To think hair length does not have anything to do with age?

[Looby12]

Two colleagues at work were just talking about hair, colleague 1 (mid 20's with shoulder length hair) said she had a trim before xmas and will be keeping an eye on the length as she wouldn't want to get to "that point", colleague 2 looked confused, colleague 1 said "you know when its that length when you are too old for it and look nice from behind but turn round looking all haggard". Cue embarrassed looks as they both realised I could over hear and I have much longer hair (i'm only aged 35 by the way)

The cheeky bugger, since when can older people not have longer hair???

Would I be unreasonable to say to her its not her hair that is the problem its her face!

[PurpleSprout]

I think it's a face shape thing. I have a colleague in her late 40s who is absolutely stunning with long hair & she's a gym bunny. Years ago, she bought into the bob thing and didn't look nearly as good. Either way, if a man looks at her from behind (and she does have a fantastic figure), the only disappointment he'll get when she turns round is that she's out of his age range, because she still looks absolutely lovely.

I have long hair and I'm struggling with it because I have lovely hair. Think Merida from Brave. I sort of feel obliged to have it long right now (early 30s) because I feel obliged to have it shorter later even though I know that's irrational and contradicts everything I say above. I'm fairly sure shorter hair is actually better for me, but then I'm a bit overweight, and meh...dunno.

Anyway diversion aside, I think it completely depends on the person. I know a woman who had long grey hair at 40. Her choice, but I'm sure it shocked many. I am dreading going grey and the inevitable maintenance and I can understand why someone who went grey so early (and she started long before that) might opt out. Good dye jobs cost a lot.

[PurpleSprout]

random I was 28 (and not an old looking 28) when a hairdresser suggested a chop for my age. I binned her, not just because she suggested it, but because of the way she did 'now you're getting a bit older'... She was younger maybe, but not much (24?) but an absolute state in both hairdo and dress sense.

My own mother was totally bought into the crop at 30+ and no mini-skirts. Oddly now at 60+ she's at me to keep up the minis and the long hair for as long as possible and I'm slightly overweight, so no Jennifer Aniston.

[trixymalixy]

No fugking way am I getting my hair cut short when I reach a "certain age" whatever that might be. I plan to be a chic silver haired old lady with a classic chignon.

I think short hair can make people look older than they actually are.

[LyndaCartersBigPants]

I don't give a fuck about some imaginary rules, but a friend and I who have both recently had our shoulder length hair cut into short bobs both look much younger now.

I'm nearly 40 in my late 30s but went grey in my 20s so I've been dying it for years and will continue to do so, whether long, short or in between and I really don't care if someone thinks my face doesn't match my hair age-wise. Judgey fuckers.

[MrsMook]

I'm in my 30s and have hair near my bra strap. Last week I was bored of a baby-friendly ponytail, so went for plaited pigtails. I like to think I still got enough youthful radiance to carry it off. Just don't look too closely at the shaddows under the eyes from the night feeds.

I'll keep it in varying states of length as long as it's in good condition, not according to an arbitary age.

I grew it long as a student, partly to save on haircuts, but also not knowing if I'd grow it so long again. I tend to get bored after a while of it being half way down my back and go back to shoulder length for a while every few years.

[PurpleSprout]

MrsMook DP did pigtails for me tonight as bra strap length hair was unruly and a bit of a pita. Unfortunately he also shared that I 'ought not to go to work like that'. I am 32...albeit I'm a senior programme manager. I'm hoping it's the latter not the former...

[TalkieToaster]

I lost all my hair thanks to having cancer.

No fucker is ever, ever going to tell me I can't have my hair the way I want it. It's just about shoulder length now. I'm growing it as long as I can and it's staying that way. I'm 30 this year, so judge away.

[ohmymimi]

I've just seen the critical comments of Dianne Keaton up thread. She looks her age, she has wonderful, thick, grey hair, she hasn't had invasive plastic surgery, had her face pumped full of toxin or filler (contrast with mask faced Priscilla Presley). Bloody good for her It's no crime to show the marks of time. Far too many are now so conditioned by seeing photoshopped pictures and surgery/'procedure' enhanced faces they find the reality of aging unpleasant. Shallow beyond belief.

