Beauty and hair help!

[Nordic89]

I had my hair cut short a couple of weeks ago - I'm 63. I like the convenience, but now I'm in frumpy mode. How can I look less frumpy, and sorry, manly. I'm slim and do wear makeup. Should I get a colour put on, I'd quite like blonder but never coloured my hair before, and I'm 30% grey now at the sides and temples.
Should I wear more makeup? Would this soften me? I really like the cut but HELP!!

Anyone?

That is the reason I keep my hair long. In theory, cropped styles are gorgeous and gamine but I do find them aging and they can make older women look a bit no-nonsense sensible, just when we are free to be the opposite.

It will grow out! Meanwhile, I'd use it as an excuse to trial some really good earrings. Not whacky ones, just absolute beauties that usually get obscured by hair. Probably not dangly ones, but lovely art nouveau or modern ones.

And good lipstick.

Maybe also use a light brown brow mascara or brow dye as that helps give good definition to the face.

For clothes, I would go with styles that embrace the boyishness of the cut. Not floral dresses. Loose Japanese style silk or linen blouses, or breton stripes and a blazer. Personally I LOVE the look of a woman in a suit with a proper shirt and loosely knotted men's tie. But it's not to everyone's taste.

I would wear more make up. Mascara.

it’s a good cut and I doubt you look manly.

I think your hair really suits you. If I were you I'd keep this colour as it works for you and you sound like you'd dislike the faff of dying and the maintenance involved anyway.

A little makeup might give you a boost, perhaps just a mascara and lipstick when you feel like it.

You already look great

I think the haircut really suits you, I like it. Personally my advice would be to have more defined eyebrows - it will make you look younger and more polished. I get powder brows done every 18 months and I think it makes such a difference. Plus you don’t have to faff with filling them in with make up every day.

You don’t look manly!

Agree, I would treat myself to some new earrings. Or maybe even get another set of piercings and have 2 or 3 sets up the ear.
It's a nice cut, OP, and you can carry it off, not everyone can.

Your hair’s great! It just needs the right products to make it vibrant and glossy. Didn’t your hairdresser suggest anything?

I disagree with everything @Tonissister says. (Except lipstick and brow definition.) Short hairstyles can be absolutely wonderful as long as they suit the face of the wearer. (Yours definitely does.) And, while there’s nothing wrong with androgynous clothing styles, there’s really nothing cuter or more chic than a sharp short haircut and ultra-feminine clothes. Frilly and flouncy is one route, or just really clear cut - like a white shirt with a sculptural cut away collar, or a huge cable knit in a fabulous colour.

Are you anywhere near London, @Nordic89?

You are pretty! You remind me of Charlotte Rampling in her pomp. 🤩 💕
It’s a nice haircut.

Im no good on clothes, but face-wise….
I would say, get your brows done professionally. And book a makeover at Space NK, asking for the result you want. They are SO good there, and have all the different brands to choose from. Stress that you want natural, light and feminine, to balance the strong hairstyle.

The make-up things that I think will make a big difference in your situation are:

1. A soft pink lip - Dior Addict Lip Glow in Rosewood (lipstick type formulation not the one with the applicator) or Charlotte Tilbury Happikiss in Pillow Talk are both good, and both come out more pink than the online photos suggest.

2. Natural precision / micro eyebrow pencil - drawing on feathery strokes to follow the feminine arch your beauty therapist creates.

3. Cream stick blush. I have tried the expensive ones but the E.L.F. one I keep coming back to is cheap as chips. Put it high up on the side/top of your cheekbone, between the top of your ear and your eye, and blend well. (Top tip from Nina, a truly brilliant Space NK MUA) Game-changer for lifting one’s whole face. Most women over 40 apply blusher much too low and central and it just drags everything down visually https://amzn.eu/d/00O3biKW

4. If you’re feeling like splashing out, a full set of lash extensions from a lash technician who’s been personally recommended to you. Mine cost £50 and last 6-8 weeks. Don’t just approach someone you find online, as they may not be any good or may not ‘do’ anything other than the big dramatic look. Find someone who has amazingly natural extensions and ask who they use. I can see you have quite hooded eyes, and lash extensions can be transformative for this eye shape. I have very deep set eyes and it makes a world of difference to my ‘look’.

Bonus thing if you’re looking for another make-up basis, is a light reflective concealer. Again, the Charlotte Tilbury one is vg. Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer. Just a few dots here and there, blended out, will make a huge difference.

