Long hair to short hair - will I regret it?!?

[ImSoMagical]

50 something with long hair. Had it down my back for so long as an adult because when I was younger mum always cut our hair short and I was always mistaken for a boy 😆. I don't have time to wash/dry/style and inevitably wear it up with a clip or in a ponytail. Any advice or positive long to short transitions?!?

I had hair that went down to the middle of my back and chopped it all off to a bob kind of length. I got lots of compliments saying that it suited me and it was a lot easier to manage. I had been tempted by a pixie cut but thought that it wouldn't fit my face so didn't do it. I am now letting my hair grow again because I miss being able to braid my hair. Honestly just do you. Remember it grows back most of the time. I know thats probably not helpful

I've done this recently, went from down my back to just sitting on the shoulder. I loved it. Went for a second cut of the same style last week, he didn't cut it short enough. I now don't like the feel of my hair down my back. People are telling me I look younger too. If you don't like it, it will soon grow back.

I had my waist length hair chopped to a pixie cut when ds2 was a baby. I had another child and dh was away for long periods and I just couldn't be arsed with it (plus ds2 pulled it a lot and it fricking hurt). I swear the hairdresser asked me if I was sure more times than Dignitas would 😅 Didn't regret it for a second, it was right for that time.

It grew back and a decade later was bra strap length. I very nearly shaved the lot off during the first lock down (work in healthcare, was washing it sometimes twice daily because I was so stressed at the thought of bringing a deadly disease home). I got meds for anxiety though and decided to leave it! At one point I got fed up with it and lopped it into a bob and it's stayed that way since. I trim it myself when I need to.

So many of my friends say they could never cut their own hair but my attitude is always "Meh, it'll grow back".

I went from long hair, always tied up to keep it out the way, to long bob and now a shoulder length bob. I'm pleased with it and have had compliments.

I haven't washed my hair for 3 years. It sounds disgusting, I know. I haven't had it cut, for 3 years as well. Sadly, I have naturally curly hair, that grows in bloody spirals! I have spent £££££ in trying to tame it, style it, and even trying to perm it. My only thought is, my best hair, ever, came from a coke bottle. Filled up, via the Scottish Highlands.

I went from very long (down my back) to properly short about 6 months ago. Loving it. Masses of compliments and everyone says I look much younger. I'll take that! Go for it.

I always think of you have hair up in a pony tail nearly all the time then what’s the point of having long hair? If you had it say just past your shoulder length or shoulder length and wore it down in a style it would seem like you have a lot more hair even though it’s been cut.

Mine was shoulder length, around May, first lockdown I chopped it off. Number 8 on the clippers and I love it. Had it styled a few different ways, dyed grey, now silver, going back to grey next time. I really cba with drying and straightening it any longer. 5 mins, strong gel and ready to go.

I had mine cut at 17, hated it immediately. Had it cut short again at 28, hated it again.

Spent my 30s growing it out. Early 40s had the chop to chin level as a fuck you to an ex. Hated it again.

Mid 40s broke my arm, was in a cast for weeks, complications meant i couldn't use my arm for months. Had my hair cut short again, bought an amazing hot air roller brush styler gadget, love my hair for the first time in my life.

Main difference is that I've been seeing the same hairdresser now for a few years, she knew my hair, knew my lifestyle and my cba-ness with diy blow drying. And my new gadget.

My arm is better now, but I'm not quite ready to grow it out again...

I'm only slightly younger than you and went from waist length to just above the shoulder at the end of the summer. Like other posters have had lots of positive comments saying it makes me look younger. Might try to get it cut a little more often in future ....

My teenage daughter went seriously short about three years ago which made me hesitate to do anything she might perceive as copying ...

Mine is very long and fast growing.
I will never go very short again as I hate it and its hard work.
But....I am considering going a bit shorter. It will absolutely be in stages. And I will deliberate over the decision for months.
Ask opinions of friends you trust and you see in RL

I say go for it but I wanted also to say my Mum kept my hair short throughout my childhood, I was continually mistaken for a boy and I’ve worn my hair long from the age of 18 (I’m 52). It has a lasting effect!!!

I love my short hair. I have a pixie cut. I think longer than shoulder length hair when you're older ages you. But.... it doesn't suit everyone.

