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Style & beauty

Short hair

(36 Posts)
grannyrebel7 Sun 31-May-20 09:25:07

I've only ever had short hair twice in my life, once when I was 12 and once when I was 17. Each time was a disaster with the hair not falling well and the curls going all over the place. Since lockdown my hair is now half way down my back! It's thick and curly, but dry and tends to frizz. I'm starting to look like a cave woman or an aging hippy! I intend to cut the ends myself soon. I would never have it short though and I'm just wondering why so many women opt for short hair when they get older.

ginny Sun 31-May-20 09:51:18

I have had short hair since my 20’s.
I find it easier to manage, wash and dry 10 mins. Also I can’t stand hair blowing or falling in my face. Besides it suit me better.

lemongrove Sun 31-May-20 09:56:08

I think it’s all about being easy to manage grannyrebel also many older women go grey obviously, so a long grey look isn’t great.
I would never have very short hair as it wouldn't suit me, but if I ever let it go grey ( never!!?) then would opt for a shorter look.
Some people I know look wonderful with a short spiky haircut in grey/white hair.

Oopsadaisy3 Sun 31-May-20 09:56:35

Tried it a couple of times and I looked awful, I usually wear my hair up though, at the moment it’s up all of the time as it’s also cavewomanish.
My dilemma is whether to go back to the hairdresser and have it dyed again, my roots are pretty bad, but I’ve dyed it since I was 14!
The thought of spending 3 hours at the salon every month doesn’t fill me with joy, especially at the moment,
I might have ‘roots’ for a very long time, but definitely with long hair.

Sarahmob Sun 31-May-20 10:00:19

I have never (not even as a young girl) had long hair. I occasionally get bored but it’s so easy to look after and it suits me. Each to their own surely.

Calendargirl Sun 31-May-20 10:13:23

My hair is more or less shoulder length. I packed up having it coloured end of last summer as it looked ‘brassy.

Glad now I did. I would describe the colour as ‘pewter’, it looks a better grey than I thought it would, and my husband prefers it!

Don’t know if I will keep it longish, but wary of cutting it and not liking it.

SparklyGrandma Sun 31-May-20 10:24:56

I tried having it regularly died at the salon, but like you Oopsadaisy3 several hours at the salon are too much to bear. Pounding music, surrounded by chemicals (they don’t have ventilation) and scintillating chatter are enough to set my teeth on edge.
So I had it cut in a medium bob and let the grey grow out. It’s shorter than I always had it but it looks neat.

oldgimmer1 Sun 31-May-20 10:55:50

I've got terrible hair which is fine and thin. I've never had it long as an adult and a short back and sides as a child.

I don't suit long hair as I have a tiny head and I kind of get lost in hair.

Short hair suits me (thankfully) and I generally prefer it on others as well.

I think you need to be careful though - you need to be otherwise "feminine" and slim imho. And it has to make a statement rather than just sitting there like a helmet.

Not necessarily low maintenance.

ninathenana Sun 31-May-20 13:24:32

I've had my hair in a longish pixie cut for as long as I can remember. I used to home dye it medium blond rather than it's natural mouse colour but it's now silver grey.
I would love to have it shoulder length and be able to have it up or down but it's far to fine and fly away.

cornergran Sun 31-May-20 13:31:29

I’ve never had long hair although I was desperate for it as a child. Mine is fine and wispy, it also doesn’t grow quickly. I’m happy with short hair. oldgimmer is right though, it can be far from low maintenance but does makes the best of my hair. I’ve been trimming it myself, I’m sure a hairdresser would be horrified but neighbours say it looks good so I’m believing them grin.

HAZBEEN Sun 31-May-20 13:33:58

I had long hair almost waist length and then had it cut short about 2 years ago as I posted on here at the time. Since then I have gone for an even shorter cut, luckily having had it cut the week before lockdown. The style has kept its shape etc. right up until the last week or 2 but is now out of control!
I originally had it cut for 2 reasons. The first being that due to osteoarthritis it was getting harder to wash and care for it as I my shoulders were getting very painful but secondly it was about reinventing me! I suffer from severe depression and I was trying to get a new perspective on my life. I wouldnt want to go back to the long hair look but do think long hair on older women can look very good.

grandMattie Sun 31-May-20 13:40:39

My hair was long as a child, teenager and young womanhood. I was blonde with very fine hair. It grows very quickly.
Latterly, I’ve had it very short. Recently, I’ve been growing my white hair to “hide my hearing aids”. It’s now shoulder length and I HATE it! Can’t wait for it to be short again. It gets in my eyes, my mouth, it sheds everywhere and DH doesn’t like it to boot. Roll on “release”!

dragonfly46 Sun 31-May-20 13:44:29

I always had long hair until my 40's. Now I have it short ( when I get it back) as it is naturally wavy and easy to manage. I can wash it every day and it dries in a minute.

