Hair Length for Older Gals

[Hockeylovinmom]

I remember when I decided I was 'too old' for long hair when I was about 30. My hair was close to waist-length (this was the 70's!) and I was all upset because I thought I'd never get to have my lovely long hair again.

 

Ha! Though I've never had it that long again, I've had it various other long lengths. If I let it get a couple of inches longer than the shoulders, I think it is starting to 'drag' my face down, now. I vow never to wear the 'old lady' short permed hair though, I don't care if I'm 102!

 

What works for one doesn't for someone else; it isn't all about appearance anyway, and if you are happy, that is the most important thing.

 

I'm with you on the short, permed old lady hair!

The responses have been really interesting. After cancer treatment and surgery, my hair was awful, thin and stringy. I wore a wig ( short and blonde) and actually it looked ok. When my hair grew back, I decided to "celebrate my hair ". It is now a bit below shoulder length, thick, mostly dark brown with blonde and red highlights! I love it and it makes me feel good. I am over 60 ( not quite to Medicare) - I found a wonderful stylist who understands both me and my hair! I think I will keep it long and continue to color it because in the words of the cosmetic company, " I'm worth it!". (:

 

 

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[lindfaz]

What difference does it make what others think? Wear your hair in the style you feel comfortable in and what you want. Long, short, curly, or straight....whatever you so desire.

[GORDONCHICK]

When I entered my 30s, my mother kept saying I should cut my hair shorter to I'd look my age. Why? She finally stopped saying that a few years ago, probably realizing I wasn't going to listen. I'm much closer to 50 but most people think I'm in my mid-30s. So, why would I want to look my age? And who decides what that age looks like anyway?

[dulcimergirl]

I had long hair until my 40's and menopause hit. Then it was just to hot and a pain to take care of. Now I sport a Jamie Lee Curtis type cut and love it. so easy to wear. At my mid 60s I've outgrown the "what everyone else things" thing. Now I do what I want. Each to their own!

[babysteps]

Whatever works for you is okay with me!

I'm late 40s with mid-back hair, spouse likes long hair so that's an easy way to increase global happiness ;)

 

I didn't look long enough to find it, but I think fall 2011 there was a NY Times article that got lots of feedback about long hair for older women (it was a personal testimonial from someone who went long after 50 and also was a no-shampoo convert).

 

Try entering "long hair 50" (or whatever age), there are lots of links :)

 

My mother always had long hair (like knee-length, but always braided), her twin sister keeps hers shoulder length.

[kitty9]

I think a lot depends on your type of hair. If it's very thin or fine, I personally think it looks rather bad if it were long. For me, I look terrible in really short hair, so mine is about 3 inches above my shoulder. But, I may have to go shorter because this menopause thing is thinning my hair and when it's longer and thinning, it looks awful.

[PurpleHays]

Mine is nearly to my waist, frizzy/curly, and about 99% natural color. I love it long but would cut it in a heart beat if DH didn't love it even more. It spends time in a pony, half up, or all the way down. I braid and pin up for work. When it's more gray than red, it will get cut, and to above shoulder length.

 

In the summer, I rarely ever go beyond wash and air dry. In the winter, it takes half an hour to dry it, double if I curl or straighten.

 

I'm staring 50 in the face. At one point, I was a part of the "women of a certain age shouldn't have ponytails" then I became of woman of that age.

[Suitcasefull]

Another elder with long hair. Still, it's up to whatever looks good on a person or makes her feel good. Wish I could do a Jaime Curtis do but that's just not me plus get lots of favorable comments about my hair. A sad (to me) thing lately.......woman at church mid-forties, has the most fantastic thick hair that she usually kept below shoulder length and clipped back when needed to. Couple of weeks ago she came in with the same short curly haircut as her mom who also goes there! Turns out same beautician, also, talked her into it "to make her look younger." It aged her immensely (in my eyes). Probably my envying her thick hair clouded my opinion. :) My gyn said she'd be a millionaire multi-times over if she could discover a way to keep women's hair thick; says they complain more about the hair thinning than anything else overall!

