Short hair on older women

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mother told me that women over 40 have to have short hair. Period. It’s culturally appropriate, she said.
Of course, I vowed to have long hair forever. And I’m in my 50s with long curly lustrous hair. Ha!

So you are really doing it to rebel against your mom. I get it. My mom doesn't 'approve' of tattoos or dyed hair. I didn't get tattoos because I don't like them but, I do dye my hair every once in a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No idea. My Mother always called women who did that "Q-tips."

With quality wigs readily available and affordable, there is no reason except for ignorance and personal choice that a woman cannot have attractive hair as she ages.

Your mother is a disgusting woman and she has raised you the same way.

[Anonymous]

I had short "hipster" hair in my 20s and it was indeed way more work. It is curly so I had to flat iron it daily to get it in the right configuration. Lots of product. Plus expensive trims every 6 weeks or the style didn't look right.
My husband was commenting on how he doesn't like short hair on women and I said "You do remember what my hair looked like when we met, right?" It was 2008. He said "Yeah, but that was the style back then."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do older women get their haircut short when that exposes their necks and necks show age? And is it because their hair gets thin, they think it makes them look better, or they want less hassle of washing it?

How are you defining “older women”?

Why do I care if my aging neck is exposed? Do you consider it indecent?

I’m in my 50s, and my hair is halfway down my back. It is thick and frizzy, so twisted into a bun every day. Short hair is a nuisance to deal with. A neighbor/family friend wore a bun well into her 80s when her arthritis made it too painful, and I always admired her style.

How is short hair a nuisance? It is much easier to have shorter hair...less time washing it and you brush and go. And honestly, you wear your hair however you want it. But to say short hair is more work is not true.

You’re aware that people have different hair types, right? This an incredibly uninformed thing to say. If you have frizzy hair, short hair is a nightmare and is FAR more work and seldom looks good. And forget about living in an area with a lot of humidity. I personally don’t have straight hair so I will refrain from telling people who do whether or not a particular style is more work or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 58. My hair is naturally wavy and I still have a lot of it. I straighten it about half the time. Barring a major health issue, I have no plans to cut my hair short enough that I can’t pull it up. Even my hairdresser says short hair would be way more work for me based on my hair type.

I don’t wear it as long as I did in my 20s and 30s but that’s a personal preference, not pressure to follow an unwritten rule about long hair on older women. I keep it around my shoulders or just below these days.

+1
This describes me too. I almost always wear my hair in a ponytail, so it has to be at least long enough to pull it back. I do think it would be more work if I had shorter hair that couldn't be pulled into a ponytail. It would have to be styled every day and I'm not up for it.

Dp. It is not 'more work' to have short hair! Since when did having less of something take more time?

I don't care what you do with your hair..no judgement but I have short hair and do not style it every day! That is very funny!!

My hair has its own personality with a lot of cowlicks. When long, the weight of the hair keeps it presentable right from when I wake up. Short, some of my hair goes one way, the rest is straight. I use a round brush to get my cowlicks to heel with a hair dryer. So...longer time styling.

See how that works when you don't assume everyone is the same as you.
NP

In general less of anything is less work. Would you say having a fewer children more work? Or a smaller house? Of course not ( not talking about kids with disabilities)

So excluding you and a few others would you agree that shorter hair is less work than long hair?

This is a really odd thing to be so stubborn about. Why on earth can you not believe what people tell you about their OWN hair? Do you have to be right about everything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 58. My hair is naturally wavy and I still have a lot of it. I straighten it about half the time. Barring a major health issue, I have no plans to cut my hair short enough that I can’t pull it up. Even my hairdresser says short hair would be way more work for me based on my hair type.

I don’t wear it as long as I did in my 20s and 30s but that’s a personal preference, not pressure to follow an unwritten rule about long hair on older women. I keep it around my shoulders or just below these days.

55 with very thick hair. Below shoulders. I have never had short hair. I would look awful given my head size and face shape.

It’s strange but my hair has actually gotten thicker in my 50s. My mom is 80 with very thick hair so I guess not everyone gets thin hair or bald spots with age.

me too. I am 54--will be 55 in February.

I have a giant Irish head, round face, short forehead. I look god awful with bangs or any hair above my shoulders. I do have cheekbones somehow--and Italian/mediterranean skin. Longish hair--at least to shoulders or a bit below elongates my face as needed. I look so much better with hair on the longer side. Never ever would a short hair do look good. My mom is 80 with a thick bob (no thinning hair at all--still has to have the volume razored out underneath) and it makes her look so youthful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 58. My hair is naturally wavy and I still have a lot of it. I straighten it about half the time. Barring a major health issue, I have no plans to cut my hair short enough that I can’t pull it up. Even my hairdresser says short hair would be way more work for me based on my hair type.

