The hair flip is the easiest way to elevate a bob and supermodels everywhere are co-signing it
'Flippy ends' have been all over the red carpet this year—here's how to make the hairstyle work for you.
Flicked-out flippy ends—aka ‘the hair flip’—is a look we've been seeing more and more of over the past year.
As with most trends, celebrity circles have largely been responsible for its popularity, with stars showcasing the style at various high-profile events, from Gigi Hadid at Paris Fashion Week to Gemma Arterton at the recent red-carpet premiere of The Critic. Everyone from Kendall Jenner to Cate Blanchett, Florence Pugh and Hailee Steinfeld has stepped out with the style.
While it can be a bit Marmite (people are rarely lukewarm about it), the A-list's triumphant takes on it make us all want to try it on, too.
“Flippy ends have had a real resurgence,” confirms one of London’s leading hairstylists, Larry King. He feels that, after being out of the limelight for a while, the style feels fresh and fun again.
We may have initially dabbled with the hairdo in the '90s and early '00s, however, “it takes inspiration from the Sixties,” King explains. Think The Queen’s Gambit—“but with a more modern, smoothed-down finish and just a little lift at the crown”. (Side note: try this trick to achieve crown lift, which makes any hairstyle more flattering.)
King says that the hair flip is perfect for anyone in the bob and middy-length camp and that, mercifully, the style is more low-maintenance than it looks. “It works well with anything jaw- to shoulder-length and doesn’t take on the huge commitment of a different cut; it's just a simple styling trick that can change things up to look really new.”
So, how do you do it? “Apply a mousse (like King’s My Nanna’s Mousse) to wet hair,” to ensure soft, bouncy volume, and smooth out the hair while blow-drying with a round brush, he instructs.
Next, “work the hair into a neat centre or side parting and use the round brush and hairdryer to flick the ends upwards”.
To finish, “smooth down any flyaways using the Flyaway With Me Kit”—a flight-friendly tube of the smoothing finishing cream A Social Life for Your Hair, with a dual-ended bamboo brush and comb to tame and tidy.
If the silhouette feels a little strong for you, take note of Florence Pugh's look at the Toronto International Film Festival. Her execution of the hairstyle focussed less on the ends being exaggeratedly flipped out; instead they were flipped inwards. The result looked undeniably chic, and demonstrates that the trend can easily be tailored by taste.
Lead image credit: The Queen's Gambit/Netflix
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