Rihanna's Wavy Bob Is All of My Fall Haircut Dreams Come True

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 4 November 2024

Rihanna has tried nearly every cut and color under the sun, from a blonde mohawk in 2009 to a pink pixie in 2014 and fiery red box braids in 2019, to name only a few of her greatest hits. She never lingers very long on any particularly style, but my favorite look on her has always been a bob. Iconic doesn't even begin to describe her 2007 "Umbrella"-era asymmetrical bob, and the flippy copper bob she wore to the 2015 Met Gala never strays far from my mind.

Her latest addition to the bob history books, however, is especially compelling. Last month at a Savage X Fenty event in Los Angeles, the beauty mogul debuted a wavy bob with a glossy, jet-black finish that fell to the middle of her neck. And seemingly, she's been rocking the Yusef Williams-styled chop ever since. On Monday, Nov. 4, the singer gave her 150 million Instagram followers an even closer look at the cut with a post encouraging those who can to vote in this week's election. In it, the mother of two appeared to be riding in a car, wearing oversized black sunglasses, a white tank top, and a gold Marie Lichtenberg scapular necklace.

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Marie Lichtenberg Eye Protect 18-Karat Gold Diamond Necklace

The timing of RiRi's fall bob couldn't be more apt. Over the last year, bob hairstyles have been trending so hard with civilians and celebrities alike that they ended up becoming a meme. That hasn't stopped the likes of Lily Collins and Selena Gomez from continuing to rock the trend, of course, but Rihanna's freshly shorn bob is in good company, to say the least.

What makes the look even more fitting for the moment is the cut's proximity to the release of Fenty Hair: Rihanna's first-ever foray into haircare. Launched in June, the lineup includes nine products developed with a variety of hair types, textures, and needs in mind. But I can personally attest that Fenty Hair's hero products are those best-suited for curly hair: The Homecurl Curl-Defining Styling Cream and The Comeback Kid Instant Damage Repair Hair Treatment. Needless to say, the ultra-hydrated, glossy look of Rihanna's wavy bob likely has a lot to do with this dynamic styling duo.

Fenty Beauty The Homecurl Curl-Defining Styling Cream

Fenty Beauty The Comeback Kid Instant Damage Repair Hair Treatment

As someone who habitually flat irons my curly bleach-blonde bob—much to my hairstylist's dismay—Rihanna's take on the trend is a much-needed reminder that cropped styles look just as chic when you let your natural texture shine bright like a diamond.

Hanna Lustig is a staff writer at Marie Claire, where she gets to gab every day about the topics she holds most dear: fashion, beauty, and celebrity. Hanna’s editorial journey began with formative internships at Elle and InStyle, where she was lucky enough to work for some of the smartest women in media while she was still in college. Hanna then accepted a digital culture reporting fellowship at Insider, where she helped carve out a new beat dedicated to covering influencers. Those experiences later served her well as a staff writer at Glamour, where she developed a knack for spinning quick turnaround celebrity news and trend reporting into juicy long-form feature stories.

Diane Keaton once hung up on Hanna during an interview, but thankfully that mishap did not derail what has otherwise been a deeply fulfilling career writing for and about women. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Studies from the University of Tennessee, where she was mainly taught to love and revere Dolly Parton. When she’s not at work, Hanna can likely be found listening to pop music, talking to her dog, and gossiping with her best friends. For more of Hanna’s perfect opinions on pop culture, you can follow her on Instagram and X.

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