Hair - and getting older - how to wear it

[Morestrangethings]

Hi all,

im into my 60s now, and my hair is now grey. At the moment it’s manifesting as quite a pleasant soft grey. But due to getting older and a thyroid problem, my hair, which was always very fine is now thinner (not as much of it). It is now quite thin, especially around the top, front hairline (looking a tad sparse)..

Its currently a bit below shoulder length, I’m overdue for my normal shoulder length trim. I’m a big woman and very short hairstyles tend to make me look like a husky man. So no pixie cuts for me. Or even a bit longer style style pixie cuts.

Ive been thinking of a short bob, just a fraction below chin length. I think I could puff it up more maybe when I blow dry my hair. Not a stacked bob - more straight around, perhaps a little higher at the back, coming does to a little longer at the front.

Although a bob would possibly make my hair look a bit fuller, I’ve still got the slight thinning at the top front.

So my other option is to trim my hair back to shoulder length, have a light curtain style fringe (bangs - for US people) that I could sweep to each side a bit and the shorter lengths would hopefully lift/puff up a bit and disguise my slight front thinning.

or third option - get my usual trim and wear a stretchy cloth headband and just hide the problem.

The hairdresser I go to is a cut price one where you wash your hair before going. I find I have to know exactly what I want, or otherwise I’ll end up with something that looks nothing like I mean for it to look. I’d love to visit one of those expensive hairdressers with great reputations that can look at your hair and know exactly what would suit but 1) can’t afford it, and 2) where I live there are none.

Hi do you mind if I follow along. I am growing out my grey and have wondered this. I am also a bit thin on the top at the front due to a hairdresser Who burnt my scalp years ago. A lot of the hair that grows there is very fragile and breaks though I have had some success with rosemary oil helping to thicken it up and the hair there getting longer.

I am 40, but been wondering how best to wear it when it grows out. I currently have the style in the photo I have attached. but with a side part to hide the thinning. But am thinking of going shorter to cut out the rest of the grey.

My 18 year old advises me my current hair style is ‘on trend for all ages’. If that helps at all.😂

I’d welcome people following along :)

That haircut in the pic is lovely.

I’m wearing a side part too. Like you, to help disguise the thinning. When the part falls in the middle, which it will still often do even after years of ‘training’ it to the side, is when the thinning is most noticeable.

I’d have a blunt cut bob, maybe.
Can you try one of those hairstyle apps that give you a very rough idea what colour/style looks good. I’d probably use a semi permanent dye box of colour if on a budget.
Blow drying /heated rollers /tongs can always add volume, curl to mix things up.

Student hairdressing appts at your college could be an option? They’re usually after some volunteers.

Layered grey bob- Helen Mirren? Bit longer? They look they may take some blow drying to get the look though.

Thanks Suzi, the blunt cut would definitely thicken up the look of my hair. I had a blunt cut last time and it gave my shoulder length hair a bit more fullness. Going shorter (with less weight to the hair) combined with blunt cut might be a good idea.

I’ve looked at Helen Mirren’s hair and she looks lovely. But as you said it would take quite a bit of blow drying etc.. Also, with fine hair, I find layers tend to look ‘fly away’ very quickly.

I do like the white silver effect she has in her hair. Achieved through colouring I think. (balayage technique?don’t know much about balayage - I just read about what it is today) I’m not handy enough to do that myself.

I also love Judi Denchs hair colour- it’s a silver white - but her cut, which suits her beautifully, would make me look like a fat old bloke. I don’t have the face for it.

I think some silver or grey carefully placed strands may disguise the thickness at the front. Centre partings are unflattering on most faces so it's actually better to be a little thin there than around the temples, in my view. I think your idea for curtain bangs is good and you can also use bandanas when your haven't done your fringe or need it off your face. Curtain bangs grow out quickly so if you decide you hate it in 3 months it should be by your jawline.
I find dry shampoo helpful in disguising that shiny look of the scalp, get one for blond hair and apply it on your clean hair, it will thicken the strands there and reduce light shine on scalp a bit.
I have had hair loss there after Covid and anaemia so I know it's a bitch of a place to have hair thinning at. Nape of my neck is so hairy, doesn't seem to thin there!🙄

Gah, by saying carefully placed I meant maybe ask for low lights and highlights in grey so it's not one tone and it also may distract the eyes from the front bit. Tricks of light, tricks of eye that sort of thing.

