Why don't older women look good with long hair?

[Acklander]

I think you can have long hair without it being because you're trying to look younger. A perfect example being Katharine Hepburn. She chose to wear/do what SHE liked. And she never came off as trying to deny her age.

 

[kimmar067]

...hair ain't what guys look for Well unless you are really shallow.

....oh, so you HAVE met me....

 

[amg35]

Chin length to just skimming the shoulders is fine. Anything mid-back and longer just looks wrong in an older woman. To me, it makes a woman look dated and trying to hang onto her youth which has long-ago departed. Honestly I only know one woman who has longish hair and as beautiful as she is and as beautiful as her hair still is, she looks really dated. All the other woman I see with long hair, it generally looks dry, brittle, and worn out.

What these ladies don't realize is how much more youthful and better they'll look if they just get it updated and cut.

Wow, that's a depressing statement!

The thing is, it's how you feel. Its other people that will think like that statement above and that's their problem, not yours! If you like your long hair, keep it!!

Over 50, you should be living your life to please you, not anyone else!

I'm 38, hair past my shoulders. Will I keep it long when I'm older? I don't know, it annoys me now!

 

[nancytoby]

I'm older than most here and the reasons I cut my hair short 5 years ago and keep it that way:

1) I color it and if it starts getting very long, the longest part of the hair gets colored repeatedly and eventually is pretty damaged

2) I'm active and want hair that's easy to swim, ride, and run with, without spending time fussing with it.

 

[dngnb8]

Who is that in the first picture? She looks fantastic!

That is Valerie Bertinelli.

That was the famous age 50 Bday Photoshoot. She is my age, and my secret crush since One Day at a Time

 

[tlbwriter]

I think some of us have different definitions of "long" hair. To me, shoulder length is medium, not long. And it's generally a flattering length for women of any age (depending on the shape of your face).

I've always been told the reason older women can't pull off long hair is because it gives the illusion of pulling the facial features down which ages one's face. If you see a "before" and "after" pic of this demonstrated, it's very apparent.

Yes, I think this is a big issue. Long hair emphasizes vertical facial lines.

Also, honestly, I think super long hair (past your bra band) really flatters almost no one. The hair itself may look good, but it tends to not flatter your face. (Yeah, Demi Moore, I'm looking at you.)

I have a neighbor who must be in her late 60s or early 70s, based on the ages of her children. She has long straight bleached blonde hair. She wears fake eyelashes and acid-washed jeans. On her, the length of her hair along with the rest of her look screams "trying to look 40 years younger than I am, but not succeeding." If she wore more flattering clothing, had a more natural looking hair color, and toned down the makeup a little, the length of her hair probably wouldn't give that same impression.

 

[luvmy3]

all in 50s

Susan Sarandon is 65 or 66 and Meryl Streep is also in her 60s. They look great, and I think their hair suits them.
Personally I like my hair on the shorter side (just above shoulders) as I get older, but I think that any age woman can wear her hair long, if it fits their face. Now if we are talking about adding pink bangs or feathers after 50 then I'd say different

 

[dngnb8]

hair ain't what guys look for Well unless you are really shallow.

I dont get this statement.

In any initial attraction, physical beauty is what catches the eye. People dont go

OH OH, look at her, wow, what a personality!

In my case, length isnt as important as the health. Healthy hair is soooooo sexy. Long Healthy Hair is incredible, no matter the age.

In all the negative comments Ive seen, hair isnt the issue about what makes someone attractive. The comments about Dyan Cannon had nothing to do with her hair. Makeup, Glasses, Plastic Surgery are not the hair.

In the pics I linked, all the women, who are over 50 and some are 60 btw, are gorgeous with gorgeous long healthy hair.

Consider this a Myth Busted

 

[dngnb8]

Susan Sarandon is 65 or 66 and Meryl Streep is also in her 60s. They look great, and I think their hair suits them.
Personally I like my hair on the shorter side (just above shoulders) as I get older, but I think that any age woman can wear her hair long, if it fits their face. Now if we are talking about adding pink bangs or feathers after 50 then I'd say different

Jane Seymour is almost 61

 

[mrsmom]

I will be 51 a Feb and i love my hair long ,it's to the middle of my back and i have had my hair short and everyone said it looked better longer.I think it depends of the way it looks on the person.

