Is having long hair ok for a woman pass 40

In My Humble Opinion
41

I have extremely thick, naturally curly hair. It’s down around my shoulderblades right now, because the weight pulls some of the curl out. I’ve had it cut to my shoulders and bam! - I have BIG HAIR - sticks out a mile and looks horrible. My God - if I cut it past my shoulders, I would BE one of your customers - naturally! I shudder at the very thought.

I will never, ever, ever cut my hair short. I have no desire to look like Shirley Temple at age 50.

I just turned 30, and I got so excited upon finding my first set of gray hairs! I’m never dyeing it - there are just a few, but I think they look awesome next to my dark brown…and somehow, they make me feel so grown up! Yes, I know I’m strange.

42

I’m trying to talk Mrs. Scribe (who is over 40) into growing out her hair and letting it go gray. The deal is I have to wear muscle T-shirts (sleveless) when I’m outside working in the garden. The things we do for love.

43

Well, it does depend on the person and the hairstyle. I vote for the “get your friend to follow you with a camera” suggestion. I’ve known people over 40 who look great with long hair, and those who really should do something else to it than just growing it out. Long hair can go anywhere from classy to cave-woman.

I grew up with all the middle-aged and older ladies having either short hair or long hair in buns, so long-haired over-thirty-fives come as a surprise to me. I sometimes agonize over when/whether I’ll have to cut my hair–it’s long and I’m 22, but as I age I don’t know how my style will age with me. I still haven’t found a decent short hairstyle, though, so…

I do think that one reason many ladies chop it off, other than, er, ‘societal norms’, is that it’s easier to wash & care for. At least for them.

But, heck yeah, do whatever you want with your own hair! A close friend or SO has the right to comment on it and say whether they like it or not, just as they might tell you that X outfit looks awesome/unflattering on you. You then get to decide how much weight to assign to these opinions, and make the final decision. It’s YOUR head, YOUR hair. And besides, you usually can grow it back out/cut it at some later date, right?

Scarlett67, my friend and her fiance have a similar deal–she likes his hair long, and he likes hers long, so if he won’t cut his, she won’t cut hers, and everyone’s happy. They both look like happy, shaggy hippies some days, but are blissful. :smiley:

[hijack]
Sheesh, this is the first time I’ve seen anyone get banned over a hairstyle debate…
[/hijack]

44

There are so many classic styles that you can do with long locks, I personally hate the bun look, how ever I think the loose twist and the sides up can add to make you look not only attractive, but sexy as well no matter what the age. I love my long hair and I must know at least 20 different styles to wear it, according to what I am wearing and where I might be. I have no desire to “Look” like an old woman before my time. Having long hair affords you many ways to change your look. Short hair although convenient is boring to say the least and what a mess if you happen to have a bad hair day. You can’t whip it back in a pony tail or a braid!

45

Long silver hair is fantastically sexy, in my opinion.

46

Well, I have to say this thread made me feel better. My mother started dropping hints about my long hair when I turned 25 (I’m 31). My problem is that my hair has a lot of body, and the shorter it is the crazier it gets. I did have my head basically shaved at one point in the 80’s (with a fancy Cyndi Lauper checkerboard on the side :eek: ), and that seemed to help. Anything in between doesn’t look right though, so I’ve stayed with long hair ever since. I’m low-maintenance and I want my hair that way too.

47

My gf is 22 and her mom has been dropping the short hair hints for over 2 years now. Apparently she feels that short hair is fine if you’re a teenager, but not once you’re an “adult” because long hair is somehow childish. Blows my mind is all I can say

48

I and 35 and have long hair. WOuld never dream of getting it cut short. It shall be long when I am 55

49

If it were up to me, it would be compulsory. I love women with long hair, and despise the prevailing trend for short hair after a certain age. Ladies! Don’t do it!

50

I’m almost 40, long red hair which I plan to keep and never ever ask anybody’s permission to do anything to my own space or body.

51

Well.

I’m 48 years old, don’t much care what anyone besides SO thinks.

I would prolly have even longer hair, but getting whupped around on a motorcycle does a number on the Silver locks.

