long hair and age

[deniseloc]

I will be turning the big 40 in nov. a friend told me that women my age look older with long hair and that I should get a short hairdo fo my 40th bday this is after I had mention that my hair goal is to grow my hair to bsl in two more years and she was like girl your crazy just cut it off. Tell me what you think I have done the short hairdos in the past now I want something different.

 

[ajacks]

I think that long hair looks good on most people regardless of age. If you want BSL hair, then go for it. If you don't like it you can always cut it later.

 

[Eisani]

Do what you want. If you have a goal in mind, go for it! If you happen to change your mind along the way, it's still a choice you've made. There are plenty of beautiful women 40+ w/long hair and they don't look old. I think it depends on the methods of styling.

 

[frizzy]

You and I are in the same boat. I turned 43 last month, but I've already decided I'm going to grow the hair and then decide if I look older or not with it long. I haven't had long hair since 1981 and I can't wait to see longer hair on me again.

I think its all in how it is styled when it comes to long hair making you look old(er) or not.

 

[JustKiya]

*eyeroll*

I love how they tell older women that long hair makes them look older, and tell younger women that long hair makes them look younger. Urm, is 40 some sort of magic line at which attractiveness just goes all reverso magico and what used to be appropriate no longer is?

My mother is 53 and has the longest hair of her life and homegirl looks GOOD - and I'm not saying that just cuz she's my momma, either.

Girl, please. Rock your hair how YOU want to rock it, and tell those silly people with their silly stereotypes (grandma hair looks OLD to me - never seen a younger woman with that style!) and silly rules (like everyone over 40 suddenly LOOKS alike, and all need the same length hair to accent their looks!!?!?!) to kiss your 40+ years of wisdom having BSL hair!!

 

[Menina Preta]

I will be turning the big 40 in nov. a friend told me that women my age look older with long hair and that I should get a short hairdo fo my 40th bday this is after I had mention that my hair goal is to grow my hair to bsl in two more years and she was like girl your crazy just cut it off. Tell me what you think I have done the short hairdos in the past now I want something different.

Don't listen to her. Women of all ages can look good with long hair as long as it's cut well and not just hanging there all limp like, IMO.

 

[Neith]

I have no idea why people say this!

When I see an older woman with beautiful, long hair it looks just as stunning on her than anyone else.

 

[likewtr4chklit]

All I could think of when I read this was all the fine and 40 (or over) black women we see with long hair, Angela Bassett, Lisa Raye, Vivica Fox, Vanessa Williams, and they do not look old. I think it's about the way your style your hair, not it's length.

 

[jamaraa]

This is mostly a Western thing it seems....once a woman hits 40 or so, get her the 'soccer mom' cut. Funny thing is that two of fashion's most admired women have long hair, Carine Roitfeld and Emmanuelle Alt...and both are quite over 40.

Is the friend who suggested this cut also Black?

 

[ScarletPhoenix]

Although I have heard the saying its one that I won't adhere to. I am going to have long hair and I could care less about my age as long as my hair is healthy and doing its thang! My suggestion is do what YOU want to do and shake the haters off LOL

 

[Rapunzel*]

she just dont want your hair a lot longer than hers. tell her to cut hers some more

 

[fluffylocks]

This is mostly a Western thing it seems....once a woman hits 40 or so, get her the 'soccer mom' cut. Funny thing is that two of fashion's most admired women have long hair, Carine Roitfeld and Emmanuelle Alt...and both are quite over 40.

Is the friend who suggested this cut also Black?

And that cut annoys me sometimes...I see it with non-black women alot...that same ear to neck length cut...sometimes a bob, sometimes flipped and swayed looking. And with black women it seems to be a TWA alot (that alot of times i see dyed blond or reddish)

I just think when im older the cut has to have some type of style, i think the "hippie" kind of hair where its long, all one length, wearing a center part...I think that may be for younger women....but thats about it

 

[sprungonhairboards]

I have no idea why people say this!

When I see an older woman with beautiful, long hair it looks just as stunning on her than anyone else.

I agree! Imma have me a long thick salt and pepper braid on my death bed.

 

[Paradox]

You can always do elegant updos.
I will not be cutting my hair at 40 or above for societal reasons, I think long hair is very feminine

 

[RegaLady]

I ponder this all the time, and I am no where near 40. lol! IMHO, I wouldn't wear MY hair past CBL when I turn 40. It can date a woman, depending on how it is styled. If you add face framing layers to around the face, than you are fine. Hair is suppose to enhance a woman's beauty, not overwhelm it. But, if you look 21 from the back, and 50 in the front, than it becomes a problem. Do what you want, you will feel what you need to do when the time arrives.

