To have really long hair in my 40s?

[MonicaBingaling]

Recently turned 40 and have long blonde hair (past my boobs) and don’t feel comfortable with it now at my age. Although it’s healthy hair and people often say I look younger than my age I feel almost uncomfortable with it on me now whereas loved it in my 20s and 30s

have booked to get it cut next week 🤣

I don’t like the look some women have (long hair fillers Botox dressing as if in 20s) like desperately clinging to youth. I think it’s far more classy to have short/medium length hair, less make up etc

just wondered what others opinions are?

btw no offence to anyone who’s older with long hair it’s just how I feel about it on myself

yabu - long hair on older women is fine

yanbu- shorter is better

I think this is it! The mirror doesn’t match what’s inside if that makes sense?

I think I’m going to experiment with some different styles as I just don’t feel comfortable in my current style anymore

Each to their own really. I had my curly hair cut to shoulder length and didnt like it. Im currently growing it. I like long grey styled hair on older ladies, it looks fab x

It's just fucking hair

Long, short whatever

Wear it how you like whatever your age

My 90 year old neighbour has long white hair but ajways wears it up in a bun because it's easier to manage that way

I'm in my 50's have long hair and again it's easier to manage, wear up, plait

Can't be doing with pointless Bob or whatever which takes more upkeep and makes me look like I'm back in primary school

Good grief - I'm 66 and have got waist length hair that now had lots of grey in it. It's in really god condition and still quite thick, and it has never crossed my mind to consider cutting it. My hair is part of me and has always been long apart from when I had a disastrous spiral perm when I was 18 and had to have it cut short. I hated it until it grew again and I swore I would never cut it again. I don't think she has any bearing on the length of your hair.

I remember my dad telling me when I turned 30 that I should get my hair cut and have a nice perm like my mum 😆😆

55. Long waist length bleached hair because my ultimate goal is Tiida Swinton in "Only Lovers Left Alive". Before that I was full Morticia.

My hair is part of my look. When I was about 6 my Mum got fed up if me whining when she brushed it in the mornings - it was waist length then. She marched me down to the hairdressers for an easy care bob. I spent several years being mistaken for a little boy. I tried a crew cut at college and the same thing happened. I have "strong" features and my hair softens them.

Overall my style is Bohemian Goth with hats and I get told I have a Stevie Nicks / Helena Bonham Carter vibe - just slightly scruffier 🤣

I'm going down fighting - that song "Start Wearing Purple" is an anthem.

I've grown into all this after years of awkward "fashion following" and trying to be "normal". It's just not "me" and I don't give a fig what people think.

A few months after my DP died, I let a new ex-friend studying to be a hairdresser give me a "trim" .... she took off about 8 inches without consent or warning and I was devastated. It's one of several reasons she's an ex-friend. Yes, it grew, and if anyone comes near me with scissors again I'll go down fighting and happily do time.

Point is, each to their own, live and let live. If you fancy a change, fantastic. But I and my fellow Rapunzels on here are fine and dandy thank you .....

I’m 53, my hair is long and I have absolutely no intention of getting it cut short/shorter any time soon.

if someone has a problem with me having long hair at my age, that’s their problem, not mine.
If you want to have your hair shorter go for it.

You have no idea how young 40 looks.

It's amazing how many long haired over 40/50's there are on Mumsnet! I have long (ish) hair and I went to a conference just before the pandemic, it was in public health and it was full of about two hundred women and I was the only one with longer hair! I couldn't believe it, it was bob/choppy short hair city! So, whilst there's lots of women on here who love their longer hair, it is very common for women from about 35 up to cut their hair. Younger people tend to have very long hair, at least at the uni I teach at. I wouldn't say Mumsnet people are typical, even though I agree long hair rocks at all ages.

I have long hair, get Botox and wear make-up.
I'm 49.
Shock fucking horror.