Someone at work used to wear her hair slightly backcombed and pinned back either in an Alice band or with a barrette clasp.
I just though she was super trendy. It turned out that she was doing this to hide her very thin hair on the top. Her hair always looked lovely.
Like this first picture
www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/444097213252395434/

Perhaps avoid sleek, straight styling. I always prefer a softly tousled look, a bit dishevelled, which can be balance out of course by accessories, etc.

This is going to sound mad but I often notice a lot of men of a similar age do this - distinguished actor types - gorgeous wool coat, amazing grey tousled hair, not over styled. It's a look I really like on both men and women.

Skicker, straight styles do tend to show thinning more readily. As would a very neat bob. It may depend upon your hair texture?
My hair isn't thinning but it has become very fuzzy and unmanageable over time, and straightening no longer suits me, it just makes me look a bit unwell, tired. I am still searching for the best solution but in the meantime going for elegantly dishevelled, if I can!

My DP has super fine hair and uses a a Molten Brown ginger shampoo that does appear to give it a thickening boots. Worth a try, and a gorgeous scent.

*Boost not boot.

Thanks SheshaWitch

Good point about curtain bangs growing out quickly, and I can wear a band if I haven’t had time to style my bangs (fringe).

And also the the idea of lowlights to break up the grey at the front a bit.

Hope you are recovered from Covid now. I’ve just tested as being anaemic so that could be exacerbating my hair loss. ie making it more noticeable at the moment.

That works!

Thanks for the shampoo suggestion Howlingmoom. I’ll look for it.

Coincidentally, I just washed my hair and fell asleep with it wet and unbrushed. I’ve woken up and it’s a birds nest. I just read your post so I decided to give it a quick brush and it’s looks messy but thicker for sure. I clipped it up loosely with a claw clip and you’re right - much thicker looking. And less attention drawn to the front also, as it’s big elsewhere.

While I’m deciding on haircut styles etc, I’m going to continue doing this. I think because I have had fine, rather limp hair, all my life I’ve been conscious of trying to make it look ‘tidy’. But if I can adjust to the messy look, this may work for me

I am nearly 60 and I have this style (although I am not as grey as this, more salt and pepper).

I'm growing out grey and have gone shorter it's a super easy maintenance sort of bob

Sorry had to go and do something but the point of my post was to respond to your issue about thinning and then got sidetracked..

I was thinking with my newly shorter
hair I can clip up the front rather than tie hair back which I did when my hair was longer - but you could perhaps also use clips as someone mentioned to disguise thinness perhaps? Obviously mine isn't anything fancy but it's presentable (I hope) and hides the grey coming through if I am in the mood to care 😀

theDudesmummy. thankyou.

Actually that amount of grey is close to my colour - although I don’t have the same blue-ish tones in my hair. But I do love the blue/silver effect. And I’m beginning to think I could do with some blueish/ silver tones in my hair. That picture will come with me to the hairdressers if I decide to have those tones put in. My hair is a bit thin for the cut in the pic.But that pic is exactly how my mother wore her hair for years (she had thicker hair than me) and it’s v a smart look.

Thank you longcoffeebreak for taking the time to post images. I’m thinking your bob is what I will most likely choose to do. I used to have very similar in my 20s and it was an easy cut to care for. I had more hair then, though.

I’m 53 and have now got my hair longer than ever before. I have it coloured and highlighted, with a few layers and curtain bangs - it’s high maintenance - but I really like it.

Smh over my indecision. I’m realising now that I need a whole wardrobe overhaul.. need to rethink my style. I had to go out yesterday to the dreaded ikea. When I left home I thought I looked okay. Then caught the image of myself in a full length mirror in ikea, and I really did look like I had been dragged through a hedge backwards. Head to toe.

Somechickensaretobig I think I may have seen you yesterday yesterday lol.

Actually, it was a woman coming out of the Ikea bathrooms just as I was going in. She was early 50s, my guess. And her hair looked stunning. The cut was as you describe yours. Her hair fell to under her breast line but it was grey. Shiny, styled. Looked fab. Her hair was grey. I did something I rarely do and stopped and told her how great she looked. She was really pleased. She told me had just had highlights/lowlights added to her grey hair that morning. Anyone that still believes a woman can’t wear her hair long post 50 is nuts.

She was wearing red framed glasses, which I think really bought the whole look alive.