[Kilnwood]

Have read all your posts and find them both fun and interesting!

 

I do not watch TV, but when I've seen photos of Hillary Clinton lately in news magazines I wonder what's going on with her hair? It looks to me as though her hair is "dragging her face down," and I have to refocus my attention to that actual news story.....

 

Has anyone else made the same or similar observation?

 

HAPPY CRUISING!!

[Nebr.cruiser]

I am ignoring tv news as much as possible because of all the election hype, but I have seen Hilary and I noticed the same thing--this hairstyle is not flattering to her at all, and does 'drag' her face down. It kind of looks like a retro 60's flip to me. It just doesn't suit her.

 

And, I am one who thinks longer hair is ok for us older gals, but it doesn't matter what age you are, some styles just don't work with some face shapes.

 

For instance, I love a pixie style, but it would never, ever work with my face--I'd look like a horse.

[Armchairtravelwoman]

There was a style segment on a morning show recently discussing what makes older women look younger than their age - hairstyle. Bangs and a medium length bob subtracted 10 years.

[LindaM]

Have read all your posts and find them both fun and interesting!

 

I do not watch TV, but when I've seen photos of Hillary Clinton lately in news magazines I wonder what's going on with her hair? It looks to me as though her hair is "dragging her face down," and I have to refocus my attention to that actual news story.....

 

Has anyone else made the same or similar observation?

 

HAPPY CRUISING!!

 

You are so right----her latest hairdo(am I dating myself??) is not flattering at all. She needs some height and more body--maybe side swept bangs. I don't know what shape her face is, but she looked good with shorter hair.

[momofmeg]

Another elder with long hair. Still, it's up to whatever looks good on a person or makes her feel good. Wish I could do a Jaime Curtis do but that's just not me plus get lots of favorable comments about my hair. A sad (to me) thing lately.......woman at church mid-forties, has the most fantastic thick hair that she usually kept below shoulder length and clipped back when needed to. Couple of weeks ago she came in with the same short curly haircut as her mom who also goes there! Turns out same beautician, also, talked her into it "to make her look younger." It aged her immensely (in my eyes). Probably my envying her thick hair clouded my opinion. :) My gyn said she'd be a millionaire multi-times over if she could discover a way to keep women's hair thick; says they complain more about the hair thinning than anything else overall!

 

I googled and I am trying the Biotin supplement-I have been taking it for about a month now-but it will take at least 2 more months to see if it is helping.

[rlkubi]

I'm 54 and have hair halfway down my back. My mom always said when I hit 40 I was too old but fortunately I don't care what people say. I like my hair long and IMO age doesn't matter.

[Suitcasefull]

I googled and I am trying the Biotin supplement-I have been taking it for about a month now-but it will take at least 2 more months to see if it is helping.

 

Hope it's helpful to you!

[momofmeg]

Hope it's helpful to you!

 

Who knows? I read both good and bad experiences. Why I thought it may help me is biotin is needed to help your body to process carbohydrates and since I have diabetes and my body does not process carbohydrates well because of diabetes that perhaps I need more anyway.

 

It is also supposed to help your skin and nails. My nails have ridges and my skin has areas of roughness with dry patches, especially my elbows. If I see improvement in any of these I will continue to take it. Kroger has it in a mutil-vitamin called "Hair, skin and nails"- and I take a muti-vitamin anyway.

[GORDONCHICK]

I am ignoring tv news as much as possible because of all the election hype, but I have seen Hilary and I noticed the same thing--this hairstyle is not flattering to her at all, and does 'drag' her face down. It kind of looks like a retro 60's flip to me. It just doesn't suit her.

 

The ponytail on her was HIDEOUS!

[Nebr.cruiser]

The ponytail on her was HIDEOUS!

