Why do most women over 55 have short hair?

[HeadFairy]

Are we not allowed to have long hair when we're older? Is there some rule that says you must have a short perm? Just seen a troop of older women coming in to the office and not one of them had hair longer than a couple of inches.

I think it depends on your face and figure tbh

Some women tend to go a bit saggy and baggy after 40 (I know I have)

It's the haircut equivalent of not wearing top to bottom linen in middle age ... ie a shorter cut can make you look a bit neater, a bit sharper

You can't really get away with looking "flyaway" when you are older - it looks messy

But a longer, sharp cut can look good (like a classic long bob)

Has to be in good condition though ....or terribly ageing

I find the texture of my grey (a more than generous sprinkling) is transformed by using straighteners. I wouldn't be without them now.

ChristieF - I think you must mean women over 80 - the war ended 64 years ago, so anybody of working age during the war would be at least 78 now. My MIL (now 82) is of that generation and still wears her hair very much as she did then (though whether she ever had any sense of herself as a sensual being is doubtful; remembering my FIL's attitude to her, I'm inclined to think not....)

I think short hair on an older women is very flattering (think Judy Dench) but like Countingthegreyhairs said it depends on the shape of face ect, I have very short hair and I'm 34,don't think I'll ever go back to having long hair it's just too much hassle!