17 Beautiful Braided Bobs From Instagram That You Should Definitely Try

All the inspo you need.

By Jennifer Ford · Updated December 6, 2020

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You’re not hallucinating; bobs are in fact everywhere lately. Get tickets to the 2018 ESSENCE Street Style Block Party! Rihanna, Tessa Thompson, and Teyana Taylor are just a few celebs we’ve recently spotted rocking the signature 90’s hairstyle and its resurgence is causing a wave of nostalgia. Although the chin-length chop is far from new, it’s always refreshing to cut a few inches off our strands during the summer, which is why everyone— and we mean everyone— is obsessed with shorter style this season.

But of course, we’re still fully committed to protective styles during the current heat wave, so the braided bob is our coiffure de jour! You can achieve cool variations of the iconic hairdo by revamping your box braids, all while keeping your natural hair unbothered by humidity’s frizzing effects. Scroll through to see how it’s done in our Instagram roundup of must-try braided bobs.

Off-Center Bob

A deep off-center part makes it easy to keep your strands out of your face.

Salt and Pepper Bob

This salt and pepper bob has flavor.

A-symmetric Bob

This a-symmetrical bob puts the ‘a’ in amazing!

Chunky Bob

Chunky braids are our favorite because they require less time to install and look dope too. To achieve this look, section your hair into large box part and add 3 finger widths of braiding hair to each plait.

Midlength Bob

To make your bob appear a bit more natural, try incorporating a middle part and secure the ends of your braids with rubber bands instead of burning them.

Ombre Bob

We love that you can customize your color when it comes to braiding hair. To get this ombre look, mix together colors 1b and 27.

Wig Bob

The gag is it’s a wig. If you’re concerned about tension, this realistic unit is just for you.

Bob with Bangs

This hairstyle is the perfect trifecta: bob, braids, and bangs.

Color Block Bob

It’ll be pretty easy to achieve these cool color block braids. Braid half of your hair with a dark-colored hair and the other half with a lighter hue.

90’s Bob

We have 90’s it girls like Jada Pinket and Nia Long to thank for this fresh do.

Feed-In Bob

You can take your bob’s to the next level with incredible feed-in braids.

A-symmetric Lob

Picking the length of your bob can be a daunting task. So when you’re straddling the fence between a chin length and shoulder length style, this asymmetrical lob is the perfect solution.