...or is 'No woman over 40 should have hair past her shoulders' utter bollocks?

[bringincrazyback]

It's something a friend of mine says a lot. She's in her fifties and lucky enough to suit short hair, is always badgering me (50) and another friend who's in her 40s to wear ours shorter, which I just ignore because I like my hair long and don't believe age should dictate how people wear their hair.

Just curious, though, as to whether anyone still buys into this idea that women should wear their hair shorter simply because they're approaching, or have reached, middle age? And if so... why???

I'm 60, my hair is blond with...natural highlights now!!! Long as ever but for the last 20 years I wear it up, my choice, I think it suits me better that way now but its whatever suit you surely!

I don't get the angst about long hair. It's not like you have to have loose everyday.
I think the old look of pinned up plaits, clipped up curls etc looks marvellous on much older ladies. Dead easy to maintain as well. Certainly getter then the short thinning styles you see so much of or helmet hair.

Meaning most women over the age of menopause can't achieve that thick and glossy hair over shoulder length without extensions

It's rubbish just as the 'short hair on older ladies'ist flattering or is 'plain' as some have spouted on here lines are.

The only thing women over 40 should not wear is the weight of bollocks expectations about their behaviour and appearance.
I am 47 and have long hair. I love my hair.

well it's a bit fascist to say 'this must be so' but I have a friend who is 54 and wears her hair long and flowing as she has always done. I don't like to tell her that it looks rough as fuck. Her dd did though, and she had a few inches lopped off.
She is also always going on about how young she looks, esp in comparison to me.
I think she has some kind of 'mirror-exic' condition tbh.

I am 39 with shoulder length hair. I always am told by hairdressers to avoid going shorter as it would be aging. Thinking of my over 40 friends and all the peoplein their 50s and 60s with long hair and how well it suits them. Clearly its down to individuals.

Anyone remember when Ma Walton cut and permed her beautiful hair? Big mistake!

Tell her to do one. We women have enough pressures on our looks without people making up stupid rules. Here’s one thing women over 40 need to do - WHATEVER the feck they want because it’s time to stop listen to this kind of nonsense.

BettyBoo, I actually spat my Irn Bru on the pc screen at that. 😵😱

Not read all the thread but balls to that. I'll have my hair how I want, thank you. (Over 40 with long hair here)

I have hair just past my shoulders. I have it professionally coloured and cut so it's not an ageing unnatural slab. I think if its waist length, untrimmed and with a jet black home dye, it can look witchy and ageing.

Another really ageing look that seems popular with women of a certain age is the purply/red chop, with one side shorter than the other - is your friend in that camp?

What a load of old crap.
And as for the comments on the first page about even 30 perhaps being too old for long hair! Nooooooo!

I’m 34 and have long hair and have never felt more attractive than I do now.
And I think women in their 40s are gorgeous.
I work with women in their 40s who have long hair and are stunning. They know what suits them, the know what doesn’t and they look gorgeous every day.

It's utter bollocks and I'd be telling her to wind her neck in!

I'm 46, my hair is down to bottom of my shoulder blades, I also haven't dyed it for some time so the grey is obvious too. Although I've actually been seriously considering a gorgeous sea-green colour a hairdresser friend recently dyed another friend with similar colouring to me (natural redhead, ghost white skin and freckles 😂)

My mother also thinks over 35 shouldn't have hair past shoulder length. She niggled for a few years then I got pissed off when once she was doing it in front of strangers to me basically "shaming" me for having "age inappropriate hair" a couple of the people were visibly embarrassed for me! Words were had no more said since.

There's absolutely NO reason for this, everyone's hair is different. I don't suit it short and actually find short hair MORE work than long.

I remember posting on another thread about certain generations having certain hairstyles (my grannies both had "shampoo & sets" weekly which were then "protected" by headscarves, my mums generation - boomers - seem to have commandeered the Bob, now whenever I see bobs I think 'must be a boomer', my generation seem to be the only ones exhibiting variety! From short spiky, to shoulder length and longer. Dds all seem to have long wavy hair with ombré and similar colouring).

I worked in elderly nursing previously, my residents would have been my great-grandparents ages so born 1910's/1920's and several had long hair as they'd always had, which they liked either in a single plait or bun. Sometimes (special occasions) we'd do a chignon or Edwardian pompadour. And they were in their 80's/90's!

Butterfly - who's the blonde in the last pic, I think a few of them are over 50? 60? Even? Yep - Jane Seymour almost 70.

I suspect hair looks best when it's cut and styled, and it can seem easy to have long hair and just trim the ends, which probably doesn't look as nice as a more groomed short cut. But there's no reason why longer hair can't look just as good/better, as the pictures on here show.

My hair will be long until I die! I love long hair as I had to have it short as a child. Now I'm in control, it'll be long until I'm senile!!

I think women should have whatever cut they want, but I have found as I've gotten older, the more I really like my long hair but it's becoming more an effort to take care of than it was years ago.

I found soon after the hot flashes and other menopausal issues that my hair started needing a lot more care to look well. I've gone through periods of my hair shedding quite a bit more than usual, the last 6 or so inches got quite thin in comparison to the rest of my hair, it's gotten a lot frizzier on top...

I can very much see why other women with long hair go for a shortcut - I've been tempted many times in the last few years. I'm having to relearn how to treat and deal with my hair to get it look as I want. I like my long hair and I don't think I would enjoy shorter hair and worry it would fluff out, but it seems only under my control in the hours after a shower before it dries.

I’m 53, post menopause and have thick, wild hair half way done my back. I do tie it up or plait it to go to the gym but otherwise, just let it do it’s own thing. I think having a good diet, exercise and drinking lots of water helps with the condition.

Total bollocks. I'd grow mine long if I could, but it looks better short. Total ageism.

It's utter sexist ageist bolleaux.

I'm nearly 60 & have quite fabulous naturally blonde, long shiny hair

My hair is gorgeous.

It's not just women.

If they are not follically challenged, then the ageing Rockers from the 70s, 80s and 90s come in for a lot of mockery because they keep the same length and colour of hair as when they were in their prime (about 18 years old).

Unfortunately, their thinning, block-coloured locks look as if they don't belong on their heads. Sorry to say but most of them look like Miss Faversham.

It really depends on what you're happy with and the hair you've got post 40. Ultimately it's no-one's business but the individual. Mine is thinning a lot. I have a nutrient rich diet but I am a bit unlucky but luckier than others. I don't agree that it is always better shorter and there are plenty of pp say I g how great their hair looks long. Mine however looks better at shoulder length than below. As soon as I had 3-4 inches off I've had compliments about how much it suits me. I do think some styles can look more 'jowly' than others. Again it depends on your face. No real guidelines for these things other than the ones we want fortunately. I'd like to have thick long hair but I don't have it.

I have shoulder length natural brown and grey hair. I have had it short but because of the texture and thickness it looks stupid and unmanageable quickly. It sits better when it is long. I aim to grow it much longer. I'm nearly 41. My mum has a severe bob and tells me I should cut my hair because I'm 40+. I think it is nobody's business but mine hiw I have my hair.

I think it's BS. I actually started growing my hair for the first time in my adult life when I was 35 and now at 40 have long hair... I've had very short, cropped hair most of my life, but actually right now long hair looks better. I think short hair would now look a bit severe and ageing on me at the moment, though I expect the time will come when it will look more flattering short again.

It totally depends on the person and their hair as well, of course.

Celebs have very good hair extensions and they keep their hair longer because it looks more youthful. And most actors look at least 10 years younger than their age, thanks to their genes. That’s how you get the 20 somethings playing teens.