will respond to a vent or paddle brush. If you have a slight wave use a radial brush to help straighten locks as you curl the hair under. Frederick Fekkai Glossing Cream, £15 (0870 169 9999, www.spacenk.com), contains olive oil to help eliminate frizz while hydrating and softening the hair. Emphasise texture with Schwarzkopf Professional Osis Mess Up Matt Gum, £8.95. Rub a small quantity over your hands first and scrunch lightly into dry hair. Ghd's Professional Mini Styler, £89, has ultra-narrow plates and can also be used to create waves, flicks and kicks in short hair. Trevor Sorbie Professional Straightening Addict Protect, Flatten & Shine Spray, £4.99, can be used before and after straightening – comb through for extra definition. Remember that you can whip your bob into other shapes, too. The longer top sections are perfect for teasing into a quiff, or you can introduce a low side parting and a wet-look gel for a retro-vamp feel. Grips, hair slides and headbands are also useful makeover material, so restrictions don't apply.

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