From Crayola to Chanel keeping long hair over 50

23/07/2017

Long hair, short hair? Why should we allow a number to define how long our hair should be? Where did the idea come from that older women look ‘inappropriate’ with long hair? Or that once past a certain age us ‘old girls’ should chop our hair off and wear shorter styles?

I for one will be keeping the length of my locks for as long and as long as I like! Neither my age or society will dictate otherwise.

Pic above is of me when I was 30 taken in central park New York…I was chanel crazy back then it was the early 90’s, forgive me…

Long hair and other styles of my Youth.

From Crayola to Chanel, I am lucky to have had straight, thick hair for all of my life. Now I am in my fifties my hair is thinning slightly, but I regard that as a part of this wonderful ‘circle of life’ i.e., not much to be done about it? ( yes, I too love that Lion King song) I will start to take vitamins and make sure I eat my greens but I always have done that, so nothing much will change. I am embracing my age this year and thanking my body for bringing me this far. Allow me to urge you to do the same? It feels so good!

I am not precious about my hair, I have worn it permed in the 80’s and had a pixie cut in the 90’s just like Victoria’s spice girl style after her bob! In-between it has been bobbed, layered and of course I lived in the ‘Rachel’ cut for a while. I have to admit to even being partial to a ‘fergie’ bow or two…

“From Crayola to Chanel, I am lucky to have had straight, thick hair for all of my life”

However, for most of my life my hair has swung happily below my chin. I prefer it that way. It is easy to look after and extremely versatile. I rarely blow dry it as the heat dries my ends. I find the longer it is the less it needs washing, dry shampoo or a pony tail will suffice. A good conditioner and some frizz ease spray takes care of the fluffy bits.

Colour vs grey?

Let me just say, I will fight the grey until my grave, but having said that I have seen some stunningly beautiful silver/white/grey women and I include my Mother in this list.

Whilst researching this subject I even found a model agency that specialises in these stunning older women I guess they would be beautiful what ever colour their hair is. Grey is just not a colour that would suit me.

I have noticed that now I am in my Fifties, I am no longer afraid to try new things including colour for my hair, after all if I don’t like the cut, it will grow out and if I don’t like the colour it can be changed, right?

“I am embracing my age this year…”

It also feels good not to have worry about what your friends/peers will say, do you remember the first day back at school after a new haircut or style, the comments from everyone sharing their unsolicited opinions, oh the horror!

Fringes

The trend for fringes come and go. I will throw some controversy in here and say that straight fringes can slightly date an older woman whereas perhaps a flicked, softer longer, layered fringe is far more flattering to us as we age! I realise straight fringes are easy to hide behind if you are older, you may even think they cover those frown lines but I disagree! The older I have become the softer my fringe, but please do remember this is only my opinion, I do not mean to preach at or offend anyone.

Pic of me at 6 and 21…with fringes and growing out a perm!

Celebrities with long hair, leading the way into their 50’s and 60’s

My two favourites are: Susan Sarandon now age 70 (who I once saw along with Tim Robbins when I was visiting NYC, she is as beautiful in real life as in the movies) and Julianne Moore 56, both redheads!

Look at these amazing women: talk about long hair don’t care…!