Long hair on older women

I hope I do not look like an old witch!!

I am shocked at the idea that a care home would cut someone's hair like that.

My MiL was one who just let her hair grow. When I first saw her with it down, coupled with her missing teeth and baggy clothes I thought she looked like an old witch, but she told us her husband liked it. I keep mine short so that I can just wash it, run a comb through it and be ready to go.

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I would have loved longer hair. My hair is thick (my asset) and gets to feel too heavy so it's never been much longer than it is at present.
I know I am silver at the temples, think it's salt and pepper on top.

This is my present colour/style. Very easy to keep

I don't know about "12 year old hair" - mine is in plaits, so I guess the same could be said of me; but I do not believe that there are styles for either young or old - wear it however you feel comfortable. The plaits are great - if you feel like it you can pin them up and that looks quite good. The GC love my "pigtails" and they tickle my neck with them.

I don`t agree that long hair pulls your face down and shows your wrinkles lol as one poster says . Do whatever you want with your hair . I look terrible with short hair as I found out a few years ago when my hairdresser suggested a new style and it took forever to grow back . I have it just past my shoulders in a light reddish colour and most of the time put it up in a twist . I always wear makeup out of the house and spend the spare bit of money I have on a good serum and moisturiser . Just because we are getiing on a bit doesn't mean you have to have your hair cut and stop wearing makeup but if that's what you want to do then that's OK too .

I have always worn my hair long it is so much easier to keep tidy and looking good,it is past my waist now and is plated or up in a big bun holder or clip.
There was a time a few years ago when I had ideas of cutting it to shoulder length but decided against it,the only draw back is the time it takes washing and drying and two boxes of Nice & Easy every 2 months as one box is not enough.So do what you want and keep your hair long if you want to its your choice no one elses.

Your hair is lovely wot! No wonder you don't want to cut it.

I would love to have my collar length bob back but unfortunately I have very little hair at the moment as I'm going through a second round of chemo. I do have a short wig however and I love the look. The only thing is it's thicker than my 'normal' hair. I am 69 and think that if your hair is in good condition and the longer length suits you then why not?

I just pull it into a pony tail a la Vicky Pollard! When it was short I had to wrestle with the tongs, moose any gaud knows what!

My witchy hair! Might look awful but I couldn't bear to have it cut.

Personal choice surely....my only inner grumble is when its just allowed to growwwww........you know never trimmed and goes very 'ratty' at the ends.....and even then much younger folks are just as guilty of that. There is a lady of my acquaintance who has it half way down her back but its very fine, never trimmed and she wears two dainty slides either side to keep it off her face.
Its almost as if she is wearing her own 12 year old hair in her 50s - which is daft because she is always very smartly dressed. Hey ho!
Mind you it could be sour grapes on my behalf, mine will never get much longer than collar length and its very fine so I have always been a bit limited as to style. I'd also like it to make its mind up as to how grey its going to be.....at the moment I'm a bit too 'salt and pepper' for my liking but will never go back to the rigmarole of high/low lights just to pretend I'm still a bit blonde.

my grey hair is short , but that is my choice ! I cringed when I read about the lady getting hers cut off in the care home , My MIL had her long hair in a plait rolled up into a bun and it looked tidy and elegant

How awful, Gaggi3, what an indignity for the poor woman!

I get a bit fed up with the idea that older women should wear their hair short. We should wear it just how we like. I find long is easier to manage as it looks fine even when you get up in the morning, whereas a short cut has to be styled - I am too lazy!

DH's aunt, who was nearly 100 when she died, had long hair all her life, which she wore in a French pleat. She was in a care home for the last 3 or 4 months of her life and they cut her hair. Of course, I know that they did this for good practical reasons, but it did seem to be the beginning of the end for her and I felt sad about it.

I have never had long hair but I have had 'big ' hair as it is curly and was always quite thick. It has thinned out to normal now! I recently had a new style because of this and love it..much shorter at the back than I have had for a while. I can just wash it and leave it which is all I can manage as am not good at using curlers/straighteners etc!! It is coloured , slightly lighter than my natural 'younger me' colour to cover what I guess is almost 100% grey now.

I think we should all wear our hair as we want and in styles and colours that make us feel content and suit our lifestyle.

My son has just been to take me to drop in a card and present for my friend who is 75 today.
She wears her hair very short and blonde and it suits her to a T. That is what we should all do. She is also very pretty and looked wonderful today.

I just put it in a pony tail then use one of those bun nets which are attached to a bow on a clip. Dead easy, looks sophisticated and keeps hair in place from dawn to bedtime,

If I had a personal hairdresser or Maid, my hair would still be long but I eventually succumbed to arthritic fingers, which refused to pleat or insert hairpins neatly and now have a short bob. . If I end up in care (which heaven forefend) I shall insist on letting my hair grow and having it 'put up' every morning

There are no rules when it comes to hair or clothes. It's whatever you are happy with. Mine is now collar length because I am growing the bleach blonde out. I will grow it to shoulder length again. That way I can wear it up or down.

Galen and Bohemian - I looked at your photos - you're both beautiful !

I've never been able to grow my hair either. However, I think if you have longer hair and like it, you should keep it.

I agree with the pp though that longer hair drags faces down unless you have exceptional bone structure

However, I think an updo (a nice one, not a messy, half-hearted one) always looks classy and glamorous regardless of the looks of its wearer. Ageless and elegant-classy!

(Shows off the pearl earrings don't you know)

My silver hair is long and worn up

Totally agree with thatbags and Alima. Please yourself. Your hair sounds lovely, wish mine was. Why can't we fly the flag for older women instead of constantly striving to look younger, prettier, more fashionable etc. why the f does it matter? Hurrah for Mary Beard I say.