The political bob and other hairstyles of powerful women we love
2016 is the year of women leaders.
Just in case you haven’t realized, this year the world has witnessed a phenomenal rise in female heads of government, from Theresa May (UK) to Tsai Ing Wen (Taiwan) and Aung San Suu Kyi (Myanmar) or the ALMOST First Female President Hillary Clinton. (Let’s not bring up the disgraced South Korean President Park Geun-Hye)
The path to the highest office of the land or even within a corporation is extremely difficult for both men and women. But it’s even more so for ladies who often have to overcome gender discrimination.
It’s hard to identify any particular factor for their individual successes but from a hairstyle point of view, we noticed one pattern; many of their hairstyles look similar! Hillary Clinton sports it, Angela Merkel sports it and even the newest Prime Minister of UK, Theresa May wears a bob that is now coined as the Pob (Political Bob).
If you’ve just gotten your promotion (or hoping to get one), consider these power hairstyles of powerful women around the world to reclaim your confidence and inspire you for your new workplace look!
Political Bob (Pob)
You may not know what a Pob is but you can definitely recognize it when you see one:
“Within seconds of meeting you, people begin forming a first impression about the type of person you are, and it’s not your face that gives you away; it’s your hairstyle.”
- Marianne LaFrance, Yale University Psychology Professor
A hairstyle that screams “take me seriously, the political bob is the short feathery swept-back look sported by top leaders such as Angela Merkel, Nicola Sturgeon and even Singapore’s very own top women leaders Ms Ho Ching, Culture, Community and Youth Minister Grace Fu, Ms Ho Ching as well as Senior Minister of State Indranee Rajah.
The political bob tends to make one look mature and assertive. According to a study published in The Journal of Social Psychology, attractiveness is a strike against women up for masculine jobs.
Therefore, the more masculine she looks, the more powerful she is deemed to be.
Even within the political bob however, there are variations.
While Hillary Clinton and Theresa May went for the political bob with iconic medium-length layered bob, Nicola Sturgeon and Angela Merkel wear for the shorter, almost schoolboy-ish style of political bob with short bangs.
With their short crop, Angela Merkel and Nicola Sturgeon appear a lot more dominant and masculine as opposed to Theresa May.
Which is more suitable for you?
It really depends on what style you are aiming for. If you are going for a position traditionally dominated by men, and you feel a need to show that you’re in charge, the shorter masculine crop with shorter bangs may suit you well.
Short crop by Chez Vous Hair Salon
If your role requires you to demonstrate your empathy and connect with larger groups of people, the slightly longer political bob with increased layers and longer bangs can balance off some of your dominance and make you look more approachable.
Haircut by Kenaris Hair Salon
Red or pink may not be the most professional of hair colours, but a light touch of brown may just be what you need to perk up and rebalance the seriousness of the political bob.
Short haircut by Toshie from Art Noise Japanese Hair Salon
Long Bob
Take a look at powerful women around you (and on the media) such as Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook), Marissa Meyer (Yahoo), Anna Wintour (Vogue) or Michelle Obama (USA).
You will find that they are probably sporting another common hairstyle: the polished, blunt and sharp-as-a-knife long bob.
Unlike the strict political bob, the long bob strikes a balance between power and femininity, exuding class, smartness and austerity while retaining some nuances of femininity.
Haircut by Chez Vous Hair Salon
From a more practical viewpoint, the long bob is also very versatile.
Whether you’re going for a black tie event later in the night, or whether your face shape is really round and long, the long bob is one of those timeless hairstyles that can be manipulated to suit various face shapes and portray a particular personality.
Long bob by Picasso Hair Studio @ Bugis North Bridge Rd
Bob by CLEO Hair & Make
Long bob by Gene by Ginrich @ Wisma Atria
The more creative hairstylists can also help to create a hairstyle that exudes class, smartness and austerity in the day and a wild child at night.
We do however, find that long bobs work better with straight hair so you may need to get your hair rebonded if your hair exhibits some natural waves and kinks.
Haircut and volume rebonding by Flamingo Hair Studio
Long hair
Although not the de facto choice for top female leaders, we do see an increasing number of young powerful females sporting the characteristic long hair (just take a look at the Women of Fortune’s 40 under 40).
Jue Wong (President of Elizabeth Arden)
As we ladies make breakthroughs and prove our mettle in the corporate world, femininity is gradually being embraced by top management.
Haircut and colour by Chez Vous Hair Salon
If we are bringing in the sales and managing the team well, who cares if our hair is long, short or rainbow-coloured?
You can even tie your hair up in a simple ponytail to meet Barack Obama if you have done as much for your country as State Chancellor Aung San Suu Kyi. (Some would argue that her tied up hair makes it look like a bob from the front.)
Having said that, we haven’t seen any top female leaders sporting rainbow hair.
Will you be the first? :)
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