I love your hair and you dont look manly. I may be biased as my hair is very similar and has been for 50 plus years. I have had to embrace my grey as I have a reaction to hair dyes. I wear minimal makeup but always wear earrings that people comment positively on. Have a look at the jewellers on Find a Maker - all hand made and of varying £. I don't wear dresses because I just dont like them and generally wear shirts (my preference is cotton, linen or silk) or a plain t-shirt and jeans or linen trousers. I size up in jeans as I prefer a looser fit. Always flat shoes. My view is that you can look or be equally feminine (if thats what you want) as women with long hair and wearing a dress. Im not tall and willowy - 5 foot and a size 12 😎

Yes, I live in Finsbury park

Did you go from long to short? It can take a bit of grtt8ng used to.
I had really short hair a few years back , with the top layers a bit longer . It was a good time to try different hair dyes ( I dye my own hair) as it grows quick. Downside is - it grows quick 😃
Earrings, eyebrows, some texture.
If people say how easy short hair is , the downside is it needs washed pretty much every day but that's quick .

Growing it out was worst bit ( Justin Bieber "Baby" video hair 🤣)

Getting used to ( my iPad autocorrect for pure drivel )

I think that cut looks great on you! Admittedly mine isn't a lot longer so I might be biased - mine is also curly / wavy which might soften the effect a bit. (Age 69 for context.)

I always think my hair looks its best 2-4 weeks after a cut so my first advice is to give it a bit more time to 'grow into you'.

I don't have much make up advice (as it doesn't interest me) other than lipstick which takes no time to apply and yet makes an instant impact. I'm more interested in what clothes to wear with it and also in what persuaded you to go for the cut - was it purely convenience or was there something else going on? If it were me, I'd try and figure that out and then lean into it some more with my clothes. (You could also go the other way with something ultra feminine as other posters have suggested.)

Aha! Excellent news.

Get some good advice on products for your hair first. (Here, hairdresser, ChatGPT …) Get it to the point where you think it looks wow.

Then - take yourself off to the Dries van Noten shop on Hanover Sq. Be prepared to try on pretty much every lipstick they sell. (And to choose one of the breathtakingly pretty cases to put it in.) Think of this as the celebration for your new hairstyle.

Once you’ve chosen one - with the assistance of the infinitely patient staff - spend a good bit of time looking at the clothes. It doesn’t matter whether they do or don’t suit your budget. (Also doesn’t matter if they’re a million miles from your usual style.) The object is to look. In person, not online. Use the mirrors or try things on. It will be absolutely impossible for you to see your hairstyle as in any way masculine or ‘frumpy’ once you’ve seen it against those fabulously exuberant garments.

It looks great! You look confident and together and I admire your hair cut very much! I would also suggest earrings, brows, lashes, lipstick and blusher, although I don't think you are in any danger of looking "manly" without, at all.

I like your hair, both the colour and the cut - you don't look manly at all.

I like the style and you do not look manly! If it were me I would either get it dyed either Bleach blonde or red.
I love makeup I’d go for..
glossy skin, Charlotte Tilbury has some great foundations to get a glossy finish but Rimmell also do a cheaper version called Multi tasker.
An eyebrow tint.
Mascara, a nude/brown eyeshadow or if you’re going blonde lilac looks great, I also run this underneath my bottom lashes instead of eyeliner.
A red lipstick.
I’d also get myself some funky earrings and necklaces.
Only if you can be bothered though, you look great as you are.

I think you’re beautiful! Your stunning blue eyes would benefit from groomed eyebrows, and definitely find a lipstick shade that suits you. I wonder if you should go even more silver and really embrace the look. ChatGBT could help with different looks. I’ve requested all kinds of different looks, from a pixie cut to full extensions - both were awful on me. 🥴

I agree with others, it looks great. Your picture made me think of Sharon Stone’s hair. If you’re considering colour and styling I’d look to her hair for inspiration.

The hair is fab. Really suits your face shape. I think you might like it more with more texture to give it a little lift.

moroccan oil dry texture spray and texture clay are great for styling

I’ve given myself a quiff today in my pixie cut (I’m 50 and totally silver)

play around with it, dry it in multiple directions to give it some oomph

I agree about cropped styles making women no nonsense sensible. I sit on the bus and look at other women (I like to observe how women put themselves together) and I'm amazed by the amount of older women with those short crops. It has a 'I'm past it' vibe, which is fine if that's what you want to communicate. . I agree about also about beautiful earrings, and a nice lipstick ..

One reason so many older women go for a short cut is because hair can get a lot thinner after the menopause and a longer style can accentuate it. I'm not saying this is the op's motivation - she hasn't said - but there's really nothing amazing about it - just life.

My first thought when I saw you was Annette Bening ! I normally don't like short hair but I think you look great . Stay with this colour. You need some lipstick and maybe more defined brows . Maybe a bit of floof for your hair.

those short crops. It has a 'I'm past it' vibe,

ODFOD …