Gabrielle Union Brought Back Her Micro Bob, So You Know She Means Business

The reign of short hair isn't over yet.

a black woman with dark hair pulled into a bun poses in front of a blue background
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Earlier this week, the MC beauty team reported that, after a year of red carpet domination, Hollywood is over its obsession with the blunt bob, and the pendulum appears to be swinging back towards styles with more length this winter. This was evidenced by the fact that Sunday night's Grammys red carpet was flooded with stars like Kehlani and Zara Larsson who wore the long, wavy mermaid look all night. But don't rush to grow out your cropped haircut just yet, because the reign of short hair may not be all the way over—at least not for Gabrielle Union. After spending the last few months wearing long hair, the actor and Flawless founder has officially returned to her chin-length bob.

Union is currently in the midst of a press tour for her new animated sports comedy, Goat, in which she'll be voicing a panther named Jett. She's made a handful of appearances in New York City over the last few days to promote it and was recently spotted outside of ABC Studios wearing a gray blazer dress with a plunging neckline and large bows sown onto the pockets. Of course, a business casual chic outfit like that calls for a powerful haircut to match, which is likely why she wore her hair in a micro bob courtesy of her longtime hairstylist, Larry Sims. Union's hairstyle featured a side part and a slight bump at the ends.

a black woman with short hair photographed outside of a television studio

Gabrielle Union wears a bob haircut in New York City on Feb. 3.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Bobs of all varieties (from the blunt bob to the French bob to the curly bob) took over the trend cycle last year, and even though the last few weeks have seen a return to long hair, the bob is here to stay. Love Island's Olandria Carthen, for example, just made an appearance at Paris Haute Couture Week wearing a chin-grazing hydro bob, and actor Lily Collins has also spent the better part of the last year wearing a micro bob. This, of course, echoes the sentiments of a handful of hair experts who recently predicted that the bobs of this year are only expected to get shorter and cuntier.

"The micro bob 2.0 is a super-short bob that hovers between cheekbone and jawline, and cut almost like a helmet in the best way, with a sharp perimeter, and a precise line,” New York City-based hairstylist Gregory Patterson previously told MC. "Think of this bob as the ‘LBD’ of haircuts this season: minimal, strongly architectural, and very, very intentional.”

If the bob is still on your list of potential hair changes to make this season, read ahead to shop some must-haves that'll help you with styling.

Danielle Jackson
Senior Beauty Writer

Danielle Jackson is the senior beauty writer at Marie Claire. She has nearly a decade of experience covering beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment and was previously the senior beauty editor at Women's Health, where she thoughtfully covered topics related to skincare, haircare, aesthetics, and wellness. Before that, she spent three years as an assistant beauty editor at PS, and in the years since, her work has appeared in titles like Vogue, InStyle, Glamour, and more. Danielle graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in English, and has lived in Brooklyn for almost ten years. When she's not writing, you can find her reading romance novels and talking about sunscreen. You can find her on Instagram @danielleknecole.