Plaiting hair in 40's Yes or No?

[Fletcherl]

I am growing my fine hair out. Eventually I want a ponytail as I do a lot of sport. At the moment it is between not long enough to all go back but could be plaited/ clipped. What to you think?

Definitely Ok. I am growing mine so that I can plait it. Look at the Small Things blog for ideas.

I am 46 and often wear a plait to one side. I think your hair has to be longer for that though.

Thanks I really appreciate all the input. Confidence and skill is smaller than enthusiasm to be honest. I am growing out layers hence I can't get in ponytail. My hair is below my shoulders at the back but the shortest bits are the level of my ears so they fall behind my glasses. Stylistically challenged. Glad I am inspiring you!

I have worn all kinds of plaits and I am 44. I refuse to be limited by age. Let 'em laugh. (Actually no-one has yet, unless I've been oblivious).

Interesting thread.
I have been growing my hair long again - currently just below shoulders and find it a pain trying to think of different ways to tie up for running. I usually have a ponytail - and at the moment a thermal headband.

I am 45.

Have never been good at plaiting my own - and don't have DDs to practice on.

Any tips??

Yes! I've a friend who's 51 and absolutely stunning. She has past shoulder-length hair and wears it in a ponytail, loose, in one plait or two.

I wore mine in pigtails/plaits when pregnant and was over 40 then.

Having said that, we're both quite hippyish and don't give a stuff what other people think. :)

I am 48 and have long greying hair which I,am wearing in one plait right now. I wear it up in a clip for work, but at home I don't have any issues with wearing it like that. It's my hair! I don't wear make up either and I still get served in shops and seem to have plenty of friends...

This - good

This not so good!

alice 'still get served in shops' that's giving me a good laugh today thanks!

just make sure to avoid anything like this

i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/10/12/article-2216995-157A60A8000005DC-429_233x337.jpg

Also, these work beautifully at any age (seems longer hair works best for this)

img2.timeinc.net/instyle/images/2012/WRN/030512-side-braid-623.jpg

and it never hurt Alice Roberts in her 30's, but she has since gone bonde and succumbed to the bbc clone cut.

this length really is child-like, so I would avoid the tightly plaited styles

media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b0/8a/d4/b08ad40c2a7018bc88526abfe9e237dd.jpg

But none of those 'good' styles above would work if you do sport - they would just come out as your head moved about and you'd end up stopping to do your hair every few miles (looks a bit crap in a race never mind at the side of the road). i don't want to spend transition time pissing about with my hair so i go for the childish ones above - tighter the better and mine are wonky too.

Yes it's fine, I do mine often in that style, I have thick dark brown hair and it keeps the hair out of my face, I'm 43. I get lots of compliments too when I do it. I do one plait at the front sideways, and tie hair at the back a la Emilia Fox in last year's series of Silent Witness. My absolute style icon she's gorgeous. If you search 'plait emilia fox' it comes up with lots of photos.

As with most things, this style (which is pretty mundane and not particularly odd) simply needs to be made permissible via some super chic Parisian lady, possibly an employee of Vogue, for it to become acceptable.

I'm joking, really, but there is nothing intrinsically childish about braided hair, especially if you scan through history, where you might find that it was a style adopted by women of all ages, for many different reasons.
I think that we associate tow braids with little girls due to this style becoming fashionable for children within the last 200 yrs or so. But surely there are no strict rules?
It's a cultural thing, like long socks and ribbons and bows. We associate them with children, but that is only a fairly recent thing.

If more ladies over 40 just did what the hell they wanted to their own hair and bodies, a happier lot they would be - with the bonus that it would set a standard of freedom for us 30 somethings to aspire to and follow!

toasted - I am doing my best to set the standard - I can't stand the thought of having to conform to someone else's idea of how 'women over 40' should present themselves!

Of course I still want to wear what suits me but that is NOT necessarily the safe styles which some would deem as age appropriate for this generation.

i bet women used to wear plaits to go into battle - I like to think so anyway

I'm over 40 and plait my hair.

I am 35 and do two plaits sometimes. Can't see any good reason not to, and am not interested in adhering to rules or conforming just for the sake of conformity.

mini braids as part of a messy bun or other updo are good imo. i think asymmetric looks are best on adults and unless your hair is thick don't do it!

No, sorry.

Any other chic up-do (You Tube tutorials are your friend). But plaits are for kids.

I'm with toasted.

I wear hello kitty socks, double up short-sleeved t-shirts over long-sleeved and practically live in jeans and trainers. My hair is usually an unnatural bright orange colour but I've been 'resting' it for a few months. Red/purple on the horizon, with the chance of aqua later.

Sod conformity.

If you have no cause to present yourself in a certain way, do what you want. It's your hair.

Great debate, I had no idea there were hair tutorials on youtube. Brilliant so thanks.

DDs spend hours on utube and then hours doing each others hair.

It turns out to be something they do really nicely together without fighting.

DD1 has long easily plaited hair and DD2's is more awkward (since she hacked a long droopy fringe), but DD1 is quite nimble fingered and artistic so it works well.

It even means DD2's hair is tidy for 5 minutes.