I also think long hair does not look good on weathered (older) faces.

FarNorth Sun 31-May-20 13:56:07

I always thought I'd be an old lady with long hair piled up, or coiled in braids, but suddenly decided to go from very long to very short & spiky about 20 years ago.
Many people said it made me look younger.
Now, though, it's growing out in not too bad a shape so I'm not sure what I'll do with it in future.

I don't like fringes, in general, and heartily dislike the 'helmet' style of short hair mentioned by oldgimmer.

grannyrebel7 Sun 31-May-20 18:58:33

Thanks ladies. Hope I'm not one of those women who look young from the back with long hair and then when they turn around you see a real old bag face!

grandMattie Sun 31-May-20 19:08:51

I also dislike old women wearing their hair loose as if they were 16. People can do what they like, but... If long, preferable up or braided or whatever.

Corryanna Wed 03-Jun-20 00:06:51

For the last 5 years or so my hair has been very short. It’s ok for about 2 weeks after cut but awful and don’t know what to do with it after that. Well since Jan I’ve not been to hairdresser and I’m delighted with it now! Will go for chin length bob I think if I can have the willpower to avoid the hairdressers! I’ve usually coloured it at home (and dyed the carpet too) but not for last 6 months. I’ve a scattering of grey round my temples+hairline/face and wish I could have grey highlights or lowlights, whatever gets me over the going grey hump. I’m really not worried about going grey - it’s the thought of the untidiness of 1/2 dyed and 1/2 not that I don’t like. Any ideas? Thanks ?

Grannyflower Wed 03-Jun-20 06:12:14

Grannyrebel7 you did make me chuckle. I’ve heard the expression 1664. Sixteen from the rear and 64 from the front. Don’t want to make that mistake either! smile

Puzzler61 Wed 03-Jun-20 06:17:41

I have thick hair and although I can style it quite nicely when it’s just washed, lying down and turning about during sleep makes it properly unruly with clumps sticking up or out.

3 years ago I stopped the hair dying and let it go to grey. It took a lot of patience and about 18 months in all. After a year of grey I got a whim to add a dye again and have been doing it at home ever since. It is a nice light golden auburn.

Corryanna I tried the purple shampoos to brighten the grey but didn’t find any vast improvement. Just purple shampoo flicks around the bath!

Curlywhirly Wed 03-Jun-20 06:47:57

I always had short hair as a child and desperately wanted it long, so grew it very long in my 20s. It has now been shoulder length since my 30s, don't think I will ever have it cut really short; the shortested I have had it is a chin-length bob and I have dyed it since going grey in my 40s, although now it's a few shades lighter than my original dark brown. I think there aren't many people over 60 who can get away with very long hair (if it is worn loose) but there are exceptions eg Jane Seymour. Sorry, but I think long grey hair just looks awful.

ladymuck Wed 03-Jun-20 06:53:06

It's a purely personal thing. I prefer my hair long but it's a bother to wash, so I keep it short.
Long hair on older women doesn't always look right, especially if it's thin and straggly.

Furret Wed 03-Jun-20 07:36:27

So many older women in the past seemed to have opt for a ‘menopause haircut’. It’s good to read of more varied styles these days.

Marmight Wed 03-Jun-20 08:28:59

My hair has been up and down like a yoyo all my life. When I was in my teens & twenties and my hair was still very dark I had it just below shoulder length. I loved it, it looked good and I felt good. Not quite the same 40years on when it’s silver, so Ive had it shortish for quite a few years! However as it’s not been cut since the end of January it’s growing longer and I quite like it. Whatever floats your boat.

Lucca Wed 03-Jun-20 08:52:25

Best decision ever to stop colouring my hair and let it go grey/silver. It’s a chin length sharp bob (well it was......) The long blonde hair look with wrinkles (or Botox !) I think is hideous.
do quite admire the bravery and style those who put bright colours in to a short spiky hairdo though..

lovebeigecardigans1955 Wed 03-Jun-20 09:10:29

I've experimented with my hair all my life. It's been long, short, medium and almost no hair at all during chemo about five years ago.
Now I'm 65 and have a short, choppy pixie cut. It suits my features better than long hair. Last weekend I hacked at it with the dressmaking scissors as it was badly out of shape due to lockdown. It really doesn't look too bad. I think a young hairstyle looks inappropriate with an old face. If my hearing aids are on display I'm of an age not to care about what to me is a small detail.