 

Yes it was! Makes me want to go cut my hair! I mean, she should have the best of hair care and advice, and that's the look they give her?

[MrsPete]

My hair was halfway down my back until I was 35 when I cut it to a couple of inches past my shoulders-I wore it that length until I was around 45. I cut my hair then because of how thin it became after menopause which started for me in peri-menopause.

 

However if a woman has nice thick hair-she can wear it long forever if she so chooses- she should just layer it a bit around the face to soften the face because of her more mature skin.

 

 

Unfortunately, many women are like me-menopause thins their hair and long hair no longer works. But heck I look well in a wig with long hair -LOL! So it is the thinness of my hair that detracts. Sadly my hair has gotten to the point that it no longer looks well ANY length. I wear a lot of hats and scarfs now. Not just my head too-my eyebrows are also super thin-I use powdered eyeshadow in brown and a tiny brush to "thicken" my brows. The only good thing is now I only need to shave twice a week-not every day as it was when I was young.

You and I are thinking the same way. For posters who aren't old enough to get it -- good for you!

 

Speaking only for myself, I had fantastic hair when I was younger. It really was my best feature -- but now my hair is not quite the same (I'm 46, by the way). I don't heat-dry, so it's not damage; it's just age. I'm not in menopause yet, but my hair isn't as thick as it once was -- and I can see that my mother and grandmother's hair is noticeably thinner than it used to be. I have medium-length hair right now, but if it becomes as thin as my mom's, shorter would be much more attractive. Long hair without thickness looks . . . skimpy and just plain bad.

 

Also, my natural dark-dark color was wonderful when I was younger. Now my skin is changing, and I look much better with a "softer" shade about two shades lighter than my natural color.

 

The moral: Pay attention to changes as you age. What looks great on you at 30, 35, 40 may no longer work when you're approaching 50.

[Kilnwood]

When I saw Candy Crowley moderate the debate on Monday night, all I could think of every time I saw her was, "please brush your hair!" It appeared to me that she had a full head of hair that had been windblown, and she never took a brush or a comb to it after she came in out of the wind!

 

This is such a lively thread that I wanted to see if any of you had the same thought.....DH believes her hair was "carefully styled," and he's quite serious about that.

[royalcruz]

When I saw Candy Crowley moderate the debate on Monday night, all I could think of every time I saw her was, "please brush your hair!" It appeared to me that she had a full head of hair that had been windblown, and she never took a brush or a comb to it after she came in out of the wind!

 

This is such a lively thread that I wanted to see if any of you had the same thought.....DH believes her hair was "carefully styled," and he's quite serious about that.

I thought the same. I did look back at some photos and it probably was curled and sprayed but it wasn't flattering. She looks much better in straight shoulder length hair.

[momofmeg]

You and I are thinking the same way. For posters who aren't old enough to get it -- good for you!

 

Speaking only for myself, I had fantastic hair when I was younger. It really was my best feature -- but now my hair is not quite the same (I'm 46, by the way). I don't heat-dry, so it's not damage; it's just age. I'm not in menopause yet, but my hair isn't as thick as it once was -- and I can see that my mother and grandmother's hair is noticeably thinner than it used to be. I have medium-length hair right now, but if it becomes as thin as my mom's, shorter would be much more attractive. Long hair without thickness looks . . . skimpy and just plain bad.

 

Also, my natural dark-dark color was wonderful when I was younger. Now my skin is changing, and I look much better with a "softer" shade about two shades lighter than my natural color.

 

The moral: Pay attention to changes as you age. What looks great on you at 30, 35, 40 may no longer work when you're approaching 50.

 

When I first went shorter, I went to a medium length also-I guess a inch or so past my chin that worked until I was about 52 or 53 and then I went shorter. I now wear it about to the bottom of my ears-but it is layered and the top is shorter about 2 inches. I tried even shorter but it looked really masculine on me plus with my hair that short it looked as though I had bald spots (I guess I do) so that did not work either.