A girl I once knew had waist length dark hair. Then one day she turned up at work with a pixie crop! Just had it all cut in one go. She really suited it but she had lovely eyes and skin, even features and great cheekbones. I sometimes wonder about getting mine chopped but I think it would really age me, I don't think I have the right type of features for it and I'd be irritated having to keep getting it trimmed. You could check with a hairdresser or two and see what they think?

I personally think that really long or really short hair looks much cooler and more interesting than mid-length. So if i were you i’d either keep it long or get a pixie cut - nothing in between!

I also disagree that long hair is aging - my grandmother had waist length pure white hair at the age of 75 and she looked like some sort of druid queen when she wore it down Miles better than the ‘flattering’ bobs haircuts all her friends had, in my opinion.

Healthy long hair looks amazing on older women IMO. My hair goes to shit if it's long

I want to have druid queen hair

@ImSoMagical

Thanks all, I fancy a jaw length choppy bob, kind of cross between Debbie Harry and Dempsey and Makepeace 😄 I don't suit 'sleek' styles.

I have similar and it’s a lot of work tbh. Depends on your hair but mine takes ages to dry and straighten etc

I went from just PST shoulder length to a shirt choppy bob about 3 months ago. I absolutely love it and have had so many compliments.

Go for it!

I’ve had short short hair twice in my life, once when I was 16/17 and I had long growing out permed hair. I went to get it trimmed and the hairdresser actually complimented me on the condition of my hair. However it was windy at the time, I caught sight of my hair blowing about and a woman I didn’t know in the street looked at me and burst out laughing. I was a bit anxious etc then and for some reason rushed home, very upset and chopped one side of my hair all off!

My DM spoke to one of her friends and a neighbour who had well cut short hair and asked her where she got her hair cut which was a nearby swanky expensive hair salon. I went there with my hair in a pony tail and hidden under a baseball cap and when they saw my other hair they looked and said “what beautiful hair!” But it had to be cut the other side and I got a layered wedge cut with blonde highlights. It actually really suited me and my friends were shocked but liked it and I recall wearing lots of bright eyeshadow and makeup so I wouldn’t be mistaken for a boy and grew my hair ASAP longer! I then grew it to bob length and had it permed a la Emily Lloyd in Wish You Were Here and I then grew it steadily longer until I’m sure I cut it into a bob again and then grew it again but can’t be sure. I’ve sort of sorted most lengths but also had it quite short and Arctic blonde and also a female mullet .

I’d say be very careful as short hair suits you or it doesn’t and agreed it can take a while to find a good short hairdresser - my aunt who’s had short hair and really suits it, most of her life, only uses people she knows will do a good cut and she was also a hairdresser in the past too.

I’m 52 😊 start of lockdown I took the clippers to my hair and gave myself a number 2 all over. Absolutely love it and I’m sticking with it 😊

Husband runs the clippers over my hair whenever it starts to grow takes a couple of minutes and I’m done.

I never regretted it. Like you, my longer hair was mostly tied back. I had it cut short, properly short so that it didn’t need pinning up on holiday in a hot climate. I love it. It’s so easy and virtually always looks good. That said, I’d advise an ‘edgy’ cut, not just generic shortish, as that can look bland and aging.

There are plenty of women who look amazing with short hair but I regretted getting mine cut short. It took more time to style, it had to be cut more often, it seemed to take forever to grow it out (and looked terrible as it grew out). My 40 year old friend has just had hers cut short and I thought it was her mother when I saw her. It's added 15 years to her! But like I say short hair does look good on some people. My hair is now shoulder length and very easy to maintain. I just brush it and go.

I have posted many times previously, I wanted a modern edgy short cut but ended up looking like Nicola Sturgeon. I felt old and unfeminine. And I never felt I looked good unless I was completely ‘done up’ in terms of makeup and outfit. Looking good is so much easier (for me) when I’ve got longer hair

I didn't have my hair long as a young woman. My parents were alot older when I was born. I was a 60s baby and I was born into the intermediate generation. Parents didn't understand all the changes in life.

I have had it all various lengths. It's long and it's stopping long. I can put it up, wear it down. I have choice with it being long. I don't have that option if its short hence its long and stopping long (As in the top part of my lower back)

I wear it in various changing colours too 😏 rebel yup