To wear my hair long at 40

Just watching the presentation of trophies at Wimbledon, and both the Princess of Wales and Annabel Croft are looking great with beautifully styled long hair, at over 40

But if you've had that cut for 25 years you're hardly unbiased are you? Telling us long hair is bland and needy is as pointless as me giving my opinion on short hair would be. I dislike short hair just as much as you dislike long.

I'm 42 and my hair is almost to my arse! I keep talking about cutting it but DH and my teen DC keep saying that it's lovely and to keep it! My niece asked me this morning how I get it so healthy (I dunno, I just wash it 😄).

My 64 year old MIL has very long curly hair. It looks lovely.

One of my best friends, the same age as me, has hair a similar length to mine and she's doing all the hair oiling etc to get it longer! In fact, most of my friends have long hair, at least past their shoulders.

How long is your hair OP ?
Mine to to my shoulders but has lots of body so looks longer.
I'm 70 in september

have a search I have given detailed instructions in the thread 👍

Sorry, couldn’t re-re-edit; I meant mainly the compliments and positive/nice comments from total strangers whilst out. The negative has been one person only, someone more close to me. Nobody else in my private life is negative about it either, even though they all know me enough to know I’d only ever want the truth and if I ask about something it’s because I want to know genuine opinions/advice etc, and not to have smoke blown up my arse so people I know are honest to me about anything, esp if I ask their opinions, but will also compliment me genuinely about whatever.

Op, Much longer hair here, and also a few 10+ years older than you. Yes, I have heard it, a few years back. A couple/few different times over space of a few years, possibly first time in 30s, same person each time, but tbh I couldn’t care less. Yes, it is a lot of hard work, and I’m not as happy with it as I used to be (valid reasons), but whereas I may eventually get it trimmed a little I can’t see me ever not having long hair. I still get comments (positive, always) and compliments still which is nice but it’s always been only about how I feel about it. I used to absolutely love my hair. - so more than just ‘like’, as I do now - so I’m always slightly taken aback by compliments these days, but they are appreciated, esp if having a crap day, and nobody needs to say anything at all, so I do accept them in the spirit they are intended and that’s nice because, as I said, nobody needs to say anything at all.

I have never had a negative comment about my hair - apart from this one person (giving out details, whilst helping to provide context, would out me totally unfortunately, and I actually think it’s more personal from them. Too bad. ). So I’ll keep it growing, certainly for the foreseeable, because it really doesn’t matter if it does make my age catch up (or make me look older even) with me eventually 🤷🏼‍♀️

It's archaic nonsense.

My mum told me I should cut my hair (and stop dyeing it) when I hit 21 because it was 'ageing'.

Mind you, she also thought I should have 'grown out of' 'going out' by then, too.

And that, at 27 when my partner bought a new bike, he was too old for cycling.

Some people have funny ideas...

I'm 51 now and my hair is about bra strap length. It's been long and dyed my whole adult. When it's all gone grey, I'll stop dyeing it then.

Mine’s a pixie cut too. I’ve not gone grey yet at 77! I’ve always loved white hair, as you can add different colours easily.

I agree with that, absolutely. If the long hair is nicely cut and coloured (if necessary), then it doesn’t matter how old you are, unless it is badly cut and steel grey (I have someone specific in mind whose look at the age of 40 is the reason I would never let my grey hair grow long )

I'm 45 and my hair reaches my chest, no one told me there was a rule I had to cut it

I think some of it is down to genetics. My mum had a full head of thick hair right up until she died aged 76. I'm 15 years past menopause ( mine started in my late 30's), and my hair is still as thick as it's ever been like hers. I'm not on HRT (never have been), and don't use any shampoo that's apparently "designed with menopausal women in mind". Mine sisters inherited my dad's not so thick head of hair and both have now got thin, fine hair after going through the menopause.

I'm rocking a punky silver pixie cut, giving off Annie Lennox vibes and feeling mint about it. I've had variations of this cut for the last 25ish years. I dislike the current long hair trend. There's very little variation, so bland and a bit needy.

I’m 56 with long super shiny hair. I wash my hair every other day, I shampoo twice, only use conditioner on my ends and have a few different shampoos and conditioners on the go.
My hair grows really quickly so I have it cut every seven weeks.

I’m 64 and have my thick shiny hair n a chin length bob. It’s a style I’ve always loved and I couldn’t care less if other people think it is ageing.

OP check out the Abbey Yung method!

I will be 40 next year and no plans to cut my hair. It’s thick and healthy, no reason I should chop it.

Late 60s and thick hair just below shoulders. I won't be cutting it anytime soon, I look awful with short hair.

I'm 58 with past shoulder length hair.
Tbh I heard the thing about cutting it off at 40 from my parents.
I don't suit short hair and now have blue tips.Only today a young person said it suits my clothing.
I do what I want tbh.

How do you coconut oil your hair please? Is this part of washing? I try to only wash my thick hair once a week but would like more shine

Why do they get to decide? Does society tell men what they shouldn't do?

Who is this society and when dud they tell you this. I didn't get the memo!!
Neither did my friends. Most are in their 50s and 60s. Some have shoulder blade length hair but it looks thick and glossy.
One of them did have longer hair that was looking witchy and straggly. She had it cut to just below the shoulders and what we call a wolfcut, kind if a modern shaggy mullett, and it has been a massive transformation that is worthy of an episode of 10 years younger!

Apparently your hair loses quality/vitality as your age, and I'm trying to prevent this.
Well yes a lot of women expierence thinning due the menopause and often get it cut to make it look thicker or less straggly. However there is no law to cut your hair.

You do you.

56 yr old here….long hair with a fringe with highlights…. I ain’t cutting it !!!

I’m jealous of all this lovely hair!

I’m 68, my long blonde tresses look good on me, I won’t be going short anytime.