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Deadlock Clock: May 6th 2012 at 11:59:00 PM
captainpat Since: Sep, 2010
#1: Jan 7th 2012 at 11:53:45 PM

I know there's probably a trope here but right now this page is just a list of fictional characters with bob cuts. Is there a certain aspect of a character that bob cut is supposed to represent?

Oreochan from Pennsylvania Since: Dec, 1969
#2: Jan 8th 2012 at 12:10:17 AM

The description doesn't say much about personality types or what it's supposed to represent unlike most of the Hair Tropes like Hot-Blooded Sideburns or Girlish Pigtails. Also, if there are anything associated with it, the name and possibly the trope is People Sit On Chairs. If we are going to keep this trope and maybe refine it, the name might need to be changed because without any adjective attached to it would just encourage misuse. For the most part, I think there it's probably a trope buried under all that

edited 8th Jan '12 12:31:51 AM by Oreochan

"Learning without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without learning is dangerous."
Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#3: Jan 8th 2012 at 1:25:42 AM

Well in anime it is usually a sign of a girl to be cute not beautiful (doesn't mean a tomboy) but usually in contrast to another long haired beauty(ies) in the work.

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#4: Jan 8th 2012 at 1:54:25 AM

Well when a girl has short hair it usually means she a tomboy, or just doesn't want to be bothered with hair upkeep and as such has a more business-like personality or doesn't care about 'girly' things. So I's say that's a trope.

edited 8th Jan '12 1:57:13 AM by NoirGrimoir

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Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
Oreochan from Pennsylvania Since: Dec, 1969
#6: Jan 8th 2012 at 2:48:08 AM

It's seems to be what it should be about. We probably should add that in the description. Could it be renamed so it won't sound like anyone who has a bob haircut?

"Learning without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without learning is dangerous."
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#7: Jan 8th 2012 at 2:59:17 AM

Maybe Boyishly Short Hair. It implies the 'boyish' part and sort of implies the female only part.

edited 8th Jan '12 2:59:37 AM by NoirGrimoir

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Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#8: Jan 8th 2012 at 3:25:16 AM

That isn't specific to the Bob Haircut though the Bob Haircut isn't used by tomboys much. If anything Bob Haircut is one of the few acceptable girly short hair cuts.

It's used as a cute short hair style girly not super Yamato Nadeshiko girly usually contrasted by someone in long hair. Nabiki Tendo (this hair cut) vs Kasumi Tendo in Ranma One Half comes to mind as does Madoka vs the rest of the cheerleaders in Negima. I would say its closer to Light Feminine and Dark Feminine (with this being dark.) especially if it's basically a short haired version of a Hime Cut (with the bangs, side locks and such.)

Tomboys are typically messy short hair (with the same contrast though.) Futari Wa Pretty Cure comes to mind there. Or Ritsu / Mio in K On.

edited 8th Jan '12 3:55:49 AM by Raso

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#9: Jan 8th 2012 at 5:18:49 AM

Just a 'bob cut' doesn't mean anything. This needs to be girls with short hair in general, I think, or not at all.

edited 8th Jan '12 5:18:55 AM by NoirGrimoir

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#10: Jan 8th 2012 at 8:33:14 AM

The Bob means a number of things in Western works:

1) It's an indication of the roaring 20's and any time women are from then they'll sport it.

2) It's an indication that the character is intelligent, proper, and businesslike while still feminine. As such it's sort of a more girlish version of the Power Hair or Prim and Proper Bun, and is often given to younger characters.

3) It's very clean shape gives it a futuristic look and as such is often used with a minimalist décor as part of a futuristic aesthetic.

edited 8th Jan '12 8:35:04 AM by shimaspawn

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Oreochan from Pennsylvania Since: Dec, 1969
#11: Jan 8th 2012 at 8:41:36 AM

Oh right, it can those things too. What could another possible name suggestion for it would be? I think short hair used to mean tomboy is it's own trope.

edited 8th Jan '12 8:46:15 AM by Oreochan

"Learning without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without learning is dangerous."
captainpat Since: Sep, 2010
#12: Jan 8th 2012 at 8:45:11 AM

This type of hairstyle does appear in a lot of sci fi works

Faith from Mirrors Edge, Leeloo from The Fifth Element, Quorra from Tron Legacy, Xev from Lexx and the list goes on. Maybe we should split this trope.

