Hairstyle opinions and ideas needed

[Tochopornot]

I have namechanged for this!I am a regular reader/poster.
I am in my 40's and I used to get my hair cut by a friend at the same time as my dc. Friend ghosted me (still friendly when I see them I just expect life got too busy). I now take my child to the barbers but haven't had my hair cut in almost 2 years as I don't have mich time with being a lone parent busy ft job and don't want to drag my son along.
I have got a babysitter for next week after work so I can finally get it cut at a decent salon in london. The picture below isn't the best and looks weird as I have tried to protect my identity but my hair is long, fine but lots of it, natural colour even though it looks dyed as its blonder on the roots but nothing on it at all. It's naturally wavy but looks less so when it's this long and I often wake up looking like I have stuck my finger in a socket and I get terrible knots in it even though I have a satin pillow cover and brush it regularly.
I am torn between getting curtain bangs and a good trim or going much shorter for a bob or something else. My mum is one of those who believes the day after your 40th you should cut your hair short short if you are a woman. I am so indecisive, when I have longer hair I want it cut and when it's shorter I miss my long hair. The main thing is I want it to suit me and at the moment I think its making me look older. In the past I had a beautiful Bob cut but as my hair was wavy I needed to spend ages to stop it looking terrible every morning and I just don't have the time now. I am single so no partner to influence me or complain, not that they should dictate hairstyles anyway.
So any suggestions for what would suit my type of hair, age, etc welcome.

I don't think you should get your hair cut short, but I think it might look better if it was a bit shorter. Maybe a lob with some highlights would be nice? You have lovely natural hair.

I'd leave it as it is. Put it in a plait at night.

You have lovely hair and definitely shouldn't chop it short! However I do think it's probably suffering from not having been cut in so long. How about still keeping it longer, but getting them to chop a good chunk off it so that it would stop around the second/third line on your t shirt in that picture? And then get some longer layers put in. I have fine hair and have it as a bob, but if I don't get it trimmed for a few months it starts gets horribly knotty so it isn't necessarily getting knots because it's long.

Not sure about fringe, hard to tell as your face shape isn't clear, and if your hair is wavy it might become frizz (I'm scared of fringes as I remember as a kid having one and it flicking out in every direction except down!)

But if you are going to a good stylist perhaps ask their opinion on how best to cut it to frame your face?

Thank you this is a good compromise. You are right about the knots too. I am scared of fringes as my mum cut mine so very badly as a child. It was brutally wonky. I am paying lots of money to go to a really decent hairdresser (I have spent hours looking at reviews) so I hope to trust him to suggest something that would work. My sister in laws hair doesn't grow so she is anti cutting hair where as mine grows like mad (at the moment)

Mine grows very slowly and growing out a fringe would take at least a year.

If you are going to a stylist that you haven't been to before, have some ideas about what sort of daily styling you have in mind.
Go with your hair clean and left to dry naturally.

Have the consultation, and let the stylist suggest some styles and feel free to question them. If you feel there is no rapport, leave.

Expensive isn't necessarily best, but chances are they'll be pretty good.

As for mums, my mother would unbeknownst to me have a word with the hairdresser, meaning I'd get something that was a compromise and looked blimmin awful. I'd not understand why the hairdresser didn't understand. I still haven't forgiven my mother. By my teenage years I was refusing to go.

By compromise, I mean my mother wanted a nice shoulder length blunt cut and I'd want a pixie cut. I'd get a very short bowl haircut. Evil mother.

I guess your name change went wrong?

I think curtain bangs could work if your hair is thick enough at the front.
I don't think you should cut it short, you have lovely hair. I would just get an inch or two off the bottom then some shaping, think like Kate Middleton. She's had curtain bangs and various lengths between shoulder and very long that always looks nicely shaped.

Yes good old mumsnet app instead of the Web, hey ho!

A lob would look stunning

you have lovely hair. Yes a lob would be great and soft curtain bangs to frame your face.
Highlights too if you can afford the upkeep.

agree don’t go too short as you hair looks similar texture to mine and it’s much more time consuming to blow dry/ style when shorter. With a lob you could easily still ponytail it when needed.

I know you have clearly all been on the edges of your seat waiting to find out!!! I left it to the hairdresser and he cut it to my shoulders and I love it.
Lots of people either haven't noticed I have cur my hair or don't like it so haven't said anything but I am overjoyed with it. The ones who have commented said they love it and it makes me look younger.

I think it looks great @Coffeesnob11 and I'm pleased you like it too - it's a brave this to chop such an amount off but it looks so much healthier 😊