I don’t wear it as long as I did in my 20s and 30s but that’s a personal preference, not pressure to follow an unwritten rule about long hair on older women. I keep it around my shoulders or just below these days.

55 with very thick hair. Below shoulders. I have never had short hair. I would look awful given my head size and face shape.

It’s strange but my hair has actually gotten thicker in my 50s. My mom is 80 with very thick hair so I guess not everyone gets thin hair or bald spots with age.

me too. I am 54--will be 55 in February.

I have a giant Irish head, round face, short forehead. I look god awful with bangs or any hair above my shoulders. I do have cheekbones somehow--and Italian/mediterranean skin. Longish hair--at least to shoulders or a bit below elongates my face as needed. I look so much better with hair on the longer side. Never ever would a short hair do look good. My mom is 80 with a thick bob (no thinning hair at all--still has to have the volume razored out underneath) and it makes her look so youthful.

You’re both very lucky. The women in my family all start out with gorgeous movie star hair that all but disappears from their heads by menopause. I’m taking oral minoxidil to try to stave off the inevitable as long as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 58. My hair is naturally wavy and I still have a lot of it. I straighten it about half the time. Barring a major health issue, I have no plans to cut my hair short enough that I can’t pull it up. Even my hairdresser says short hair would be way more work for me based on my hair type.

I don’t wear it as long as I did in my 20s and 30s but that’s a personal preference, not pressure to follow an unwritten rule about long hair on older women. I keep it around my shoulders or just below these days.

+1
This describes me too. I almost always wear my hair in a ponytail, so it has to be at least long enough to pull it back. I do think it would be more work if I had shorter hair that couldn't be pulled into a ponytail. It would have to be styled every day and I'm not up for it.

Dp. It is not 'more work' to have short hair! Since when did having less of something take more time?

I don't care what you do with your hair..no judgement but I have short hair and do not style it every day! That is very funny!!

My hair has its own personality with a lot of cowlicks. When long, the weight of the hair keeps it presentable right from when I wake up. Short, some of my hair goes one way, the rest is straight. I use a round brush to get my cowlicks to heel with a hair dryer. So...longer time styling.

See how that works when you don't assume everyone is the same as you.
NP

In general less of anything is less work. Would you say having a fewer children more work? Or a smaller house? Of course not ( not talking about kids with disabilities)

So excluding you and a few others would you agree that shorter hair is less work than long hair?

This is a really odd thing to be so stubborn about. Why on earth can you not believe what people tell you about their OWN hair? Do you have to be right about everything?

They think they’re right and just can’t accept that they’re not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what kind of short haircut you all are imagining when you say it’s high maintenance?

My hair is a pixie like Mia Farrow wore in the 70s. It takes 1 minute to wash and 1 minute to dry and 1 minute to apply some bed head type product to give it some volume/lift and I usually leave it spiky.

My very short hair takes less time to wash dry and style than it has at any other length over my lifetime. And I’m finally at that place in my life where I know I’m freaking gorgeous and amazing so I feel totally confident in it.

That’s it. Short hair requires confidence which many women don’t have.

For me it's being realistic: I do not have delicate features at all. I need some hair to balance that out. You can't fault people for trying to make the most out of their look. Why would someone knowingly get a haircut that will make them look worse?

+1
I also have a chubby, round face and look horrible with short hair. I just keep it around shoulder length.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do older women get their haircut short when that exposes their necks and necks show age? And is it because their hair gets thin, they think it makes them look better, or they want less hassle of washing it?

How are you defining “older women”?

Why do I care if my aging neck is exposed? Do you consider it indecent?

I’m in my 50s, and my hair is halfway down my back. It is thick and frizzy, so twisted into a bun every day. Short hair is a nuisance to deal with. A neighbor/family friend wore a bun well into her 80s when her arthritis made it too painful, and I always admired her style.

How is short hair a nuisance? It is much easier to have shorter hair...less time washing it and you brush and go. And honestly, you wear your hair however you want it. But to say short hair is more work is not true.

You’re aware that people have different hair types, right? This an incredibly uninformed thing to say. If you have frizzy hair, short hair is a nightmare and is FAR more work and seldom looks good. And forget about living in an area with a lot of humidity. I personally don’t have straight hair so I will refrain from telling people who do whether or not a particular style is more work or not.

Exactly. My wiry, frizzy hair would be an absolute disaster if it was short. A medium length works for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 58. My hair is naturally wavy and I still have a lot of it. I straighten it about half the time. Barring a major health issue, I have no plans to cut my hair short enough that I can’t pull it up. Even my hairdresser says short hair would be way more work for me based on my hair type.

