I’m just curious about responses here. While we don’t have to agree, we should respect all comments.
Thread created because of the comments on the Emmy’s thread about Jane Fonda’s hair last night - she was a 70+ woman wearing bangs and a high pony tail. She was not wearing a cheerleader outfit to go with it. It was (IMO) a classy high tail. Sophia Vergara, age 45 wore the same.
I thought it looked great - and I personally don’t put that much emphasis on drawing an age line for hairstyles. I mean, maybe no big scrunchies once you’re an adult but…
So I’m just curious - in your mind, does age limit hairstyle? In what way/shape/form??? Be specific as to what is ok or not ok.
And just for the record, I wear mine short and curly. Headbands are my friend and frequently present when I’m off work. No scrunchies.
I’m 62 and about 90% of the time my hair is in a pony tail and scrunchie. I haven’t had bangs in years, mostly because you have to constantly keep them trimmed.
Our neighborhood has a lot of aging hippies (both men and women actually!) with long gray hair and pony tails. I don’t think it’s necessarily the most flattering look, but it doesn’t bother me. I guess the only thing I might say is too young are those haircuts that are deliberately made to annoy grownups - green mohawks or half the head shaved and the other half long and the like. I think that should be reserved for the young as a harmless form of protest.
One thing I’ve really been bothered by of late is the number of school systems and offices that have decided that certain styles of hair (nearly all African-American hairstyles) should be forbidden - typically dreads, extensions, sometimes any sort of fancy braids and even that staple of my youth Afros. That’s just wrong.
I have relatively short hair but used to have hair that went down my back. A couple of toddlers at home cured me of that. My hair is hideous so I keep it short. Sometimes, I wish I was Orthodox so I could justify wearing wigs.
I don’t really care how other people wear their hair.
I don’t think women are letting themselves get so boxed in any more by what they “should” be doing. As my D said to me, why can’t an older woman have longer hair if she likes it that way? Why, indeed.
@mathmom , OMG we have a situation in one of our private schools over exactly what you said - dreadlocks. I am literally beside myself over this! The young man - a freshman I believe who seems to be a great guy overall has been threatened to be kicked out because of his dreads (they say “it’s in the handbook!”) I JUST cannot believe that a school can have a problem with this. They are neat and tidy - the guy has a smile on his face all the time. I cannot let it go!
I have bangs and will not part with them until it is time to cremate my dead body. no pony tails unless I am off to exercise. My hair length varies depending on the stage of my training. The longer the runs, the longer the hair so it stays ponytailed longer.
Preface – I mentioned on another thread that Jane Fonda looked ridiculous. I don’t believe that most hair styles are regulated by age but bangs and a high ponytail might be really reaching, especially when coupled with obvious extensive face work. And, honestly, I’m probably being biased, I was never a fan. I personally wear my hair very long, most often in a braid but I still color it. I started growing it a couple of years ago because I didn’t want to have short gray hair, I’m opting for the long gray braid but I just haven’t been able to let go of the color just yet lol.
I think people should wear their hair any way they want. However, I think it’s very easy for women of a certain age with gray hair , and I am in this group, to be perceived as crazy old lady if their hair is not clean and well cared for. But a ponytail and bangs? Sure, why not?
I think of that pageboy as the Anna Wintour look. It would require way too much blow-drying and product on my hair. I’d actually really like a short pixie (or I would if I didn’t also loathe going to get my hair cut.) DH prefers it long, and I am lazy, so it stays long for now. I think Judy Dench looks great, especially when she has that spiky thing going.
Same as @techmom99- I don’t really care how others wear their hear. I have thick, very wavy/curly hair that I wore short for a long time. It is now shoulder length and I actually just recently went back to full bangs-before they were more swept to the side. I have started getting keratin treatments a few times a year. They really help keep my hair under control so I don’t have to spend much time on it and it is not completely crazy. I think that as we age, there are hairstyles and colors that are more flattering than others, however, I don’t think there are any universal rules. I have seen women with gray or white hair that they wear long and who look stunning. On the other hand, I have seen similar styles on some who look very aged- much older than their true ages. I think so much depends on face shape and coloring. I do not feel comfortable myself letting my hair go gray, but certainly don’t judge others who do.
Anna Wintour looks like she’s trying to hide her face with her sunglasses and bangs. And maybe she is.
I read somewhere that if a woman keeps the same hairstyle for all her adult life, it will make her seem younger. Not sure if that’s true. Maybe it’s because if you’re used to seeing a person a certain way you don’t notice aging as much.
I remember growing up my Mom used to say after a certain age women shouldn’t have long hair. I’m 57 and my hair is long and many days it is in a ponytail including today. I color my hair because I think I look washed out with grey hair. I cut my hair every third hair appointment. Some appointments I’ll tell her to cut a lot off but to leave it long enough to be able to be pulled back for exercise and sleep. I don’t care for women who keep their hair long and don’t keep it clean. On the other hand I don’t like any age with dirty hair.
I don’t care for the dramatic bang, high ponytail style in general. I don’t care for it on Jane Fonda but I also don’t care for it on Sophia Vergara. It’s not about age to me.
I’ve known even elderly women who could pull off long hair - my lovely grandmother-in-law had long very white hair she wore in an Edwardian-type updo. It was like a halo around her face and it looked stunning.
I grow out my hair in the summer so I can wear it in a pony tail or pinned up – summers are hot here and I hate how hot I feel with hair around my neck. Come fall, I chop a lot of it off, and wear it in a chin-length bob but without bangs.
I’m bored with the bob. But don’t know what else to do.
I also thought that Fonda’s face and straight-ironed blond long hait was silly and contrasted unfavorably with her known age — but if she’s happy there, let her be. I think long hair on older women is aging, I think bobs are aging (because everyone ends up there) , I think the stiff with hairspray upswept short thing is aging. I think the cut-out ears and super short but not a pixie is aging. I would honestly shave my head if I could. My hair person bemoans the fact that I never have any idea what I want, other than it to be over with.
No matter what we do after 50, it’s wrong. Clothes, face, hair. It’s as if we are supposed to go hide and not scare younger women. So I’ve kept my lifelong bangs and have extremely straight shoulder length hair razor cut at the bottom.
Sometimes I want it to be different (the grass is always greener), but I actually have pretty great hair. I let it go gray a few years ago. It is more salt and pepper with some small white streaks. I get many compliments from hairstylists and even strangers have asked, “How did you get your hair like that?” It is thick and straight. I have had Taylor’s hairstyle in the recent past then cut it shorter. I am letting it grow again to the Taylor do. I have had bangs forever because they look better on my face shape. My forehead is very narrow making my face almost diamond shaped.
If long hair starts to look like long pubic hair, it’s too long. If it looks really dry, it’s too long. Most women in my neighborhood have a bob. My hair is short because I can’t do a thing with it otherwise. I envy women who have thick hair with body.
Was there anyone on that stage last night with gray hair? ha. Living in Southern California, there are extremely few women who let their hair go gray naturally. Very few. Among my circle of ‘over 50’ women, I cannot think of even one.
