Long hair on a forty plus woman

[Mitfordhons]

When I was younger I thought older women looked a bit mutton with long hair, but things have changed. I'm not sure if it's part of the cultural shift that says 60 is the new 40 and so on or if it's just that I'm now older, but I just don't see it now. I'm in my late forties and have long hair, I'm fortunate that it's thick and in great condition, but am I deluding myself? Every few years I cut my hair short and I always regret it so I don't want to and I do feel it's a bit frumpy on me, but is it just as bad to have young looking hair on a not so young face? When is the - excuse the pun - cut off?

I don't care how old I get, my hair is never going shorter than shoulder length.

It depends on what hair cut suits you, not your age.

Personally I have long layered hair which I cut following the moon cycle

I love seeing older ladies with long silver hair. Hair goals.

Bacon not sure that's always true - exMIL, for example, was young in the 70s and had longish hair all her life until she hit 40 and went all Blanche off Coronation Street. In some areas, that 'do' is sort of expected of women when they get to a certain age - I don't think it's 40 anymore, perhaps mid 50s. Almost all women over 55/60 near me seem to have it. It seems to go hand in hand with those pastel anoraks and calf-length navy skirts - Bon Marché chic, basically. My best friend is French and says it's similar there - the style has a name but I've forgotten what it is! That hairstyle has never been fashionable, not in anyone's youth - but especially not in the youths of women who are in their 50s today. It was all backcombing and Kylie perms then!

Nothing is always true especially when it comes to fashion. But I think whatever was fashionable in our youth does influence us as we get older too.

And of COURSE the French have a name for it!

Bacon You have a point ... up to a point. Some women (and men*) stay with what was fashionable when they were young. But many do not. I'm mid-forties and like to see new styles arriving in the shops (even when they are re-hashes of what I wore in the 80s and 90s - bodysuit anyone?).

FWIW, I have long hair to shoulder length and have no intention of getting it cut. I had a short bob years ago and - looking back - don't think it suited me then so wouldn't now.

*I remember a friend of my father's wearing flares for years because they had been the height of fashion in the 70s when he was young. He looked ridiculous in the 80s.

God yes I am not doing the bodysuit popper dance again for anyone!

I'm 34 and have very long, blonde hair. I do worry it's muttony.

I often have in braids too - even double braids...

I say do it. If not when you're 70 you'll think 'what on earth was I worrying about?!'.

I'm 64 and my greying hair is bra strap length. As often happens with grey hair, it has become rather corse and wirey so it gets a keratin treatment every few months to keep it looking good. My daughters are under stict instructions to tell me the minute it looks a bit mutton.

I'm mid 30s and my hair is the longest it's been since I was a child. I told my hairdresser it was my last stand before I have to get it cut because I'm too old for long hair. She said not to be ridiculous and that most of her clients keep their hair long these days.

My best friend is 44, she has long tumbling tresses naturally, also enhanced by (very tasteful, very real looking, very VERY expensive) extensions. She dresses far more fashionably than me. She absolutely pulls it off and would pass for late 20s I rekon.

My hair is in good condition, and I like to keep it long enough to get a decent side plait as I like my hair tied back for work/in general unless I can be bothered to do proper 'going out' hair (maybe twice a year haha!). The side plait is more comfortable than a pony tail which always gives me a headache, and I can't have proper short hair as I have a massive head and just couldn't pull it off. I suppose the plait is a bit 'young' but then I quite like the idea of having a long silver plait and looking like a mysterious old witch

I've also just groen out my fringe but am seriously considering reinstating it as it's cheaper than Botox.

I'm well over 40 and I have just cut my hair to bob length from middle of the back long.
I like it either way, although this was waaaaaaay too long for me, and I'll probably grow it back the next couple of years.
I'm really enjoying having shorter hair again, though.

I can understand why for many older women long hair becomes a burden more than anything.

For the record, my grandmother is over 100 and she still has long hair. But she wears it in a bun.
I've never seen her without it except when combing it.

Grey/ silver /white hair still looks lovely, whatever length you like.

