You should cut your hair short, now that you're 40

[FanGirlX]

Is this a thing?

My mother (age 75) has just informed me that I should cut my longish hair short now that I'm over 40. Or is this a generational thing, mum and her friends have all had short hair for as long as I can remember. My friends tend to wear their hair longer (even those over 40 ).

Sounds like my colleague, we are mid 40s and she goes on and on and on about me having long hair and how awful it looks....

One rude person!!

Generational

My mum has kept on about my hair being too long and childlike for someone of my advanced age since I was 35 (15 yrs ago)

She says it makes me look lanky and younger, and that is not a good look for a woman of 50

I just nod and smile

I do think long hair on some older women can be unflattering but there are no rules.

I'm with your Mum. I think long hair on older women looks really ageing. However, I would only admit that on here and would never tell my many friends with long hair.

And by long, I mean below armpit length.

@Randommess my boss does exactly the same. Everyone over 40 should have a pixie cut as far as she's concerned. And god help you if you have hair that is both long and grey. eyeroll

I prefer long hair. You don't have to get a curly perm and a blue rinse just because you've hit 40.

Mines probably mid length, rather than long. It's just below my shoulders and it's shaped around my face. I get it cut regularly, so it's in good condition.

She really hates my ripped jeans too 😀.

I think it was a thing back in the 90s. I remember most women cut their hair short when they were 30-40. I don't know why because it made most of them look bloody awful, especially with the harsh perms and hairstyles of the time

I mean there's a happy medium between cauliflower perm and bum length locks.

Cutting your hair when you turn 40 seems quite dated these days. Lots/most women suit a bit of length.

Yes it's definitely a generational thing. I remember as a child in the eighties, women of a certain age all had short hair. I'm 40 and have long hair...no intention of cutting it. I think it would age me.

What does ‘older women’ mean? Over 40? Over 50? Over 75?
Or could it be that we all age differently, suit different haircuts and for that reason silly generalisations help no one?

I think short hair on older women is aging

@Gettingthereslowly2020

I think it was a thing back in the 90s. I remember most women cut their hair short when they were 30-40. I don't know why because it made most of them look bloody awful, especially with the harsh perms and hairstyles of the time

I wondered if there was some kind of social expectation that once a woman had done her duty by having a few kids, she should stay in the background doing housework and looking as sexless as possible.

I'm thinking of all the beautiful women over 40 with long hair.
I think it was widely held style advice that long hair over 40 dragged your face down and made you look older.
Then women realised this was
a) a lie, and
b) fuck all to do with anyone else.

Very few women can pull off a pixie cut in my opinion. I think most look better with a bit of length.

There is a point when long hair becomes unflattering I think, but that age is different for different women. I actually think mid-length (slightly longer than a bob) is most flattering on older ladies generally but it depends on face shape.

It was my parents generation- I'm 63. All my mum's generation had short hair by the time they were 40ish (70's).

My hair is currently longer than it's ever been- almost to my waist at the back, and it's grey. I think it looks fine.
Better than a helmet perm or the ubiquitous short bob.

Nooooo. This is part of the Over the Hill misogyny narrative. Ignore.

I thought Jerry Hall looked fantastic when she cut her really long hair to a longish bob length. But then she grew it back again.

@PersonaNonGarter

Nooooo. This is part of the Over the Hill misogyny narrative. Ignore.

Exactly my thoughts.

Hehehe - are you a sister I don't know about?! My mum says exactly the same thing. I'm 50 and growing my hair longer again (always been long, currently now shoulder length but she loved my bob cut two years ago and said oooh so modern!). My younger sister has a pixie cut but good grief where does this 'you're over 40 so cut your hair short' come from!

It definitely used to be a thing. Thank goodness things have changed.

@OldTinHat

Hehehe - are you a sister I don't know about?! My mum says exactly the same thing. I'm 50 and growing my hair longer again (always been long, currently now shoulder length but she loved my bob cut two years ago and said oooh so modern!). My younger sister has a pixie cut but good grief where does this 'you're over 40 so cut your hair short' come from!

It comes from last century, judging by some of the posts on here 😁.

I've never had short hair - it's wild and curly and anything above armpit length just turns into a huge frizz (Monica in Barbados). I've embraced the curly girl method during lockdowns and wfh and it's currently down to my bra strap and in better condition than it was in my 30s. I guess at some point I'll need to try something else but it won't be this side of 50.

@FanGirlX

Very few women can pull off a pixie cut in my opinion. I think most look better with a bit of length.

although I do feel if someone is itching to try out a pixie cut they should just go for it. So many people are put off by the idea they need a flawless bone structure and end up with a short bob rather than the cut they actually want.