At what age can you no longer get away with long hair?

[mamamamama]

I'm 36, work at a senior level in a professional firm. I know very short hair suits me because I used to have it. I now have very long hair. I'm toying with having it cut short again because I'm starting to think I can't get away with long hair anymore. And before you suggest I go half way, shoulder length / bobbed hair just doesn't work for me. The problem is that once it's done it's done and I'll be stuck with it because it takes so long to grow out. Realistically it will mean I will never have long hair again.

I think its all to do with the styling of it whether its long or short at whatever age.
Long hair on an older woman looks fab if its blowed dried and tended to not scraped back into a platt or low bobble with centre parting and obviously hasnt been tended to in a long time same goes for short hair, the frizzy, just got up and as my hair is short I dont have to do anything to it look is a big no.
If its Short & styled its great. But I guess ultimately it all depends on what makes you feel good about yourself and what suits your face shape.

Most days I wear mine in a low chignon bun thing sometimes with a sparkly clip or slide at the front.If i wear it loose it is not really styled at all just a bit wavey

mamamamamamam i also have long atm hair and have had it cropped and liked it.. am also toying with cutting it all off again... not worried about age so much as am only 31... in fact i was wondering if i am too 'old' to have it short as theres less to distract from the lines and chin etc that i didnt have when i had cropped hair at 23.
people keep saying how nice it looks atm tho... which i dont agree with but i lack conviction to make a decision [frowns at self for patheticness]

yes giddykipper - that pic looks great, and so easy! also, when hair is short like that and regularly cut you can piss about with colours... i had mine v v blonde when it was that short, with no worries about condition of hair coz by the time its looking a bit dry from dying its cut off iyswim

I am 37 and have long hair! I don't think there is a cut off point.

If it's lon (say half awy down back) it mustn't be grey.

when you die. I really really really hate this attitude that women over a certain age should have short hair. Why not go the whole hog and get a granny perm at 50?

That's a good point about the colouring actually amphi - I have had it highlighted before but because my hair is so fine it can't take it for long without breaking. Not so much of an issue if it's short.

Well, I'm 41, my hair is bra-strap length and about half grey. Oh and I have a centre parting and usually wear it in a pony-tail band!

And I don't give a stuff whether anyone likes it, apart from me and DH!

PMSL at 'Mewsreader hair' Noddy!!!!

I am 32 this year and have long hair. No plans to chop it here either.

There are loads of older slebs with long hair who look amazing.

Not sure about grey though in long hair, surely it is very ageing?

Get thee to a salon I say or Nicky Hambleton Jones will eb after yuo...........

I am lucky noy grey but will be dyeing it to the bitter end when it is unles beautiful stylish silver,but how do you do the in between bit?Not sure about grey roots

its a personal matter, do you want "stylish" looking long hair that does need maintaining in the morns or hair that you just clip up and go.

the media images of women, including the one of the Dove woman posted earlier, are stylised, lights and camera, no doubt about it. Does that woman walk out the door looking like that every morning...i'd guess she'd need 15mins at least doing the hair after a nights sleep for lovely sleek hair.

i'd look at the real photos of X out and about and see yeah it works on her not her maybe me. jessica lange has medium hair and its lovely. shes older than you i know but those actresses of a certain age do know how to wear it well... la la lala!!

I think it all depends on whether you look after it as long hair is old. If you think how long it takes for that hair to grow so long the ends are ancient! I have long dyed hair and I'm 40 this week. I look younger but even if I didn't I'd keep it long as it suits me. Long straggly hair looks bad on any age.
Agree short crops can look great on the right face shape.

As you get older, you have to take better acre of your hair, long or short.

Keeping it loog-and I would -juts means you need to be strict about keeping it cut neatly, blow-drying and using conditioning treatments to keep it looking sleek not shaggy, as our hair naturally gets coarser/dryer and therefore a bit frizzy as we get older.

Short hair, on the other hand, will need slightly less in the way of maintenance, but needs loads more daily styling to look good.

So, extra work eiether way, but if it still looks good, I'd keep it long-personally, I think softer, longer styles are much more flattering as we age, though I do think Dame Judi Dench looks fab!

noddy -- lol at newsreader hair

long hair here...
over 35 it's not supposed to be below where the bra strap joins

keeping mine as long as i can but i ask dh every now and then if I'm to old for it (ahem 40-45)

short hair needs looking after A LOT

no it doesnt... ok, so you need regualr cuts, but day to day is a piece of piss. at least, mine was.

It all depends on your bone structure and what suits you- at your age you are still very young! Makes me when people 15 years younger than me start talking of being "old"!

I had almost shoulder length bob til i was 45 -ish then went much shorter - layers and a bit choppy- and I reckon it took years off me- lifts the old face,as long as it's not severe.

If you wear long hair tied back etc it just gives the same effect as short hair- off your face but without any height or softness.

i've an ex dancer friend in her 70s, who looks stunningly graceful with her mid-back silver hair. it completely depends on attitude... another in 70s has cropped elfin haircut and it goes perfectly with her bolshy temperament! they both take maintenance, so go with what reflects your personality best...

I'm 38 and recently had my bra strap length hair cut into a bob. It's been an absolute revelation - it feels fantastic, is much easier to care for and I've been told it makes me look much younger. Wish I'd done it years ago.

40 here with short short bleached blonde hair. Although i like it very short on me as it suits me, it's a bit of pain for maintaining as it costs me around £80 per session at the salon, and that has to be about every 6 weeks. haven't had my hair done for about 3 months now and needless to say it looks naff!!

I'm goign to try and grow it a bit now so that it wont notice quite so much if i haven't been to the salon for a while.....

Quick poll of the senior ladies at my work: I have long hair that I either have tied and plaited back or every so often get cut in a layered style and wear down. My boss: in her 40's long hair worn loose. Another senior lady in her 50's has short bob. Very dynamic senior lady in her 40's: long hair looking like a haystack.
whatever your personality can get away with!
None of us has time to dye our hair and I have major white streaks which have been voted "cool" although that's not MY words!

My granny has wonderful long hair at 93. Always well groomed & neatly put up - still looks professional, imho (she used to be a lawyer & farmer)