edited 8th Jan '12 9:43:02 AM by captainpat

shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#13: Jan 8th 2012 at 8:45:51 AM

If someone has a Bob, they're going to be a feminine character even in anime. It's not a tomboy style. Tomboyish short hair tends to be a completely different style. The bob is too high maintenance. If you want to make a trope for tomboyish short hair, take it to YKTTW. It has nothing to do with this trope.

edited 8th Jan '12 8:48:23 AM by shimaspawn

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Oreochan from Pennsylvania Since: Dec, 1969
#14: Jan 8th 2012 at 8:51:49 AM

That's what I said about tomboyish short hair earlier. I'll YKTTW that since it's not what should probably be about. Could a page action crowner be of use?

edited 8th Jan '12 9:01:54 AM by Oreochan

"Learning without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without learning is dangerous."
Sackett Since: Jan, 2001
#15: Jan 8th 2012 at 10:33:01 AM

Actually, a "bob" is now considered feminine despite being short.

Enough so that a male with a "bob" would be likely to be mistaken for a girl.

I think more discussion is needed before a corwner.

edited 8th Jan '12 10:33:26 AM by Sackett

Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#16: Jan 8th 2012 at 10:45:01 AM

Me and Shima are on the same page here (Rare.) Boyish Short Hair should be YKTT Wed as a different trope it is related to this.

It is a distinctly girly style (seen it on guys before and well they gets mistaken for a girl a decent amount.)

edited 8th Jan '12 10:51:13 AM by Raso

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
Oreochan from Pennsylvania Since: Dec, 1969
#17: Jan 8th 2012 at 10:59:06 AM

I'll YKTTW Boyish Short Hair later. Page Action crowner up.

"Learning without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without learning is dangerous."
shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#18: Jan 8th 2012 at 11:12:55 AM

I'm not linking the page action crowner because we haven't discussed what action if any needs to be taken. It is far far too early in this conversation for it. So far the entire thread has been a side topic. Let's figure out what if anything is wrong with the page and possible courses of action first instead of just throwing up a crowner. Otherwise we end up going in stupid directions.

edited 8th Jan '12 11:14:03 AM by shimaspawn

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Oreochan from Pennsylvania Since: Dec, 1969
#19: Jan 8th 2012 at 11:13:37 AM

Sorry, it was too early, I should have waited. I guess the crowner should be closed then.

edited 8th Jan '12 11:14:36 AM by Oreochan

"Learning without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without learning is dangerous."
ChaoticNovelist Since: Jun, 2010
#20: Jan 8th 2012 at 2:22:35 PM

Right now the definition is more or less 'just hair'. There is a mention of it being used in the Roaring Twenties but that's it. I liked what I read about it being a 'girlish hair cut for a girl who doesn't want to spend time maintaining it'. That has more meat on it.

Oreochan from Pennsylvania Since: Dec, 1969
#21: Jan 8th 2012 at 2:33:32 PM

Yeah the description needs more to it like those two being added.

edited 8th Jan '12 2:38:22 PM by Oreochan

"Learning without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without learning is dangerous."
Sackett Since: Jan, 2001
#22: Jan 14th 2012 at 6:55:13 AM

So lets think about what a Bob Haircut means:

If it's set in the roaring twenties:

  • Associated with the flapper
  • Rebellious / Party Girl
  • Youth
  • Women's Movement (to some extent)

If it's set in more modern times:

  • Feminine yet easy to maintain
  • Practical woman
  • Business woman

Anything else?

edited 14th Jan '12 6:55:29 AM by Sackett

shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#23: Jan 14th 2012 at 7:16:18 AM

You're missing that it's often used in sci-fi to represent a clean futuristic modern aesthetic. In this case the Bob will have very clean lines, dead straight, blunt cut, no feathering.

edited 14th Jan '12 7:16:49 AM by shimaspawn

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#24: Jan 14th 2012 at 10:18:14 PM

Yes, like that chick in Tron 2 that Olivia Wilde played.

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#25: Jan 14th 2012 at 10:30:42 PM

Yes, like that. There's also the flight attendants in The Fifth Element. Faith from Mirrors Edge. Cortana in Halo2. It's a common sci-fi style.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick

PageAction: BobHaircut2
4th May '12 6:01:07 AM

Crown Description:

What is the meaning(s) of a bob haircut (note that many of these are not mutually exclusive, we can split the trope as many ways as needed.)

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