Need some objective hair advice: please could you have a look at this pic and tell me what I should do with it

[hairdilemmaday]

(Temporary namechange so as not to out myself in RL)

Stuck in that eternal cycle of growing my hair, deciding I don't like it, cutting it, then changing my mind and having to wait an age for it to grow again. V long now but I think it's starting to make me look a big haggard (and I vaguely remember stern warnings from my mother about not growing hair long beyond a 'certain' age, just not sure now what that age is, whether I've hit it and whether that is in fact outdated nonsense).

Anyway, tempted to get bob of some description but then it might all start again. I've done that horrible thing where you turn the iphone on yourself, and taken the 'hair dilemma' pic that is now posted on my profile. It's tied back because that is how I almost always have it. Can the mumsnet S&B ladies give me some honest opinions?

Pros of long hair for me:

• simple to maintain: wash, brush, tie back
  
• It stays out of my face when tied back
  
• shorter styles seem to need more maintenance, blow-drys etc, which i'm rubbish at and having it long means it can be put up in interesting ways, not that i really do that
  

Cons:

• it never feels quite 'me' having long hair, especially when it's down (feel a bit like a man in drag)
  
• i've got quite pointy features, particularly as I'm ageing, and I think maybe long hair accentuates that and makes me look haggard
  

Thanks v much folks

[badtasteflump]

There is no pic OP

But without seeing it just want to say there is no 'certain age' so wipe that thought....

There is only 'certain age hair' which you definitely don't want

[Gabaccia]

If you like having long hair, don't cut it just because you think you ought to due to your age...that's a load of crap. As long as it's well maintained and doesn't look overgrown (ie too long with straggly ends) it won't make you look older, assuming long hair suits you.

[Hassled]

I agree that cutting your hair because of age is madness - there's lots you can do with it without looking witchy and muttony. You see some very elegant older women with longer hair.
I've had the same dilemmas for ages and in the end have kept it long - a) there's more scope to tie it back/pin it up/do different stuff and b) like you, I can't be arsed/don't have time to fanny about with blow dries and products and shit.

[hairdilemmaday]

Oh, weird - is it not in 'my photos'? showing up when I preview my profile but perhaps I've missed a step. Crikey it's an awful pic though?

Thanks v much for answering anyway.

Gabaccia Not sure long hair does suit me, that's the thing. It is in good condition but is always tied back to seems a bit pointless in some ways. I grow it long so I can tie it back because I don't want to have to deal with a complicated styling routine. There must be a better way! A

[Gabaccia]

You need to make your profile public.

[badtasteflump]

Have you ticked for your profile to be public?

Other than that I'm crap with MN techie stuff too

[Gabaccia]

Click on My Profile and scroll right to the bottom, and select the Yes option :)

[badtasteflump]

this is mumhair, BTW.

[hairdilemmaday]

Doh, I hadn't done that thanks badtaste it's up now...

[hairdilemmaday]

Lol re mumhair

thanks Gabaccia

[Gabaccia]

OP I look much better with short (bob-length) hair than long, because I have a small, narrow face - maybe you're like me :) Long hair just drags my face down and overwhelms it. I don't find a bob any more work than long hair, because I always had to do something to my long hair to make it look decent and not just hang there or scraped.

Bobs are tricky territory though - overly layered or ones that go up too much at the back can look really dated.

[Gabaccia]

you're really pretty OP.

I reckon you could pull off the right bob. This pinterest page has lots of good bob inspiration.

[JaxTellerIsMyFriend]

I think you would suit short hair, but you really need to speak to a good hairdresser and explain what you like and dont like. They can come up with styles to suit.

Everyone seems to get a bob when they thing "argh, I need to cut my hair" but I found a bob was more work than long hair.

How about a pixie crop, wash, blast, chuck some wax on?

[badtasteflump]

Ok can see it now. It's kind of hard to judge without being able to actually see your hair

But if you have it tied back like that all the time, I agree it's not a great look. Is your hair quite fine and flyaway? If so what about a really choppy layered (longish) cut?

[badtasteflump]

And BTW you definitely don't look old enough to have to worry about being a 'certain age'.

[badtasteflump]

And I would go for this kind of bob rather than anything too structured, and definitely not a pob.

[winnybella]

How old are you? Because going from the photo you posted you are nowhere near enough the age where you should start worrying about long hair making you look older/haggard (I think it's nonsense anyway).
I think long or just below the shoulder hair would suit you and actually soften your face. I think blunt bobs or overly layered pixie cuts usually sharpen the features. Having said that, you're very pretty so would suit most hair styles.

[Gabaccia]

That's a good bob badtaste.

This is my current hair and it's my favourite style ever.

[Gabaccia]

You can definitely get away with long hair if you want to, but I reckon as your face is narrow and you have a lovely slim neck, shorter would emphasise your features more and make your eyes look even more massive :)

[badtasteflump]

Gabaccia I like that too but it works best if you have really thick hair. I've tried to replicate that look before on thin hair and it never looks as good.

[hairdilemmaday]

sorry to disappear, a flurry of work emails arrived, which I'll have to head off and deal with properly. Thanks for being so complimentary ladies

I'm 35, wasn't sure if that was 'the age' - though I've been successfully disabused of the idea that any of that matters which is good

badtaste - hair is quite fine but there's a lot of it, i.e. it's thick and heavy when down, which might be why it doesn't quite work down

Jax I always like the sound of a pixie crop, though again assume it might be high maintenance. Think you're probably right that I need to speak to a hairdresser. Trouble is, the same person has been cutting my hair for years and years, it kind of always ends up the same when I go to him. He's a good mate though

Will spend some time looking through your suggestions later and have a think

love the expression 'pob'

[Gabaccia]

True - my hair is medium thickness I think, thick enough for a full fringe anyway, and it's dark. It's hard to tell what the OP's hair is actually like!

[Gabaccia]

x-post OP :)

[hairdilemmaday]

ooh, Gabaccia I really like that bob. That might be an option?

[Gabaccia]

Less drastic than going straight for a pixie anyway :) And fringes grow out surprisingly fast (which is quite annoying as it means popping into the hairdressers every 3 weeks for a free fringe trim - something to bear in mind if you're not near your hairdresser often.)