Grey longer hair

One of the most striking women I ever worked with had long grey hair, in a thick single plait which reached to below her shoulder blades.

She was elegant and well dressed too. Luckily she had the colouring and type of face which could carry this off.

It sounds very stylish. I too can't be bothered to dye my hair all the time. I think condition is very important and a bright colour on earrings or scarf or something. I look better with a bit of a tan.
Not sure about long hair unless you have brilliant cheek bones. Too easy to look like a witch.
What do other people think?

My DMIL has long wavy grey hair with a fringe. She's 72. She twists it up at the back in a claw clip. Really suits her .

Long grey hair looks better tied back ( not in a granny bun) than loose in my opinion. Choppy layers can look more youthful, but it depends on your face shape, and is higher maintenance. You can put a violet toner ( not a tint) on to give it some silvery shine and lift the colour. One of my most glamorous friend has long grey hair, which she ties back and wears lots of colourful scarves, always looks fabulous.

Don’t take this wrong it’s a personal opinion only I don’t like to see long grey hair loose a French plait, ponytail, plait etc can look good on the right face but usually more aging if loose I think, Short and choppy for me I m lucky in as much as I was blondish so I ve just gone a lighter shade of pale as opposed to steely grey

Yes I agree. My mil has olive to dark skin and pearly white hair. It really looks sophisticated in the French Twist.

My sister has olive skin and wears her hair cut in a long bob. The trick is to have it cut well. Also, go to a department store and have a make over so your make up compliments your hair colour.

Personally I think long grey hair is ageing for most people. I use a semi-permanent colourant at home which is cheap and just fades, no noticeable regrowth. A short bob is low maintenance.

My (now white) hair is very long, coming to beneath my shoulder-blades. If I wear it loose, I gather the sides and clip it at the back so that it’s not hanging round the sides of my face. Always when it gets this long, I start thinking ‘will I get some cut off’, but then I remember that I find it easier to manage when it’s long. Sometimes I have a plait, sometimes twisted up with a beak type clip holding it.

I have long grey hair, have done for years, manage it the same as Marelli

I just leave my hair alone until it's so long it gets caught under my elbow and tugs when I move. Then I chop the end off a bit. Tie it back in a loose ponytail to keep it out of the way. Doesn't look good or suit me at all, but I don't care - it's convenient.

I prefer not to dye my hair either - mine is nearly white now. I have had it very short in layers for years but I'm now growing it into a short bob but finding it much more difficult to manage- harder to dry and to keep tidy) so may have it all cut off again! It's very straight and I don't like the way it just hangs at the side of my face - spend ages with blow drying and hairspray to make it slightly more wavy so I can brush it back a bit.

I've recently had my shoulder length hair cut into a sharp, chin-length bob and I love it! My hair's silver and fine; it's so well cut it takes only a few minutes to blow dry and if left to dry naturally it still holds its shape.
Longer hair was more flyaway and a faff to style.

To answer OP I'm not keen on the look of very long sraight grey hair - too witch like. Sorry.

I enjoy having long grey hair although I will admit it looks better in the summer months with a bit of colour on my face and the hair brightens up. I don't wear it down much when I'm out preferring to wear it in a ponytail. I think maybe I could look a bit younger with a different style but I'm happy preferring to concentrate on my health and fitness. Incidentally, my hairdresser won't let me cut mine, she describes it as 'beautiful virgin hair'. Not sure about that but nice to have the compliment!

This is what I hope to get. I have the style and wear it with a fringe, just need the colour....salt and pepper now!
I don't have it coloured and just need a trim every now and again. My hairdresser trims the fringe free.
Like Marelli I like the choice of styles that longer hair affords.
I don't think there's a rule for older hair, it's whatever you are happy with.

I have gone DARING.....I have grey hair and have applied a purple streak in the front, I easily do it myself.
I tie it back into a bunch, then double it over with a band, looks a little like a bun.

I'm like pollyperkins and have very straight hair which I had cut in a bob for years and received compliments as the white/grey colour is quite striking. But last year I found it looked very aging unless I had it cut really well every month (it grows very quickly) and seemed to hang lankly and suddenly need more care. I had it cut short and it looked great and lifted my face........but now have the same problem of needing to be cut into shape regularly.
Long hair that you can tie back or up is defintely easier to care for.......but not hanging loose unless it is very thick and wavy IMO.

I envy you. I have always had long thick hair, but now it has become very thin, which I cannot help feeling sad about. Feel it makes me look old too, older than the 66 I am.

Loosing its colour too in the most annoying way, fading from chestnut brown to an uninteresting dirty colour.

So I would be happy if it would hurry up and turn one colour all over! Either grey or white!

Does anyone know if any of the remedies for thinning hair actually work?

I have salt and pepper grey hair that I usually keep in a shortish Bob . I get it cut every month or so but missed my last cut due to the holidays etc so it is slightly longer at the moment, just touching shoulder length and I am liking it so I will hold off from another cut for a few weeks. I doubt very much if I will go much longer than shoulder length as I hate tying it back as it no longer has the volume it once had.

I find this post interesting.I am booked to go to the hairdresser on tuesday and i am thinking of having my long hair cut. There are so many ideas on here about what suits older prople and what doesn't. I agree left loose i look a bit 'witchy' but it is easy to deal with just tie up in a band for ponytail or clasp and your done. I think i might go halfway and have it cut so it just sits on my shoulders but still long enough to tie up or put up in a clasp. Maybe when the spring comes i might go a bit shorter i think going from long to short in one go may be a bit of a shock!!!

grandmamoira
Agree and it doesn't have to be the fact it is grey that can add on the years..Features change as we age, skin loses its elasticity and unless you have and want to spend your money on cosmetic surgery , to lift it all up or plump it all out.then nothing shows a woman's age more so than hair hanging on the shoulders. even lower, on the fifty plus .

I am just beginning to grow out my curly red hair. Had it red for about 20 years and feel it's time to move on as nearly 59 now. Had to change hairdressers though as was horrified at how negative mine of 12 years was! She refused to soften it, let alone help me change it. I had a chat with a new hairdresser yesterday, and he was fab and incredibly positive about the white and silver growing through. I left feeling I was supported and doing what I wanted to do. Find a different hairdresser if necessary as I was shocked by the previous reaction. Long or short silver, grey or white can look tremendous. It's the clothes and accessories that help keep us edgy and interesting!

I agree Grannyado, especially with your last sentence. I don’t have the feature to wear mine long (wish I did) but my hairdresser is cooperating in helping me go white gradually.
I don’t usally wear make up unless I’m going somewhere special, but a tinted moisturiser helps take away winter pallor.

I’ve been noticing a few older women lately who, frankly, look like grandad in Mrs Brown’s Boys.