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?

Lanark has a good point. The whole wanton long hair on an older woman I think frightens people.

That as women we are "vain" enough to possibly spend time on ourselves and our hair, and God forbid feel attractive and....sexy over 40.

What are we thinking?

What saddens me is other women setting those regulations.

It seems to be about fitting in here in Germany - short red hair, skiing jacket= Woman of middle age.

I'm 45 and my hair has never been longer, and actually never looked sexier to me. I love it, and I love the way it feels. My mood and confidence are very much entwined with my hair health.

I'm mid fifties and have long thick hair in good condition. I do however wear it up in a bun,French pleat or if casual, a plait. I feel a bit witchy otherwise. I simply can't afford a short cut. It grows at a super human rate.

I have very long hi lighted hair at 51 and love it....my face may age but at least my hair looks young and sexy, and tbh anything that does that for you should be kept !

I love my hair long. My hair and body are healthier now than they ever have been, after years of dedicating my life to childbirth and raising the children. I'll be 40 in October and my youngest is 8, so now I finally have a little bit of time to spend on my hair and exercise routine.
Stuff what anyone else thinks. What's important is how you feel about yourself. Happiness starts from within.

My grandmother had short hair from the age of about 40 to the age of 70. Purely because she felt that's the done thing for women over a certain age.

I know it's typical for children to see middle-aged as 'old' but she really has looked old to me as long as I remember. She finally decided to try letting it grow, and I swear she looks 10 years younger! I wish she had the confidence to try it sooner as I think it's made her happier too.

As many others have said it depends on your hair, face shape and style.

I dislike the assumption that if you have short hair then you have somehow given up. I recently had my hair cut very similar to this - I can't tell you how many compliments I've received.

Apparently I am very brave and what did my husband think?!

Mrs C-B, that's a fabulous haircut!!

Approaching 50 with no intention of getting my long hair cut off, it's naturally curly & well conditioned. I look like a poodle when my hair is short😳

This is going a bit off topic but I can't believe the number of people on here going on about Mutton. I get loads of people in my shop trying shoes on and going " Oooo, does that make me look like Mutton dressed as Lamb?!" And it's not as though my shop's all that Fashiony (fraid we do rather well with Fly London, Skechers and the like)

Anyway if they look as though they even vaguely have a sense of humour my answer is always along the lines of "Do you honestly think that Mutton dressed as Mutton is the way to go..........?! "

IMHO If you wear what you like, AND wear it with confidence, you'll not go too far wrong. And that goes double for what you do with your hair

I have thin and fine hair and so have no other option but shoulder length. I would definitely have longer if I could. It looks more beautiful and youthful.

40 is not old anymore!

I hate the phase, mutton dressed as lamb. There is no put down like this for men.

I hate the mutton expression too, Shoesie. It's as though women get to an age where they feel as though they have to be self deprecating.

And I don't understand the MN hatred of short hair and bobs. They flatter certain faces and hair types. A layer bob looks as good on me as Kate Middleton's flowing locks look on her. Shock horror - different styles suit different women!

Is there a MN hatred of short hairstyles? I frequently see long threads about crops.

My theory backed up by no facts, just personal observation is that long well kept hair is far more sexy to most men and therefore when you used to reach a certain age you weren't allowed to be sexy so the hair had to go.

I think long hair almost always looks better on women. Even a young beautiful mum at the school looked boring when she chopped her amazing hair off into a bob. She's still beautiful but not sexy like sge was before. I think short hair can look sophisticated and neat etc but almost never sexy.

I'm in my 40s and have long dark hair. I can't ever imagine hacking it off. I'd feel so unfeminine. And more so now I'm older than when I was young.

What a shame people still have to ask this question, it's as ridiculous as should women be allowed jobs

I've just turned 40 and I'm deliberately growing my hair long as I feel like it's my last chance to see what having really long hair is like, as previously the longest I went was shoulder length. It's now down to my bra strap. Eventually I'm sure I'll cut it short when I'm older, but I'm trying to make the most of it being in OK condition at the moment to get it as long as I can, I might not be able to grow it so well or it might not look so good when I'm older.

Oh lordy, I am now destined to forever be unsexy and unfeminine

Some women look great with short hair. Some women look shit with short hair.

Some women look great with long hair. Some women look shit with long hair.

And yes there definitely is an attitude on here that if you have short hair as an older woman that you have somehow given up. And it is ridiculous, I mean look at Helen Mirren - so unsexy.

I look like a Mormon wife if I grow my hair too long. One of those Mormon wives that lives in a wackadoodle compound with all the other sister wives.

I could be your sister wife Mitzy as I have the same issue

If we ever find ourselves in a Utah compound together let's bump the dirty git off and then run away and get our hair cut.

This woman looks so unsexy and unfeminine with short hair

And this woman's bob is so mumsy

For middle aged - I'm all about Rita (see Netflix), that's probably me in 5 years.

40 here and I love having long hair. Short hair can be flattering on other people but not on me. I don't have the time or imagination to spend time styling short hair every day and if I left it to do its own thing I would look like Ronald McDonald. If people think I am too old for long hair, that's none of my business!

And yes there definitely is an attitude on here that if you have short hair as an older woman that you have somehow given up. And it is ridiculous,

Absofuckinglutley.

Whaaaat? Sharon Stone looks wonderful with short hair. That's not the best pic to choose but she really looks so much better short than long.

And Claire Underwood, (Robin Wright) - Sex on a stick and stylish as they come with her beautiful short hair.