 

Sometimes my hair looks great.-sometimes it doesn't-bad hair days are scarf and hat days. I also have a mini human hair female toupee but I hate it simply because my "hair" looks much thicker with it and so I know people who actually know me know it is not "real." That is why I prefer a scarf or hat.

 

I have found some really cute hats. I have a cute hat that has leopard spots in creme/black that is mostly polyester but is 10% wool and 25% angora hair. I love it!

[bottomfeeder]

I'm 51 and my hair is currently down slightly past my armpits (couldn't come up with a better way to describe the length!) It is definitely thinner than it was when I was younger--although I have always had very fine hair so it was never especially full--and because of that as well as my age I've been considering cutting it short for several years.

 

What stops me is that I know at my age if I cut it short I will never grow it long again, and that makes me sad! I love the ease of long hair--I can just wash it and let it dry or blow-dry it and I'm good, no need for styling products or hairspray that make my scalp itchy! And I can put it up or back to get it out of the way when needed. Not to mention that I only need to have it cut/trimmed every few months, whereas with a short style I'd have to have much more frequent haircuts. I'm cheap! :)

 

I have been taking biotin for several months now and haven't noticed a difference but I'm still hopeful!

 

What I was curious about is whether any of you with noticeably thin hair have considered, or had, a hair transplant. I know they are available for women as well as men and I'm wondering how well they work, how painful they are, how much they cost etc. I'm not at the point where I need something like that yet (although I sure wish my hairline at my temples was not receding/thinning so much) but someday I might.

 

My opinion is to just do what makes you happy as far as hair length, style, color...everyone has their own thoughts of what looks good or doesn't on someone of a certain age, certain hair type etc. so whatever you do there will be someone who doesn't approve! Therefore, just please yourself. :)

[coka]

What is considered an appropriate hair length for older women? (50, 60, etc.) How long is too long?

 

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I enjoyed reading everyone's answers. According to this article, anything is okay for women over 50 now:

 

http://www.stylebistro.com/Haute+Hairstyles+for+Women+Over+50?zam_c=Women-Over-50-Search&gclid=CIzL4-CBm7MCFQSg4AodgikAFQ

 

Even so, I have difficulty agreeing and will play by the old fashioned rules... when I look through the 51 pictures of famous women pictured in the above article, I still think they would look even better if their hair is at the shoulders or above(use your finger tips to block the length beyond their shoulders and you will see what I mean)...and if they are blonde...that they would look better if they went darker or used more lowlights.

 

Who would have thought this coming from me...I am on a super quest to find the right clothes to match my 49 years age and am two haircuts away from 100% discovering my natural hair color. I wonder how long I can rock this attitude!

 

coka

[OceanDreams]

I enjoyed reading everyone's answers. According to this article, anything is okay for women over 50 now:

 

http://www.stylebistro.com/Haute+Hairstyles+for+Women+Over+50?zam_c=Women-Over-50-Search&gclid=CIzL4-CBm7MCFQSg4AodgikAFQ

 

Even so, I have difficulty agreeing and will play by the old fashioned rules... when I look through the 51 pictures of famous women pictured in the above article, I still think they would look even better if their hair is at the shoulders or above(use your finger tips to block the length beyond their shoulders and you will see what I mean)...and if they are blonde...that they would look better if they went darker or used more lowlights.

 

Who would have thought this coming from me...I am on a super quest to find the right clothes to match my 49 years age and am two haircuts away from 100% discovering my natural hair color. I wonder how long I can rock this attitude!

 

coka

 

I guess on our cruise coming up soon....I will be getting a make over. At 54 my hair is even longer then it has been in years. However once I get back into the states I will be cutting it .... really just trimming it and putting the layers back in.

I may be short and fluffy....but dam my hair looks great. Hahaha

See you soon (kiddo)

OceanDreams