17 Choppy Shoulder-Length Hairstyles 2019

Don’t get us wrong—we love bobs like we love steaming-hot coffee, pets wearing clothes, and hearing our phone go off after waiting 60 gut-wrenching minutes for our delivery order to arrive. But if you’ve worn a bob for a while now, you may be ready to spice it up. Or maybe you’ve started noticing lots of people with the cut (rightly so—it’s universally chic), but you want to set yourself apart from the pack somehow. We get it—you’re a peacock, not a pigeon.

One way to inject a little pizzazz into your bob is to ask your stylist to introduce some choppy layers. You won’t lose much length, but you will have a spunkier new look.

For great examples of short, choppy layers, check out the 17 cuts below. Just don’t forget, once you’ve got the look locked down, to get out there and strut your stuff.

1. Wavy Chocolate Brown Hair with Choppy Layers and Bangs

This look has a lot going for it. You’ve got a manageable overall length in the time-tested bob. You’ve got choppy layers, which give this ‘do a shapely silhouette. You’ve got a messy, bedhead-inspired style, which will be easy for anyone to achieve. And you’ve got choppy bangs, positioning this look perfectly for 2016 domination. The cherry on top of it all is the rich chocolate brown color.

2. Shoulder-Length Brown Bob with Caramel Highlights

For those who can wield a curling iron like a gunslinger with a pistol, obtaining this look won’t be too much trouble. Using bigger sections of hair in the iron is the ticket to these fun, looping locks. Women who aren’t as skilled with the tool and don’t have naturally wavy or curly hair may want to take a few practice runs. But texture aside, we’re loving the chunky caramel highlights against the chunky layers.

3. Taylor Swift’s Wavy Blonde Bob with Full Bangs

T. Swift’s sweet oatmeal-colored hair is on the thicker side, so the choppiness factor is a bit more disguised here. But her waves still look darling in this layered bob. The full bangs brushing the eyes complement her oval face shape well. True to Swift form, she’s swiped on a layer of red lipstick, and it helps to pull the whole look together.

4. Wild ‘n’ Crazy Rich Dark Brown Hair with Long Bangs

This piecey, choppy firestorm of a hairstyle may be what naturally happens to your hair after spending three hours dancing on a Saturday night, but trust us, you’ll be the envy of everyone you meet if you sport it during the week. Though the dark brown hair has been straightened here, it’d look equally as smashing if it were wavy or curly.

5. Choppy Wavy Bob with Ombre Coloring

Could that be a perfectly choppy bob we spy? This slightly wavy, fussed-up hairstyle would inspire jealousy even in celebrities, those arbiters of pop culture and possessors of personal stylists. What really puts it over the edge is the balayage effect, which looks sensational when applied to this woman’s brown hair.

6. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s Fabulous Blonde Lob with Piecey Layers

We know, we knooow—Huntington-Whiteley is a gosh-darn supermodel. But her perfect bone structure, expertly applied makeup, and commanding brows aside, this haircut is universally flattering. The choppy layers, collarbone-grazing length, and bending bangs will look great on anyone—we promise!

7. Striking Ombre Auburn Lob with Bangs

This look is fire, and not just because of the color. While we do love the intense, deep auburn hue, the choppy layers are what really give this cut vibrancy. The big curls do a fantastic job of complementing the layers.

8. Light Red Ombre Coloring and Choppy Ends for Straight Dark Hair

We love the contrast here from dark brown hair to an uber-light, almost orangey-red color. What sets this style apart even more are the funky, super-textured ends. This is a spicy look for people who abhor maintaining the status quo.

9. Choppy Layers and Full Bangs for Medium-Brown Lobs

The chunky layers and soft curls in this woman’s handsome brown hair infuse her look with an incredible amount of movement. Additional bonus points go to the long, full bangs, which we would recommend pushing to the side when driving or operating heavy machinery.

10. Barely Highlighted Unkempt Brown Waves in a Glorious Lob

Here’s another wonderfully wavy lob with uneven ends. This haircut would work swimmingly with all textures: straight, wavy, curly, or kinky. For those straight-haired gals, a little bit of product will go a long way. If your hair is on the drier, thicker side, it should be able to handle more.

11. Curly Black Bob with Purple Highlights

Though the fresh, bold purple highlights in this cut are definitely stealing the show, what gives the color room to shine are the many layers throughout. The thick curls also add interest to an otherwise typical bob.

12. Wavy Soft Brown Lob with Generous Layers

What’s not to love about this cute cut? The piecey layers are softly curled around the face, drawing just the right amount of attention to themselves. The chestnut brown shade looks natural and breezy.

13. Pretty Blonde/Bronde Bob Styled with Flowing Waves and Choppy Ends

You don’t have to be a beach bum to get this look. Women with curly or wavy hair won’t have to style their tresses any differently than they normally do, but those of you with straight hair will need a curling iron and the product of your choice to catch these gnarly waves. We’re also feeling the ombre coloring, perfect for any sun worshipper.

14. Silky Thick Black Hair with Choppy Layers and a Slight Cherry Tint

This kinda-messy, well-layered, touchable style ranks high on our list of “Cuts We Need to Wear Before We Die.” We love the deep side part, choppy ends, and unexpected color as well.

15. Rich Dark Auburn Shaggy Cut with Piecey Strands and Side Bangs

This cut is to-die-for! Choppy layers plus side-swept bangs plus a very unique overall shape equals us grasping for words and instead melting into a human depiction of the heart-eyed emoji.

16. Wavy Platinum Blonde Bob with Short Layers

Stylish, sophisticated, trendy yet timeless, fun: this cut’s got it all. From the curls to the layers to the platinum blonde color to the side part, we just can’t choose our favorite part of this hairstyle.

17. Fun Messy Chunky Brown Bob

We’re huge fans of this charming ‘do. The overall bluntness of the cut will work better on women with thin to medium-thick hair. If your hair’s really thick or curly, you’re gonna want your stylist to snip away some length, which will give you a more manageable shape. But we’re digging the piecey strands, long bangs, and flirty vibe this look delivers.