Should women over 50 wear their hair short?

I think people should (a) wear their hair however they want (b) don't give a toss what anyone else thinks and (c) other people should learn to mind their own business and stop asking inane questions about how women 'should' look.

by plant

Stop reading my mind! Lol!
My thoughts exactly.....

I think the age based fashion styles that were so prevalent in my youth have all but disappeared now. Women of any age can present themselves as they want, without subjecting themselves to comment.

I remember when I was young I would often hear ladies saying someone was 'mutton dressed up as lamb'. Thankfully, it has been decades now since I last heard it.

I also think that modern society's fashion liberation allows women to feel younger for much longer and so has a positive mental effect on aging.

I am over 50 and have worn my hair long for most of my life. I will likely continue to do so.

by Gayle Beveridge

I wear my hair up, and I am 60.
I have it coloured a dark blonde, and it is done by myself,in a sideways french roll.I also put 2-3 little pearl pins in it...for effect.
I have had short hair for many many years, but 2 yrs ago I grew it past my shoulders.
Not a fan of looking like a lot of ladies my age!
No rules, as long as it suits you and your don't try to look 20 again!....lol.

by jonaja

I think each to their own. I had a professor at uni - she was over fifty, to be sure, but she had the most beautiful long silver hair.

by Vee

I am probably biased, as I have always had short hair and thinking back, no women in my family ever had long hair. I think that older women look much better with short hair; long white or grey hair makes women look older. The lady in the photo with the short hairstyle looks great. we have to re assess as we get older, don't you think?

by jillr

I agree with all you have said :-)

Only if they want to. Personally I think long grey or white hair looks very cool. I kind of like the idea of having long grey dreads when I'm eighty. We'll see.

by Jennifer Muirhead

I say wear your hair however it makes you comfortable - no matter what your age!

by lizzi

I personally do not like older women who have long hair -I think it looks quite stupid however I know I should not generalise.

Most of the people I know have short hair or shirt-ish hair though we are over 60.

It all depends on how they look, the shape of their face, but it is also up to individuals what they want to do and there is no rule saying at a certain age, you should have short hair!

by Finy

I they are comfortable with doing so and it matches their overall temperament, sure.

by dwatk

It's up to that person to decide. I don't think it looks stupid in any way.

by Maria

I'm 56 and had my hair short for years. So light, easy to wash every day and leave. Loved it. Now I have put on 3.5 stone courtesy of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Growing out. A pain but really because short hair looks a bit hard on fat face, double chin. Starting to lose weight and will be reviewing hairstyle ASAP. Really down to whether suits or not. I see some women at Bridge with flat strealish hair and not pretty. Individual thing.

by aodon

I'm 56 and had my hair short for years. So light, easy to wash every day and leave. Loved it. Now I have put on 3.5 stone courtesy of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Growing out. A pain but really because short hair looks a bit hard on fat face, double chin. Starting to lose weight and will be reviewing hairstyle ASAP. Really down to whether suits or not. I see some women at Bridge with flat strealish hair and not pretty. Individual thing.

by aodon

I hate this school of thought. Why should I have to look like a butch lesbian just because 'society' says so? When my Mum got to 40 her sister said 'well you'll have to cut your hair now' (she has waist length hair). No way! She would look ridiculous. I'm the same. I'm only in my 30's now, but I will be taking my long hair to the grave. I look so bad with short hair I don't even wear mine up! Some of us just don't have the face for it.

by poppy

Not my business to be telling anyone how to wear their hair but it is said that long and longish hair drags the face downwards and not many people can handle the pull of gravity once they are 50.
I do know a person who does herself an injustice by keeping her hair long. She has incredible skin and no double chin (almost no laugh lines even) but loves her longish hair.
I THINK it would be more attractive for her to lose an inch or two.

by fran.

Oh . . *shakes fist at gravity* . . . our worst enemy.

I think it is jolly rude of anyone to make such a silly, uninformed and discriminatory comment.
Women of all ages will wear their hair in any style and length that they so chose.
It is a bit like stating all women over 50 should be blonde. Both are ridiculous!

by delbr

Depends on the person, I'm 56 and have waist length hair. I am modern and slim and have no problem with wearing this style. I do wear it up most of the time, but on those special occasions I will wear a side or back pony with curls. I get too bored with short hair. I do think style has a lot to do with it. Even some women's short styles are out of date and boring. I have seen some terrible colours and cuts around.

by posit

Being a woman over fifty and having had long hair when I was younger I can emphatically agree. Having long hair now makes me look even older. Long hair also takes so much work to keep it looking great all the time.

by jules

no I do not think that there is age based rules, I have very short hair, mainly to keep it tidy when out in the wind as I will not use hair spray. I do know other ladies with long hair that looks terrrific can be worn long or up.

by flaga

I find some people actually look older with short hair.I have long wavy hair and have worn it short but prefer long.You can change styles and wear it up or down with long hair but with short you always look the same.

by Retired Writer

What has ones' age got to do with anything?

by helya

I wear my fairly short and I'm 73 - tried wearing it longer but doesn't really suit me. I think it's up to the individual .

by nancy

I wear my fairly short and I'm 73 - tried wearing it longer but doesn't really suit me. I think it's up to the individual .

by nancy

If she wants to. But there is no 'should'.

If she wants to have it in a mohawk, spiked up and dyed bright colours, that is up to her.

by bellabirth

Definitely not. I think people should wear their hair any way they wish. It's no-one's business and up to the individual concerned. My hair is below my shoulders but I prefer to wear it up, and most of my life have done (bringing back memories of the teased beehive). As you can guess I'm a child of the 60s!

by norma

people should have it how they like, personally, I like short at my age, even when I was young but funky styles

by ginny

I had long hair when I was younger but can no longer tolerate it. I insist that my hair never obscure my face, whether in wind or water. I consider this to be a safety factor.
Other women can do as they like but I goggle at the time required to manage it. I also goggle at the time spent on cosmetics, hair removal and other fashion "requirements".

by mpwhe

I wear my hair short because I can't be bothered and I am a little larger than I use to be, when I had my long tresses.

by Denise

Depends on their hair type and preference.

by svest

I'm in my late 60's & have shoulder length hair. I'd rather not have short hair, in case we go to Melbourne during winter to visit our daughters. (It's so much colder in winter down there, than in Sydney!) My husband has always said he likes my hair longer.

by Miro