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Original poster

What do we think about long hair on women aged 40's/50's? I'm thinking of growing mine.

48 replies

TsarChasm · 03/09/2008 12:12

By long hair I mean like Madonna's hair and Meryl Streep.

I've always thought long hair on older women was probably not too good, but I quite like the wavy/loose curly look they have. I would need a perm though and I haven't had one since the 80's and have baaaad flashbacks.

My hair is fine and straight and so far only just to the base of neck/top of shoulders. Do I carry on?

It can get a bit ratty and is needing a trim, but I don't want it all chopped short. It's taken me since Christmas to get this far.

OP posts:
Neeerly3 · 03/09/2008 12:15

my mum has very long hair and is 54. Its all one length and my sis and I have been badgering her to get some layering at the front to soften it up. She has a fringe too and is peppered with grey.....she says her hubby likes it and wants to keep it like that. I personally think she is thinking long hair = younger looking, but wouldn't dare tell her! If you gonna go long, get some shape to it and possibly curls like you say, but make sure it's done properly and you don't end up with ringlets!

Neeerly3 · 03/09/2008 12:16

also some colour (depending on your natural colour) would liven it up and make it look very healthy.

Original poster
TsarChasm · 03/09/2008 12:19

Yes Ikwym I don't think ringlets would be good at all.

No grey yet, by some miracle, but I will colour it if/when it arrives.

OP posts:
KatieDD · 03/09/2008 20:32

I'm growing mine, curly and wavy, it's going to be lovely.

Original poster
TsarChasm · 03/09/2008 21:06

Seems to take ages though.

I'm never sure if it's best to keep having trims or to just leave well alone and let it just grow.

OP posts:
cornsilk · 03/09/2008 21:10

It has to be in good condition. Keep getting it trimmed.

lou33 · 03/09/2008 21:14

mine is shoulder length and permed, but everyone thinks i am naturally curly

i am 41 btw

MaryAnnSingleton · 03/09/2008 21:15

think it can look great - depends on condition and a good cut,even if it is long it should be trimmed regularly. Interestingly I have had mine cut today (am an older one) - it was shoulder length with layers and I liked it but have chosen to have a chic bob (I hope it'll remain chic !), long at front and graduating up a bit at the back, so it's below jaw line,which I think is flattering. I hate longer hair a la Vanessa Feltz though. ( no disrespect to V as I like her)

Original poster
TsarChasm · 03/09/2008 21:17

I think it is needing a bit of a trim atm.

I get quite nervous in hairdressers. I've had some awful haircuts, or rather perhaps, total misunderstandings about what I wanted.

I think that's why I'm going to grow it now.

OP posts:
Original poster
TsarChasm · 03/09/2008 21:21

Lou I just peeped..Yours is lovely. It looks so natural

Agree re Vanessa Feltz. No that's not what I'm after

OP posts:
MaryAnnSingleton · 03/09/2008 21:30

yes Lou,yours looks v natural !

tootiredtothink · 03/09/2008 21:32

Have to say Lou - you look like Charlotte from Sex in the City, beautiful. Surely I can't be the first to notice?

Original poster
TsarChasm · 03/09/2008 21:40

Lou, if you're still there, may I ask how often you need to have your hair permed please?

In the bad old 80's my perms only looked really natural just before they needed doing again. I guess things have moved on (hopefully) and they're kinder to your hair nowadays.

OP posts:
MrsSchadenfreude · 03/09/2008 22:57

My hair is a bit like Lou's. But she looks a lot better than me

And I love those glasses!

solo · 03/09/2008 22:59

It can age you.

solidgoldbrass · 03/09/2008 22:59

I am growing mine at the moment, from very short spiky mess and have so far been through the Gary Glitter, Lord Summerisle, 80s Footballer Mullet stages and am now looking... well it's still a bit 80s but now it's kind of suburban mallrat. I am nearly 44 BTW.

Original poster
TsarChasm · 03/09/2008 23:14

Lol Solid. It's such an annoyingly slow process.

Also, I suspect mine may have peaked and reached a finite scrubby length, in which case I'll jusy abandon the whole project and sulk.

OP posts:
lou33 · 04/09/2008 08:19

thanks for the nice comments

i get it done about every six months (actually i am having it redone tomorrow), but not all over, last time it was just the regrowth on top that was done, this time it will be underneath as well

Beetroot · 04/09/2008 08:20

I have long hair and am 45.

It needs to be styled

No rats tales
not pony tail
and not scraped off the forehead.

tiredemma · 04/09/2008 08:22

My MIL has long hair (she is 44) and look fantastic.

My mum has long hair (she is 49) and it really looks awful.

noddyholder · 04/09/2008 08:43

I have long hair no style has such slightly wavy no fringe often wear it in a bun or with a wide hairband.Never going to have a style just don't like that overdone coffured look I love long hair on older women i think unless you are amazing looking short hair is for the young and pixie faced

Original poster
TsarChasm · 04/09/2008 10:24

Thanks for your thoughts and advice everyone I'm going to give it a go and see how I turn out.

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 04/09/2008 10:28

I don't think long hair ages you, I think SHORT hair ages you!

I had mine cut into short bob last year and though nice and smart all the photos I have made me look years older. Am growing it back longer to mid lenth now, and I already see the difference in photos.

Dropdeadfred · 04/09/2008 10:33

I hate it wen women are told long hair is for 'young' women..they the hack their hair off and look 10 years older immediately

BUT - unstyled, greying, thin hair costantly dragged in to a pony tail does NO ONE any favours....

citylover · 04/09/2008 10:38

I agree PM. I have ishoos about this subject. When I was a child my DM had my hair cut in a drastically short style. I craved long hair but apart from a brief period age about 7 was not allowed to have it.

My DM still goes on about me having my hair cut (I have shoulder length hair and have been growing fringe since Christmas). So the other day I told her no mum don't want short hair, on me it would look frumpy!! She just doesn't get it. I am growing mine longer at the moment - a long layered style.

A very good friend of mine has hers cropped (and I mean cropped) short all the time and it just doesn't suit her it's so harsh. But am too scared to tell her as she is so proud of it and says it's the only thing she spends money on!!!

I think you have to have an overall funky/kooky look and attitude to carry off very short hair. There was a woman on holiday who had that look.

So long hair for me. I'm 40 something.