 

[NotUrsula]

Depends entirely on the woman .. and on her hair. Coloring it is hard on the health of the hair, and grey hair tends to have rather difficult texture unless you are a very lucky person. So, let's look at the best-known example of a beautiful woman who has always had gorgeous hair that she does NOT dye (I'm going with album art photos, as they all have similar levels of retouching):

Emmylou Harris in 1980, aged 33:

In 1997, aged 50, (w/ Linda Ronstadt):

Emmylou Harris last year, aged 63 (her skin is almost surely retouched in this one, but I doubt they did much with her hair):

Another reason that I went with professional studio photos for these examples is to show what a difference good makeup and lighting makes: Here is Harris in a photo taken at an outdoor summer concert on July 31st, she was hot and sweaty, and the sunlight wasn't so kind. Her hair also looked less pristine and not so silky, but I think that would be true of near anyone in such weather:

 

[Sparkleshine]

My Grandmother (80's) wears her hair quite long although it is always 'up'. She usually wears a french twist or a chignon but it is actually quite long and thick.

 

[Sparkleshine]

Also Heather Locklear (50), Christie Brinkley (57), and Goldie Hawn (66) all look great with their long hair!!

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't think you can make a blanket statement about older women and long hair...it really depends on the individual, as some of these photos have pointed out.

I do think that older women have to be very careful with longer hair, make sure it is VERY healthy looking and that the color (if it is colored) is well-done and kept up so they don't have the 2" gray roots before the brownish auburn starts. 2" gray roots aren't quite as noticeable on blondes.

I also noticed that in most of those pictures of "older" women with long hair, the hair is layered a bit, and sort of frames the face some....I think the long straight hair look is probably a bit too severe for most of the over-50 women. I will say that the picture posted of Susan Sarandon is not the most flattering of her and doesn't say much for her longer hair.

Of those 3 pictures posted, I'd say she looks the miost like her long hair is dragging her face down.

 

[KimR]

I also noticed that in most of those pictures of "older" women with long hair, the hair is layered a bit, and sort of frames the face some....I think the long straight hair look is probably a bit too severe for most of the over-50 women.

Actually, I think that's true for most all women, not just those over 50. A lilttle layering and curl is so much more flattering, IMO. But then again, I've never been a fan of the long, straight look. Even when that was the height of style several years ago, I still curled my hair. I'm sure my hairstyle looked dated, but I just couldn't bring myself to wear it straight. I'm so glad curls are back in style now.

 

[parrotheadlois]

I am older, the older I get, the finer my hair gets. I'm envious of women who have lovely thick gray hair! I've seen a woman near where I live who has the most beautiful gray hair. Not really long, maybe shoulder length. She just pulls it back with a headband, it looks fabulous! But, I think they are the exception to the rule. I think Emmy Lou looks fabulous, but I begin to wonder (not only with Emmy Lou), how many older women are using extensions. I don't think Jane or Susan or Meryl do - you can tell their hair is also getting more fine. I used to have nice thick hair - now, not such much. I've been trying to grow it a little longer and it's taking forever. But I know it will never be long again. For those of you who are lucky enough to still have lovely long hair - go for it!!

 

[MrsPete]

I'm 45 and my hair is thinner than it was when I was younger. It's not a big problem because I had very thick hair earlier . . . But I can't do as much with my hair as I used to be able to . . . And long hair only looks good if it's thick and luxurious. On the other hand, I often sit behind a woman at church who's probably 20 years my senior, and her waist length hair is super thick and gorgeous. I think my situation is more typical.

As for doing what we please, not many of us are going to be best pleased by a style that no longer looks good on us.

As for celebrities, that proves nothing. They have professional hair stylists do their hair before those photo shots, and we're not seeing how they look after a day at work.

 

[tvguy]

Okay, I have been out and about today......and I found something worse than older women with long hair...older women who color their hair a color that is way way way too dark for their age. If you had jet black hair 40 years ago, you might want to pick a lighter shade now that you are 70.

Also, noticed several older ladies with longer gray hair, and a couple were pretty darn hot looking. (the 60 year old with the jet black dyed hair, not so much)

 

[ilovepcot]

Okay, I have been out and about today......and I found something worse than older women with long hair...older women who color their hair a color that is way way way too dark for their age. If you had jet black hair 40 years ago, you might want to pick a lighter shade now that you are 70.

Yes! I've seen this as it's awful. Ages a woman terribly and gives her a "hard" look.

 

[Buckalew11]

Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon and whoever was pic #4 ALL would look better with shorter hair.
The don't look terrible, but they are stars. The average DISer does not look like Christy Brinkley so showing pics of Hollywood women does not help this argument.

Most *REAL* women would look better with a shorter, soften look (not a pixie--just shorter and styled.