[MILLYMOLLYMANDYMAX]

I am well over 50 and not too sure what this woman would think of me, I have long hair, at the moment dyed deep purple.

[TalkieToaster]

Bravo, ohmymini. Excellent points. I read a trashy magazine article that said celebrities in their twenties who have procedures done, often end up looking a polished thirty. I had a point, but I'm a bit tipsy. Please excuse me while I go and braid my inappropriately long hair.

[ohmymimi]

Talkie, watch your step, don't trip over it.

[dozeydoris]

Hmm, I was a bit nasty about Diane Keaton, she is certainly making a statement, but I don't like the hair style and severe black, though she seems to be saying 'I'll dress how I like' which is good and possibly a first for awards ceremonies.

[Custardo]

i worry about this as my jowls start to sag ( which they are) i think my hair is nice - shame about my face.

[wintertimeisfun]

yay lurcio as i too have very very long hair and have just turned 49. ai am aware how some women have fab hair from the back but when they turn round you get a shock HOWEVER.....does it really matter? no. tbh who gives a fuck what other people really thing. i have always had very long hair and hope to always have long hair. from having it down i would graduate to having it in a bun/tied up. i'm not the sort to be old with short hair and a blue rinse. my hair has thinned however :-( and is going grey, doesn't look as good as it used to but it is me and i have never been dictated to/been a follower of fashion

[VikkiMumsnet]

Hi OP, we really liked your Q and decided to put it to the Hairy Bikers when they visited MNHQ for a web chat!

[CouthyMow]

I'm 32, and my hair is waist length. I get many comments on how lovely my hair is, and on how young I look ( from the FRONT). Few people believe that I look my age. Was a PITA when I was 17 and trying to pass for 18, bloody love it now though.

Wouldn't be cutting my hair for anyone but me. If I made that decision. I occasionally get it hacked to elbow length, but have not been shorter since a brief chop when I was 18. Was forced to have a bob when young, now I egg to choose how my hair is. Don't give a flying fuck what others think.

My head, my hair, THEIR issue!

[farewellfigure]

Ah now I get it. Someone said to me last week that I shouldn't be growing my hair as long hair can be so ageing. I'm 41. She's 50 something and has lego-man hair.

I used to be able to sit on my hair and grieved when I got it all cut off on a whim. It's shoulder length now and one day I want to be a little apple-faced granny with long gray hair wrapped round my head in a plait. Come on hair... grow! I'm going to wear purple too. Lots of it. And loads of jangly beads.

[Latara]

I'm 37 and my hair is shoulder-length. I'm trying to grow it longer and wish it was thicker too.

I lost the front part of my hair 2 years ago due to medication and had to wear a wig. NOw I'm so grateful to actually have hair that I definitely won't be having anything other than small trims at the hairdresser.

I get my hair highlighted blonde to stop the grey from showing. I intend never to go grey!

[WitchWay]

My mum has been nagging me to cut my hair for years. At first it was "Once you're thirty, you won't be able to keep your long hair", then periodically "When are you going to get your hair cut" "Er it was done last week" "No, I mean short" "Er I'm not". It used to be halfway down my back in my 20s & is now to my shoulders. I'm 48. I did have it very short in my early 40s for a while (while pleased DM no end) but grew it again. DM has always had very short hair. She cut mine short till I was about 6 & people used to think I was a boy

[BOFtastic]

Oh, I had that too, Witch. My mum would always con me by agreeing that it should be long, "but short at the front"...which translates into a bloody pageboy .

[BOFtastic]

Love the link, Vikkimumsnet .

I think the final line is a great idea for a new topic: That Irks Me

[luckyrabbit]

This is my hair. I am 56 btw.

[ghostyslovesheep]

erm okay

ZOMBIE ZOMBIE ZOMBIE

[PennyPants]

Yanbu. Late 40's and mine is bra strap length and it's staying put. That is a very old fashioned, ageist view imo.
And I certainly would not be taking fashion advice from 20 year olds as that's the age I had the most fashion disasters.
Nowadays I know what I'm doing

[Werksallhourz]

The only "long hair over 40" thing I can think of is that most women tend to need to dye their hair over 40 to cover grey.

Long hair that has been processed can be a mission to wash and sort out. If you also have families and jobs and care responsibilities, washing long processed hair can just feel a bit too much on top of everything else.