I'm 44 and have long hair as far as my bra band. I hardly ever get it cut and leave it to dry naturally, so it's very low maintenance. It's very thick and dark and I wear it up in a chignon every day. I couldn't face the hassle of regular haircuts to maintain a shorter style and having to use a hairdryer. No plans to ever have it cut short.

I get you, OP. About the mirror thing. I have nice hair. It’s long. Greys are only starting now, just a few. I’m 48. But now my hair / wardrobe / make-up are all feeling not-right anymore… I think I may finally be a “lady” in my own eyes. I think a good haircut (not short) & style overhaul are the answer for me.

I’m not a fan of very long hair on anyone- but I mean anything lower than about bum length. Not because I think it’s wrong or ageing, I just have a bit of a phobia (can’t think of a better word).

If you don’t feel comfortable, fair enough, but plenty of women rock all hair lengths regardless of age.

Eh?

Rubbish!

Late 40s, always had long hair, natural colour, letting the grey show through - the horror! I often get mistaken for a witch actually (dead pan face)...

My friend who is 93 has long white hair down past her bra strap. She looks lovely. There is no age which requires a woman to cut her hair off.

Reminds me of an ex ‘good friend’ who said to me that women past 30 with long hair are cringe. Clearly I, a mid 30s woman with long hair made her lose sleep, while her Lord Farquaad haircut was much more age appropriate. 👏

I don't understand why you would think the same haircut (eg short) would suit everyone though?- it doesnt. Not everyone suits shorter hair. Surely its best people do what suits them rather than getting to midnight on their 40th birthday and chopping it all off out of some weird fear they wont be perceived as "classy" (which is a ridiculous word anyway).

Cut your hair if you want, but in my experience, decisions based on fear and obsession of what "other people might think" very rarely bring happiness. Quite the opposite in fact- it often leads to misery.

Op the reason you have caused offence is this statement.

I don’t like the look some women have (long hair fillers Botox dressing as if in 20s) like desperately clinging to youth. I think it’s far more classy to have short/medium length hair, less make up etc

it is judgey and goady. If you simply said I think I will look better with short hair it would have been very different. But you were really quite nasty in your comment “desperately clinging to their youth” and “far more classy “

as you can see from the links provided, long hair is very fashionable now, particularly over 50,and if you have healthy hair and suit it, (and quite frankly even of you dont) it can look fantastic .

judging other women is never something taken well by the majority. We can dress amd wear our hair as we please, and do not accept judgment from other women on it. We should all be able to present as we wish, without being mocked.

judging other women is never something taken well by the majority. We can dress amd wear our hair as we please, and do not accept judgment from other women on it. We should all be able to present as we wish, without being mocked

Well said. Plus, wouldnt it be pretty dull if everyone over 40 was dressed/styled exactly the same? I would hate that. I love the individuality of difference. It makes the world interesting.

I am genuinely sorry if I’ve offended anyone I really didn’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just how I feel on myself

Riiight. But it's not just for yourself is it? you generalised and said it applied to all women. I don't know why this bothers you so much- if you don't want botox, long hair or to "dress in your 20s" - whatever the hell that means- considering that "people in their 20s" is a vastly diverse group and not one monolithic lump. Then don't. Noone is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to get botox.

Still no need to be judgey and rude about others. I would argue that being judgey and pigeon holing people into "classy" and "not classy" is a really ugly and off-putting attitude that reflects on your "attractiveness" far more pertinently than the length of your bloody hair.

This is me too! My long hair looks amazing.

OP maybe take this to your hairdressers and ask them to do you the mandatory age appropriate style

OP maybe take this to your hairdressers and ask them to do you the mandatory age appropriate style

😂😂😂

Yes, and get rid of the skinny jeans immediately- people in their 20s wear those and so you probably look very un-classy.

Isn't it 40 where you have to start wearing winceyette night dresses, pulling a shopping trolley and wearing one of those waterproof hoods that tie under the neck that old ladies always wore in the rain (incidentally you don't really see them anymore!)