Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson go way back. Before Abdul had a single hit of her own, she was choreographing Jackson’s music videos in the 1980s.
Both stars attended the “Gala of the Stars” last week, held at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, and showed up with fresh, shorter hair—and between them, they showed off two of the best haircuts right now for women over 60.
Abdul, 64, wore a chin-length bob with full, brow-skimming bangs and ends that flip out at the jaw. Jackson, 60, went a little longer with her shoulder-grazing lob falling in loose honey-blonde waves. Both looks were polished and trendy, but neither cut is entirely new.
The bob dates back a century, and the lob has drifted in and out of salons for decades. What has changed is how stylists cut them. Instead of a one-size shape, today’s versions are tailored to texture, density and how much time you actually want to spend with a blow-dryer. That matters more as hair tends to get finer and drier with age.
So which cut is right for you? Celebrity hairstylists have broken down both for Parade—who each one suits, why it works after 60 and what to ask for in the salon chair.
Related: 7 Chic Chin-Length Bobs, According to Celebrity Hairstylists
Paula Abdul’s Bob With Bangs
Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Variety via Getty Images
Abdul’s cut lands right at the jaw, with bangs that blend into the sides and ends that flip outward. It’s a close match for two styles in Parade‘s roundup of the best bob haircuts for older women: the retro bob and the ’90s flipped-out bob.
Gregory Patterson, a celebrity hairstylist and Sally Beauty pro whose clients have included Meryl Streep and Emma Stone, called the bob a “timeless, classic shape.” Age doesn’t factor into it. “The bob haircut knows no age—of course!” he said.
Fit matters more. The goal is a cut “that suits your hair type, texture and lifestyle,” Patterson explained. When it’s tailored well, a bob can be “effortlessly flattering and easy to maintain,” he said.
It can also help if your hair has thinned. Patterson called the bob a “genius haircut” for finer hair because it creates the look of more volume. The trick is restraint. “Just be mindful of not overly texturizing the haircut,” he warned. A strong, clean bottom edge gives fine strands more presence.
Abdul’s flipped ends add movement without a lot of product, and Patterson said the ’90s flip plays up natural texture. At home, flick the ends outward with a round brush or a medium-barrel curling iron.
If you want to copy the look, bring photos of someone whose hair type and texture are close to yours. “The closer the reference, the better your cut will work,” Patterson told Parade.
Related: 7 Best ‘Stacked Haircuts’ for 2026, According to a Celebrity Stylist
Janet Jackson’s Wavy Lob
Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Variety via Getty Images
Jackson’s classic lob skims the tops of her shoulders, with soft waves through the lengths and lift at the roots from a side part.
Marcos Diaz, a celebrity hairstylist who has worked with Hailey Bieber and Sienna Miller, previously told Parade that a lob “offers structure while still giving movement.” That extra length can be an advantage after 50. A lob “often feels softer on women 50+,” he said.
Jackson’s waves are a big part of why it works. A textured, wavy lob is about “adding instant fullness and natural movement,” especially when strands have started to fall flat, Diaz explained. Her deep side part helps too. “It creates lift and softens facial features,” he added.
Related: 5 Hair Color Tricks to Instantly Look Younger, According to Celebrity Colorists
Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Variety via Getty Images
Jewells Hingorani, a celebrity hairstylist and founder of Jewell Clip who has styled Victoria Beckham, shared in a Parade roundup of the best hairstyles for women over 60 that a shoulder-grazing layered lob gives you the feel of longer hair without the weight or upkeep. It’s also easy to air-dry, Hingorani said.
To get Jackson’s version, ask for a cut that grazes the collarbone with soft layers through the mid-lengths, so waves fall loosely instead of stacking up. Keep the shape long and lean.
Patterson warned against “very poofy rounded shapes à la newscaster hair” that get wider instead of longer.
Bob or Lob? How To Choose
The difference comes down to where the ends land. “Anything jawline and above is a bob. Anything below the chin and jawline is a lob,” Patterson previously told Parade.
Neither one is automatically more youthful. Any haircut that isn’t suited to “the wearer or their hair texture and lifestyle can make someone appear older or even too juvenile,” Patterson said.
A few things to weigh before you book:
Fine or thinning hair: A bob with a clean, blunt bottom edge can make fine hair look fuller, and a lob with solid ends keeps finer hair from looking thin, Patterson explained. Natural wave or texture: A wavy, layered lob (like Jackson’s) plays up natural movement, Diaz said. Styling time: The shorter you go, the more styling a cut needs to hold its shape, Patterson said. A layered lob is easy to air-dry, Hingorani added. Ponytail days: Many stylists cut a lob slightly longer in front so you can still pull it back.Whichever you choose, talk through your routine with your stylist before the first snip. The best version of either cut is the one built around your hair, not someone else’s.
Adapted from Parade’s “9 Best Bob Haircuts for Older Women, Celebrity Stylist Reveals,” “Stylists Are Calling This ‘The Haircut of 2026,’ and It Looks Great on Women Over 50” and “7 Chic Haircuts for Women Over 60, According to a Celebrity Stylist,” all by Alyssa Rotunno.
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Gregory Patterson, celebrity hairstylist and Sally Beauty pro Marcos Diaz, celebrity hairstylist Jewells Hingorani, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Jewell ClipHence then, the article about paula abdul and janet jackson just showed off 2 of the best short haircuts for women over 60 stylists say was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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