:wink:

52

on a motor cycle?? great !! see that’s my belief…keep as young as as you can for as long as you can…and one way I still feel young and attractive is having my long hair…although …to be very frank I DO DYE IT TO KEEP THE SLIVER AND WHITE LOCKS FROM APPEARING…a moment of honesty…I have no idea how much I have but…but I do have some white hairs at the temples…just afraid to strip it out in case I would damage my hair its very healthy…I would hate to think I WOULD HAVE TO CUT IT BECOUSE I SCREWED IT UP…

53

Mrs. Dave-Guy has always considered her hair to be one of her best features. It truly is lovely, thick and dark. So she kept it long, and at one point, it went below her buttocks.

Her mother said the same thing to her numerous times – a woman past a certain age shouldn’t have long hair. But that’s just silly. That’s like saying a man past a certain age shouldn’t have a mustache. Why? Why some arbitrary age for such things?

She recently did get it cut to shoulder-length (she’s 43), and she is very pleased with not only the look, but with the easier maintenance. Still, the length of someone’s hair is their business. I prefer my wife’s hair this length, but if she decided to grow it to waist length or longer, I would keep my mouth shut about it. It’s her hair, she can do what she wants with it.

54

Probably the two women who are aging most attractively that I know are:

  1. my dad’s friend Jane, a farmer who wears her silver hair in a long braid; and

  2. dr_mom_mcl; although her hair is short, she is not colouring it and she’s letting her black hair become streaked with silver, which looks very dignified. I suggested she grow it out (which I call the “Jane Goodall look”), which looks very good, I feel, on a professional, academic woman.

But anyway, what do I know? It only seems reasonable to me that a woman would know what to do with her hair better than a man would.

55

That is to say, than a man would know what to do with her hair.

56

I have to admit [sub]I don’t really like long hair on older women**.
I’m sorry, truly I am, but whenever I see it, I just cringe. Usually though, I’m cringing because the hair isn’t healthy, not simply because of the length. That said, long hair does tend to keep women looking younger if the hair is healthy.

But to answer the OP, is having long hair ok for a woman past 40? of course it is! Women can do whatever the hell they want with their hair, opinions of others be damned.

And for the record, the only other alternative for long hair isn’t the short permed hairdo of little old ladies. Many of them have that hairstyle simply because their hair has thinned so much that having long luxurious locks is no longer an option. There are tons of short stylish hairstyles that aren’t “little old lady” hairdos.

57

[sub]Preview is my friend. Preview is my friend.[/sub]

58

huh.

how did I know where this was headed?

could you plese see me in the Pit, LadyG?

Thanks!

59

I think there’s some kind of law that a woman over 60 HAS to have short hair.

60

Hello LadyG,

Great question! And, it’s one that has been discussed in my circle of fellow makeup artists, as well as, a few hairdresser pals 'o mine. Now, I completely agree that your body is definately your body and you have the right and freedom to do whatever you want with it. But, ask yourself this question - are you happy with how you look?

My pals and I agree that most women over 40 SHOULD NOT have long hair (long hair to us is way past the shoulders - shoulder length is medium.) First off, it really dates you and makes you look much, much older. Also, it really drags your face and body down, which (again) makes you look older. And, it makes you look like you’re stuck in the 60’s and trying to be 16 forever. Particularly if it isn’t well-kept - dull, frizzy, rarely gets cut, totally style-less (just long and straight like “hippy” hair), etc.

It seems there are exceptions to the rule, however, like women that are very tall (the long hair doesn’t “cut” their body in half like a shorter woman) or women who are exceptionally beautiful and use great skincare and good plastic surgeons! (like Dianne Cannon - who is quite tall, by the way.)

Well, anyway, I’m 38 and used to have long blonde hair way back when. It was pretty for the times but really thin. Now that I’m 37 I have a very cool, modern, layered cut that is just wonderful and so thick and healthy now that I get irked sometimes when people freak over my cut and run their fingers through my hair! I think I look better than I did in my teens and it’s really kept me young and hip.

But, it’s up to you, of course. If you’re happy and feel you look good, fuck 'em. Happy travels.

–pinky