Have you gone long hair to short and love/ hate it?

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I used to keep my hair short but have had it shoulder length and mostly one length with a few layers just like every other middle aged middle class mum it feels for a while now.
As I get older it is getting curly at the back but still pretty straight the front and I feel like I'm fighting it's natural tendencies, it's high maintenance so spends a lot of time tied up and I always seem to fear rain, swimming pools etc.
I'm thinking life's too short to be that fussed about my hair so am considering a choppy bob/ shag.
I'm sorely tempted but a bit scared! I just turned 50 if that helps -
Anyone's experience would be gratefully received.

I did it last June and I loved it. Not just the hair cut itself but I loved that I obviously knew I was more than my hair. I hope that makes sense.
I was no longer hiding behind my hair. I'm in my late forties and I'm growing it a bit now but I'm going to get an undercut so that it won't be as thick as it was last time and I'll never grow it as long as it was before I went short.

I did and I hate it. I liked it initially because it was so much easier to wash and dry but i hate it now. All I can do is tie it up and wear a headband because loads of it is too short to fit in the bobble and when it’s down it’s in my eyes and annoying my neck. And when I go out it’s the same style every single time. Too short to do curls or anything different.

I went from a bob to a pixie recently and love it! Like you I always had it in a pony tail. I have to wet it and quickly dry it every morning, but it takes less than 5 mins and looks loads nicer than a pony tail! I did it in stages, went a bit shorter each hair cut for about 4 hair cuts. So I didn't feel totally bald. I say go for it, it's only hair and it will grow back if you don't like it xx

I've done it about four times and never regretted it. It suits me much better short and takes years off.

I've done it a few times over the years, I have wavy hair so I have to do something with it, if it's long I can at least put it up but when it's short it takes a lot of styling. If I had hair that didn't need styling I'd definitely have short hair, it's just easier for me to keep it longer!

I've done it twice and hated it, never again.

I did it last week. Longer than bra strap to just above the shoulders. I was so mentally prepared to hate it but I love it. My head is soooo much lighter and bizarrely I feel younger! Go for it.

I have tried, very hard, to grow my hair long since my teens, but it grows up and out, so I am stuck with pixies and variants thereof. I'm almost blonde, so can't even claim to be mixed race, just frustrated I can't grow my hair long. And now it's grey too.

I’ve cut my hair to a pixie twice and loved it both times. Up to a point, and that point is having it cut every 6-8 weeks because if you don’t it looks crap, and somehow I only got a good cut every 2 or 3 cuts - though nobody else could ever tell. And growing it out wasn’t fun.

Realise that looks negative - I did love it, I have fine hair and it looked thicker when short, and I could play with the colour too. I saw a lovely photo of a model with a longish pixie today and it made me think about doing it again - but I decided my jawline isn’t really up to it anymore.

I did and hated it. It made my face look fat!

I'll go maybe long bob when I get a few years older but no shorter!

I do it every 18 months / couple of years ish and always love it, at least for a while.

I'm not overly attached to the length of my hair though because it grows so ridiculously quickly (enough that multiple hairdressers have had to double check previous appointments and book me in a few weeks earlier than they anticipated after seeing regrowth from a haircut they've given me)

I regularly go from below bra straps level to a longish pixie. It's a lovely feeling not having to rinse it for forever when I wash it, or blow dry it so it doesn't take days to dry.

I get bored of a hairstyles very quickly though, and probably wouldn't do this if it didn't grow as fast as it does.

Mine is more high maintenance short though as well, as I have a cows lick and a double crown, so it doesn't so much grow as sprout . At least when it's long and not behaving I can just chuck it in a bun and be done with it.

Long hair most of my life but a few years ago I stopped courting it and let the grey come through but couldn't stand the roots so I chopped it short and it aged me 20 years and looked hideous.

I hated it. Short hair does not suit me.

I then grew it long again but didn't like the gre so it's now white and easier to maintain than coloring it dark brown or black.

It's not as long as before but I'm continuing to grow it. I have a fringe and the rest is long and straight.

I went for the wavy/choppy bob a year or so ago after many years with long hair. And it's OK-ish - just a bit dull really. I miss that I used to be able to wear my hair up or down or in a pony tail or whatever - now it's just always the same. But I'm of an age where long hair can look a bit ageing-hippy (or at least it does with me) so I think I'm probably stuck with the bob.

I went from half way down my back to short (wore it quiff and LOVED it) to pixie to bald (thank you chemo) and getting back to pixie again.

I fricking love it and wish I'd been brave enough to do it sooner.

I'll (hopefully) going back to the quiff. I have my first hair apt tomorrow which is a riot as I've nothing to cut, just a tidy but I am going!

Me, I love it. It sits just below my ears. I don't think I'll ever grow it again.

Thanks all, I reckon it's 8:4 to the love it side, I have a regular appointment on Thursday , I may take the plunge!

I went from long to very short..completely liberating..I'd NEVER go back.

You need to think about how having short hair would make your life easier and hair easier to manage.

I have naturally curly hair and there is a certain length where my hair is really easy to manage. It's just under chin length. Any shorter and it sticks out too much, just needs straightening all the time to look decent and I can't tie it back. Any longer and it takes forever to dry, need to use the hairdryer so it looks frazzled and it just hangs limp around my face. I cut mine really short last year and hated it because it was too short so became more high maintenance. It's gone the opposite now and it's too long now!

How will having your hair this style make the problem with the back curling any better? Surely it will still be straight at the front when it's short? I'd speak with your hairdresser if you're due to go soon and see what they recommend to fix the issue.

I used to have longish (past shoulders) hair. I got fed up with it as I cannot be bothered with styling it or putting on loads of product so cut it shorter. Then I came across a photo of my at my 21st birthday and got all nostalgic for longer hair. My hair is thick and goes wavy when long (or when 'dirty'). I decided I wanted it long again. It looked shite as it got very frizzy at the ends and tangled easily. Looks better shorter. Never thought I would admit to that! Mum always cut my hair and I used to sulk!

I've done it several times and loved the look, and how easy it was to care for. But I always seem to end up letting it grow again because I put off getting it - I can't be bothered with the regular hairdresser visits. Then there's the hassle of the 'growing out stage' each time.

I'm in the hairdresser now - doing it!!

Ive had about 3 inches off but as its now a long bob it doesn't feel that radical. I'm hoping it'll be easier to style and to wear down - time will tell!

I have no regrets yet

Lovely