Nature will give you the most flattering shade... if you are brave enough. ;)

I cant understand , why in 2016 colour/ length /condition is still an issue for some women?

Depressing actually.

i havent read all the posts OP but i think its a cultural difference in different countries? I know in Bangladesh, pakistan India. China the arab peninsula keeping long har young or old is the norm. in fact long hair rightly or wrongly is linked with beauty and feminity. Note i dont think women are any less feminine or beautiful with short hair either but thats how they view it in some parts of the world.

So if you reach 40 or beyond no one expects you to cut your hair short because apparently you are too old. If you cut your hair short in south asia they would think you were odd, unless it was falling out and thin. If you had good hair and it wasnt thin on top they would think you were nuts to cut it simply due to"aging".

I think it's nuts too regardless of age if you want long hair or short hair you think it looks good and you like it surely that's all that matters. who makes these stupid rules society or fashion houses, i would ignore them. If my hair looks good in older age im damn well keeping it. But if i fancy a change i'll cut it.

i have hair dye because ive noticed white hair near my ears, but i dont know it i want to take the plunge, from what you ladies say about dying here sounds like more hassle than its worth.

Almost all women over 55/60 near me seem to have it. It seems to go hand in hand with those pastel anoraks and calf-length navy skirts - Bon Marché chic, basically.
Goodness.
I suppose you do at least qualify it with 'near me' but I and many of my friends and family are that age and none of us look like that, let alone own a pastel anorak, not even the ones who aren't into fashion.

Admittedly I do have a calf length navy skirt but it's from Whistles, not Bon Marche.

The first thing my Mum said to me (well, ok the second thing) after I told her I was pg for the first time was "So are you going to get a grown up hair cut then?"
Sod off Mum. Your hair looks like old fashioned lego man hair and I am not, in a million years, getting it cut like that.
I didn't say that, I was just thinking it really loudly.
I currently have hair that reaches to the small of my back. I spend £0 at the hairdresser, which is a big saving on the £30 a month I used to spend when I had it much shorter. My hair grows very fast and is very thick so to maintain any sort of style was expensive. Also, I like to be able to tie it up.
Short hair doesn't suit me. My hair is stubborn, I had a smart bob as a teen and it would stay smart for about 5 minutes once I left the house, never mind the washing, conditioning, blowdrying and wrestling with straighteners. It just looked an ugly mess. Long, I can beat it into submission with bands and clips. At the moment I like to put it in a long plait and put it up with a pretty clip. Keeps it out of toddler range and takes about 3 minutes, which is only 10% o the time I used to wrestle with it when it was short.
When my youngest was just over a year old, I realised I had been forgetting to trim it regularly and it was long enough to sit on! That was too long and the bottom 6" were very wispy, so I did trim them off.
I do leave it loose sometimes, when it's not windy! I'd do it more but for the sheer number of people who have to make some sort of comment about how long it is.
Wear your hair how you like it. It's your hair.

Flo I do absolutely mean near me, and not generally! It's a sort of cultural thing for a lot of women here, and that's why exMIL did the same when she hit what she thought was the 'appropriate' age. Basically there's this idea that you have to 'fit in' - women who don't tend to be seen as tarty, desperate, mutton etc by those who choose to conform. I've seen it, and experienced it myself. I'm not a local though, and I've absolutely no intention of going down the Bon Marché route in 15 years time!

Sod off Mum. Your hair looks like old fashioned lego man hair and I am not, in a million years, getting it cut like that.

Haven't RTFT but I am nearly 30 and have BSL (Bra strap length hair) and always have really. I love having long hair, I look awful with short hair.

I am never having anything below shoulder length or collar bone length. I know what PP have meant when they talk about the 'old lady cropped haircut' everyone around here seems to have it once they hit 45. Sad really.

I think we need to know where you are Penny. Just in case I'm ever tempted to retire there

You too Snowey. Where are these places??

I might start calling it 'old lady long hair' ~ Snowey.

Rosie I am sooooo jealous that you have no greys!

I'm 27 and I've got a handful already

I have no intention of ever cutting my hair short, even when I am old.

My neighbour is 60 but she has very long, bum length grey hair and it looks fantastic.