The bob is the epitome of French style, from Joan of Arc and Coco Chanel to Amelie. Yes really, Joan of Arc, spanning back to the 15th century when she wore a bob to disguise her gender during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.
Fast forward to 1910 when women began to reject politics and societal constructs, and the bob symbolised a new feeling of freedom and independence. In 1915 famous ballroom dancer Irene Castle unwittingly popularised the style, when she cut off her hair for convenience. Yes, the Castle Bob was born, and Louise Brooks, Coco Chanel and Joan Crawford soon followed suit. So too did the average woman, for whom it was acceptable to have short hair, because of her newfound role in the military and in factories during World War I.
But not everyone was on board, especially Americans, who in coming to WWI later, had little need to adopt the style. So when women on the streets began to ask for a bob, hairdressers were aghast (and totally inexperienced with how to cut one.) The consternation was confirmed by works such as F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," in which the protagonist Bernice, did exactly as the title says. Not only did she undergo a personality transplant, but she was also shunned by her friends, family and romantic suitors alike. Heck, women didn't care; they simply took their custom to barbershops. Hairdressers did, however, finally relent, and with a piece in 1925 in the Washington Post titled the "Economic Effects of Bobbing" it's not hard to see why.