It’s no secret that Hannah Waddingham is a bombshell beauty, but her latest hairstyle takes her straight into supermodel territory. The actress, 52, has just debuted her bounciest bob yet, proving that few styles make fine, mature hair look fuller than a good ’90s-inspired blow-dry.
Last night, Hannah enjoyed a night out in London for the global premiere of Digger (it seems she’s as big of a Tom Cruise fan as we are). She looked phenomenal in a glittering black gown, while serving up a serious dose of hair envy.
Her gleaming champagne-blonde locks were full of lift at the roots, with plenty of volume through the lengths and soft flicks at the ends. The style is reminiscent of the big, dreamy blow-dries of the ’90s, à la Cindy Crawford.
‘Hannah’s look is such a gorgeous take on the ’90s supermodel bob,’ says Jason Collier, celebrity hairstylist and Key Opinion Leader at Jerome Russell Bblonde. ‘The length sits beautifully around the jaw and shoulders, while the flicked ends and rounded shape give the hair this incredible fullness.’
There’s a good reason the supermodel bob has had such longevity, working just as well now as it did 30 years ago. ‘The beauty of this style is that it isn’t rigid or overly structured,’ he says. ‘Because the hair moves around the face, rather than sitting harshly against it, it works for and flatters so many face shapes.’
‘It’s also an incredibly ageless style because the volume and movement give the hair a really healthy, energetic feel,’ he adds. ‘You get that glamorous supermodel effect without it looking like you’re trying to recreate a specific decade.’
Essentially, it’s a style that never feels dated. Better yet, Jason says it’s one of the best hairstyles for boosting volume in finer, mature strands. ‘A shorter, more structured length will already make fine hair look denser because you’re not carrying lots of weight through the ends,’ Jason explains. ‘The ’90s styling takes that one step further; the root lift, rounded shape and flicked ends all create the illusion of greater density and movement.’
When it comes to perfecting the ‘supermodel’ bob like Hannah, there are two parts of the equation: the cut, and the styling.
The first step starts in the salon chair. ‘I’d ask for a full, rounded bob that sits somewhere between the jaw and shoulders, depending on your face shape and starting length. The key is retaining weight through the ends rather than having lots of choppy layers, with subtle face-framing pieces to create movement,’ says Jason.
‘If your hair is particularly fine, keeping the perimeter strong is particularly important as it will help the ends appear thicker,’ he adds.
While Hannah’s bounce can be credited to the pros, Jason reassures us that a blow-dry like this is surprisingly easy to achieve at home.
‘The blow-dry is where you really create the shape,’ he says. ‘You’ll want to prep the hair with a volumising mousse, like Bstyled Thickening Mousse, or a root-boost spray like Bstyled Root Boost Spray, applying it to damp hair and concentrating on the roots.’
Then, all you need is your trusty hairdryer, and a good round brush. ‘Use a medium-to-large round brush to lift the roots and curve the lengths away from the face. When you reach the ends, roll the brush underneath and then flick it out slightly to create that signature ’90s movement.’ Once you get the hang of the movement, it’s surprisingly easy.
If you have time to spare, Jason says a few large velcro rollers will give you lasting power. ‘Pop them through the crown and front sections while the hair is warm, leave them to cool completely, then gently brush everything through.’ This, paired with a mist of hairspray will give you bounce that lasts.
The style has already stood the test of time for more than 30 years, so it’s well worth mastering.
