There are benefits to taking your hair shorter no matter what season it is. In the summertime, short hair allows for easy styling; in the winter, it keeps knots at bay and makes wearing a scarf easier. But if you’re someone who likes to wear your hair short year-round, the styling options can start to feel a bit limited — or so you thought. There are plenty of spin-off styles that are similar to the classic bob but with a twist, like the “broom” haircut.
“A “broom” bob or “broomstick” bob is a specific type of one-length bob that rests at least an inch or so beneath the chin,” hairstylist Devin Toth tells PS. “It has almost no angles and isn’t styled in a way that ‘swings.'” It also has no layers so the entire haircut forms a straight line. Unlike your typical one-length bob that allows for lots of movement, the “broom” haircut appears stiffer and more rigid — but in a good way.
Experts Featured in This Article
Devin Toth is a hairstylist at Salon SCK in New York City.
Styling a “broom” haircut is a bit different than styling a regular “swingy” bob. Toth recommended using a blow dryer and a flat boar bristle brush, like the Mason Pearson Pocket Mixture Bristle Hair Brush ($140). If you want a synthetic option, try the Maya Chia 3-in-1 Brush ($48). You’ll want some mousse, like the Shu Uemura Awa Volume Volumizing Mousse ($42) or the Amika Plus Size Perfect Body Mousse ($30), “to give it thickness, texture, and substance.” Using a flat iron isn’t ideal as it condenses hair and gives it a “limp, swinging, non-broom-like effect.” It’s the sharpness of the broom haircut that’s responsible for that bold, take-charge look.
Ahead, get more inspiration for the broom haircut.