Cannes Beauty Report: It’s All About Bobs and Buns

The sleeker the coif, the closer to stardom—that was the message on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival according to some of fashion and film’s biggest names. The festival may have wrapped last week, but we are still talking about the leading ladies who were unafraid to go for short and chic bobs and buns (or chignons, if you’re feeling fancy), as opposed to more traditional hairstyles a la long, wavy locks.

Some of the actresses and models who got on board with the blunt cut trend included Léa Seydoux, Leïla Bekhti, Anja Rubik, and Marion Cotillard. But these weren’t your usual prim and proper, “jush“-able housewife bobs; instead, stars wore their’s slicked back with a handful of hair gel and styling spray. 

Meanwhile, others like Kristen Stewart and Hailey Baldwin riffed on different versions of the classic, low-slung chignon—if you don’t know what a chignon is, it’s basically a knotted bun that tucks at the nape of the neck, although there are tons of different ways to wear the formal style. 

Short hairstyles have been enjoying a moment in the spotlight for awhile now, though. Last year, Kate Hudson buzzed off her beautiful golden strands for a movie role, joining the ranks of other high profile ladies like Cara Delevingne, K-Stew, and Adwoa Aboah who have all sheared their locks off.

“It’s funny, when you’re doing it for a role you don’t think about it, but when it was done it was like: ‘My head’s shaved!’,” Hudson said in an interview on the show Lorraine. She continued, “I honestly think a woman in her life at one point just needs to chop it all off, there’s something so liberating about it.”

Given the state of affairs for women in fashion and entertainment with #MeToo and “Time’s Up,” it makes sense that the short hair ‘do is making a comeback. We can’t wait to see who buzzes off their tresses next in the name of feminist style.