‘Kate Effect’ Catches Up With Women Asking For Long Bob, Says Hairstylist Richard Ward

The “Kate effect” has caught up with women asking for the same hairstyle that Kate Middleton has been sporting since November. The Duchess of Cambridge debuted a new hairstyle — a long bob that was done by her longtime hairstylist Richard Ward. He had then dubbed it as the royal lob.

Talking to Daily Mail, Ward said that he is seeing a rise in women who want the long bob — or the “lob.”

“Lots of women have recently asked for that chin-length style that Taylor Swift has just adopted, and which Anne Hathaway also has. The 'lob' is such a classic style that doesn’t go out of date, but it is also very modern,” he said.

The celebrity hairstylist was in Sydney to promote the launch of his new line of hair care products for Priceline pharmacies called The Chelsea Collection. He said he has seen a rise in clients in his eponymous London salon asking for a lob like Kate’s. He added that the bob was back big time.

Ward recounted how during the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, he along with his former employee James Pryce created the 34-year-old royal’s famous wedding day demi-chignon. He said more than anything else he was relieved when the duchess got onto the balcony and her hairstyle was intact.

Ward revealed how he practiced the demi-chignon style on his personal assistant several times before the actual wedding. The hairstylist has been styling the Middletons for over 12 years. Kate has been visiting the Richard Ward Salon in Chelsea, London, since her university days.

Meanwhile, the Alwin navy pompon hat from Austrian brand Eisbar that the mother of two wore during her ski holiday to the French Alps last week is sold out. It is priced at $59.99 and features snowflakes and polar bears. Debbie Quimby of Eisbar said that after Kate and Prince William’s holiday pictures were released, she received emails from across the U.S., Canada and Europe from people wanting the same hat.

However, she added that her customers can pre-order the exact same hat online on the company's website and it would be shipped this fall.