Is it wrong to have long hair when you're old?

[Alcemeg]

So this is my hair. I feel lucky that it's not gone grey yet (I'm in my mid 60s), but I remember over the years having it drummed into me that once your'e over a certain age you look like a witch with long hair.

The trouble is, I don't know what else to do with it! I have this vision of "choppy layers" or something, but am not sure if it would work as my hair is very fine. I just don't know what to ask for at the hairdresser's.

Advice welcome!

Your hair is stunning! What you should do with it is enjoy it.

i'm in my late 40s and agree that there was a thing about women having their hair cut short in middle age, however i have zero intention of cutting my hair short!! Have you hair as you wish to have it!

Your hair is beautiful and in great condition. Keep it as you want!

Course it's not wrong. Why would it be?! It looks in lovely condition, why would you cut it because of your age?

Thanks everyone! I just didn't want to end up looking like Myra Hindley or something 🤣

In answer to your question - no!

If you like how it looks and feels then keep it long. It looks amazing btw.

I think this "cut it short" advice is from when conditioner didn't exist and people had long straggly grey hair (often in buns?). Times have changed. And your hair is BEAUTIFUL. Enjoy.

Ahhh, maybe that's right.

thank you!

I think the key thing here is the quality of the hair. If it is well looked after, regularly cut, got plenty of body and if required coloured then long hair is fine IMHO. But, if it is scrappy, thin, grey at roots (rather than a nice silver all over) and generally old and tired then it is aging and would be better cut and styled shorter.

You have beautiful healthy looking hair. I think people should only cut it shorter if it’s straggly or in bad condition.

I remember something about this from sociology. Long, thick, full hair is a marker of fertility.

By cutting their hair, older women are 'logging out' of the 'reproductive club'. Read the book 'hags'.

I did cut my bum length hair short not that long ago. I'm in my 50s, and it wasn't age related, I just couldn't be arsed dealing with it anymore. Have your hair how you want it. I have a so called "young" cut and I love it.

It's lovely. Don't tell Jane Seymour she needs hers cut off ,😀

Mine's long and I'm mid 50s. Dh says he thinks I'd suit it shorter. My friends go mad when I say I might get it cut. It's in good condition and plenty of it. I'd have a shorter style of not.

So shiny and beautiful!! Keep it as long as you like.

Agreed that the old advice comes from times when it wasn't as easy to care for hair and prob from when perms were more in fashion. I think long or mid length grey hair is beautiful when the time comes, the shades are so individual. Shorter hair may make sense for those who lose considerable volume as a clever cut and style can add this back.

Agree. Thinning, grey long hair is vastly different to shiny, healthy hair.

I just looked up Jane Seymour to see if her hair is still long. Yes it is, she's 72. I didn't know her real name was Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg 😳

My hair is much longer than yours, silver/white, and currently in a bun. Its in great condition and though fine I have loads of it. I get a lot of compliments on it.
Have your hair however you like

My gran was approaching 100 when she passed and she had bum length hair which she wore in a long plait and dyed bright red! Mam still has wasit length hair too, hasn't started greying yet.

We're a family of women blessed with thick, strong hair that doesn't thin too much as we age, so I plan to keep mine long too!

How can you tell how long OP's hair is?

Oh god yes , the grey short back and sides . My mum in her early 70s had this style because she couldn't be bothered to do anything with it anymore .and constantly moaned that while she was out shopping 2 kids had mistaken her for a man . I am a hair dresser and she went to another hairdresser because I simply refused to be responsible for that hairstyle ! 😂

My grandma is 92 and her hair is down to her waist! She wears it up usually, but I don't see why becoming a certain age means you have to cut your hair off!

I'm mid 40s and my hair is just below elbow length and fairly thick, I'm sure when my mum was my age she'd think her peers "ought" to have short hair. I'm not planning on cutting mine any time soon
The comments about long thin straggly or bad condition hair looking better cut short, surely would apply to any age (or sex) ...?

Hair which is healthy looking, in good condition well cut/trimmed and clean
will always look good.
Where I live, in a small market town, there are six! hairdressing salons, many
silver or grey haired ladies with short hair, or sleek bobs, looking well groomed.

It depends on the size and shape of your face if you go really short, gamine,
pixie a la Dame Dench, or longer, you can twist it around your hand, pin it up -
your hair is sleek and healthy, flaunt it.

This is a clearer picture, before and after an experiment with "caca" henna from Lush.

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. Yes I see what you mean about Jane Seymour, blimey!!!

Waits for certain poster to turn up

You have great hair. I think the "rule" about not having long hair after a certain age is very outdated.