Honest opinion on these hair styles please

[Hairtodays]

I’m 50 and my shoulder length hair is thin and stringy. It’s almost all one length and it’s boring and flat. I have a natural wave that tends to flick up and out and I’ve had my hair like the pictures in the past but not sure if it’s now dated.

I like what Kate Silverton used to have - lots of layers and flicks up at the back. I used to use a hot brush to get lift and the crown and sides and the sides and back used to be cute and flick out due to the natural curl in my hair. Is it too dated now though? I detest the use of ‘Karen’ to describe these looks but I don’t want anything that is obviously 10 years out of date.

any thoughts please?

The trick with short hair - at least for me - is blast for 2 mins with a hair dryer then sea salt spray or very little paste. Messier is better. Stops it falling flat.
I'm 50+ I find the length at the back of these mullet type styles helps distract from any sagging of the chin and jowls (again Op, my issue may not be yours)

I have all the issues! Short, dumpy, round face, slight double chin.

Thank you all, I had a feeling that I’d be going back 10 years. I’m not sure I’d suit a modern mullet but maybe I’m better keeping it a bit longer and working with the wave / curls.

10-20 years too late there. I remember having hair like this in my early 20s. I know op says she has thin hair, but is it normal to still have short hair when you get older? I thought long hair was more fashionable. Makes me sad that one poster said all her 40 plus colleagues have short hair apart from 2 with it scraped back. I'm 40 next year and certainly don't want to chop all my hair.

I totally agree @DesparatePragmatist , with all the luck in the world my hair wouldn’t look like any of these styles 24 hours later!
Go for what suits you OP, be individual rather than following the crowd.

I really don’t like those modern mullets.
DH would start singing’Tiger Feet’ if I got one of those 😂

i agree OP about keeping it a bit longer and working with the wave.

Anything that looks too ‘done’ is aging imo

If the shag and mullet look a bit ‘out there’ for you, OP, you could look up ‘undone bob’ on Pinterest or Instagram.

They were very much of their time

I would also guess that any of the styles in the pictures take quite a while to look that way every morning.

if you have a natural wave then lucky you. This is what I’d do: track down a good hair cutter and book a consultation. Take with you a selection of images of hairstyles you like, and talk through the pros and cons of each with the cutter. If you have any pictures of you with haircuts you liked and suited you, take examples of those too. The hair cutter could possible work out an updated style of a previous style you’ve worn and liked.

Sorry OP, those are terribly dated and would definitely attract ‘Karen’ comments.

Much more modern and better styles posted by others.

Those styles are dated and will age you.

If you have a natural wave what about something like this? I am fancying it myself

I'm struggling to see any difference between the OP's and these supposedly "more modern and better styles".

They're all non- descript hair is growing on a head.

Nope. Mine takes 5-10 mins after washing.

No nono nnoo no! Its Lisa Rinna’s wig!

I speak from experience here. I didnt know the term 'modern mullet' but had encouraged my hairdresser to get really choppy and more more more because Im losing hair and we are trying to put lots of volume in

I think its just a tad too much mullet which would look fantastic on someone half my age with more hair but Im waiting for the helmet head to grow out a bit

So be careful. She is a fantastic hairdresser by the way, waiting for the inevitable 'well a good hairdresser wouldnt have resulted in helmet head', because what she achieves in the salon is obviously not what I can replicate at home.

Those styles are definitely dated. My hair could never go like that even back in the day. If yours does, I reckon you could have a choppy layered bob that would look lovely or some of the styles suggested by pps are a bit more modern.

I think the original styles are just a bit too layered, too neat and contrived. The too neat highlights make the second one more dated as well I think.

This is who I thought of instantly!!!

Like some other posters have said the photos you've posted are very very dated and will make you look much older than you are!

Go for a "Lob" (long bob), ask for it textured if you have a natural wave/flicky out bits!

Here's some photos of really nice lobs

Nice? They're a mess. They look like someone who hasn't done anything with their hair for years. The large picture in particular is awful..

I think the ‘haven’t done anything with their hair for years’ is precisely the look people are going for.

I think one of the generational divides is whether you think "messy" is a negative description of hair tbh!

The haircuts in the OP are very Natasha Kaplinsky 2002.

Maybe google Naomi Watts? She's good hair inspo for between chin and shoulder length?

Hi OP…. I had this dilemma when I hit 50. I’d grown it in lockdown ( as we all did) but honestly it looked horrible. I also have a wave in my hair which I can dry out straight or utilise according to my mood but it became thin and straggly. I used to have a lot of hair but menopause really kicked my ass. I’ve chopped my hair off “ short short” and it works for me because my clothing style is quite minimal and sharp. If I had been more boho or maximalist with my style I would have chosen a longer length. If I were to grow it I would look at a French Bob. Something that you can scrunch with a bit of product and leave to be quite messy or dry smooth. I think the ends need to be kept blunter to appear thicker.

There is a hairdresser on Tik Tok / You Tube called James Busby ( he works near London) who does the best hair consultations and has a load of clients who’ve gone shorter with textured bobs if you want to see some on real women.

I think one of the generational divides is whether you think "messy" is a negative description of hair tbh!

I don’t think it’s generational… some people are just staid.