I don’t wear it as long as I did in my 20s and 30s but that’s a personal preference, not pressure to follow an unwritten rule about long hair on older women. I keep it around my shoulders or just below these days.

+1
This describes me too. I almost always wear my hair in a ponytail, so it has to be at least long enough to pull it back. I do think it would be more work if I had shorter hair that couldn't be pulled into a ponytail. It would have to be styled every day and I'm not up for it.

Dp. It is not 'more work' to have short hair! Since when did having less of something take more time?

I don't care what you do with your hair..no judgement but I have short hair and do not style it every day! That is very funny!!

Amazing how bossy you are! I'm the PP and I was talking about my own hair - which would absolutely be a ton of work to keep looking nice every day if it was short. It's not the kind of hair that looks good short. Not that I have long hair either, but as I said - it has to be long enough so I can stick it in a ponytail, which I do most of the time. If it was short, I'd be walking around with a frizzy mess and no way to pull it off my face.

Maybe stick to your own hair and stop insisting that others have it wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do older women get their haircut short when that exposes their necks and necks show age? And is it because their hair gets thin, they think it makes them look better, or they want less hassle of washing it?

How are you defining “older women”?

Why do I care if my aging neck is exposed? Do you consider it indecent?

I’m in my 50s, and my hair is halfway down my back. It is thick and frizzy, so twisted into a bun every day. Short hair is a nuisance to deal with. A neighbor/family friend wore a bun well into her 80s when her arthritis made it too painful, and I always admired her style.

How is short hair a nuisance? It is much easier to have shorter hair...less time washing it and you brush and go. And honestly, you wear your hair however you want it. But to say short hair is more work is not true.

You’re aware that people have different hair types, right? This an incredibly uninformed thing to say. If you have frizzy hair, short hair is a nightmare and is FAR more work and seldom looks good. And forget about living in an area with a lot of humidity. I personally don’t have straight hair so I will refrain from telling people who do whether or not a particular style is more work or not.

Exactly. My wiry, frizzy hair would be an absolute disaster if it was short. A medium length works for me.

I'm reviving this older thread because lately I've been having thoughts of cutting my long hair off for a short cut and wanted the DCUM collective thoughts on the topic. I'm mid 50s, natural color (mostly gray) and have had long hair for almost my entire life. Like the PP, I have frizzy hair so I don't think I have the right texture or facial features for short hair.

Is there an app for trying this out?? I think I need to stay calm and resist this strange urge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had short "hipster" hair in my 20s and it was indeed way more work. It is curly so I had to flat iron it daily to get it in the right configuration. Lots of product. Plus expensive trims every 6 weeks or the style didn't look right.
My husband was commenting on how he doesn't like short hair on women and I said "You do remember what my hair looked like when we met, right?" It was 2008. He said "Yeah, but that was the style back then."

dp I'm sorry but, why does your husband get to dictate his opinion on women's hair?? How does it affect him? We are not put on this planet just to make HIM happy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 58. My hair is naturally wavy and I still have a lot of it. I straighten it about half the time. Barring a major health issue, I have no plans to cut my hair short enough that I can’t pull it up. Even my hairdresser says short hair would be way more work for me based on my hair type.

I don’t wear it as long as I did in my 20s and 30s but that’s a personal preference, not pressure to follow an unwritten rule about long hair on older women. I keep it around my shoulders or just below these days.

+1
This describes me too. I almost always wear my hair in a ponytail, so it has to be at least long enough to pull it back. I do think it would be more work if I had shorter hair that couldn't be pulled into a ponytail. It would have to be styled every day and I'm not up for it.

Dp. It is not 'more work' to have short hair! Since when did having less of something take more time?

I don't care what you do with your hair..no judgement but I have short hair and do not style it every day! That is very funny!!

Amazing how bossy you are! I'm the PP and I was talking about my own hair - which would absolutely be a ton of work to keep looking nice every day if it was short. It's not the kind of hair that looks good short. Not that I have long hair either, but as I said - it has to be long enough so I can stick it in a ponytail, which I do most of the time. If it was short, I'd be walking around with a frizzy mess and no way to pull it off my face.

Maybe stick to your own hair and stop insisting that others have it wrong?

Oh my God...expressing an opinion does not make one 'bossy'. Now if I told you in real life 'get a hair cut' or told you what to do that would be bossy. Like I said, I really don't care what you do but the average person ( not talking about you because obviously you are special) short hair is less work.

And of course I am sticking to my own head. What a crazy thing to say! I am not going around with scissors cutting people's hair. Get a grip

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of elderly women in Florida with long hair. Believe me it is not a good look. It is stringy and straggly and thinning.

Shoulder length would be a huge improvement on many.

Just stop. Women should be free to do whatever they want.