 

[PatTodd]

I am 41 and fighting the urge to cut, but that's only because I need a change...I'll keep resisting ...but I think long hair is still age appropriate in one's 40s...if your hair is beautiful and healthy, you have until at least 50 before you have to even consider shorter hair...IMO.

 

[AKA-Tude]

deniseloc,

YOU do YOU!!!

If you feel better/younger with longer hair, let it GROW!!!

That 'rule' just doesn't apply to everyone.

I'm 43, was at SL, but felt 'weighed down' with the hair,

so I cut it!

I 'feel' better with the shorter hair & I like the way I look with it.

But that's MY preference.

I might change my mind in a while & decide to grow it out-

my head- my hair.

In the end, you MUST be pleased with what YOU see in the mirror.

 

[glam-]

I think it's nonsense. Do what you want. I think women of all ages can look fab with long hair.

 

[jamaraa]

What about the women from India, Pakistan, East Asia, Polynesia, etc...? Does it make them look old to have long hair (grey too) past a certain age or is that only a cultural expectation?

 

[JustKiya]

What about the women from India, Pakistan, East Asia, Polynesia, etc...? Does it make them look old to have long hair (grey too) past a certain age or is that only a cultural expectation?

It's Western nonsense, and it's RECENT Western nonsense, as I can assure you, our grands & great's weren't chopping off their hair at 40!

Just another way to profit from the youth-obsessed society we live in, because those short cuts take a lot of time at the salon to properly maintain, and if you are already old (and thus lacking any type of sex appeal ) the least you can do is keep your hair to societies standards.

Where's the puking smiley??

It's a crock of something smelly from a bull, is all I'm saying.

 

[tenderheaded]

My mother and BOTH grandmothers rocked long hair - at least APL. My paternal grandma would wear BSL braids and looked gorgeous. Make your decision based on you - not some arbitrary "rule" that I think tries to put women in categories

 

[fluffylocks]

I ponder this all the time, and I am no where near 40. lol! IMHO, I wouldn't wear MY hair past CBL when I turn 40. It can date a woman, depending on how it is styled. If you add face framing layers to around the face, than you are fine. Hair is suppose to enhance a woman's beauty, not overwhelm it. But, if you look 21 from the back, and 50 in the front, than it becomes a problem. Do what you want, you will feel what you need to do when the time arrives.

In person, that is a crazy shocker.

On this board too Im always shocked when someone says they have almost grown children or their a grandmother because i guess long hair does make you think of youth and knowones backs make you think their over their 20's. I also assume everyone is pretty too just from looking at their hair/back.


With a shorter cut, you do think of maturity automatically.

I think about cutting my hair when im older too...but only because i cant imagine myself going from 20 years old to 50 every week in the shower unbraiding and combing BSL-WL hair, then drying ect. ect.

 

[Reinventing21]

First of all OP Forty is NOT OLD AT ALL! Think , Salma Hayek, Holly Robinson, Eva Longoria, Penelope Cruz, my mother (50's)... I don't know WHO started that nonsense about cutting hair when you get "older" cuz there are so many cultures who NEVER cut the hair. To me, it's more about the hairSTYLE. Also, most minority women never look their age anyway so HAVE FUN GIRL!!!!!!

 

[EbonyHairedPrincess]

I think the only reason people cut there hair when they get older is because their hair is starting to thin and turn grey and it's easier to color and style/poof the hair into a fuller look if it's shorter.

 

[lovenharmony]

Well, I guess I'll be looking real old with my waist length hair swangin when I get to that age!

Do what YOU want! Never understood the fascination with cutting your hair when you get older. The cool thing is that you can always cut your hair if you decide that you don't want long hair anymore, but it's always harder to get it back..unless your hair grows like weeds or something.

 

[Caramela]

I think your friend is just hating because your hair is longer than hers.

 

[Duchesse]

Well, I do feel that on many older woman, long hair can detract from their beauty if it is hanging down around the face, and create a saggier appearance overall. That's probably why many women choose to cut their hair at a certain age, shorter hair tends to make facial features look "higher".

However, like others stated it's more a matter of styling choices than length. I plan on wearing my hair long well into my upper years but in styles that add to my beauty, or in classy updos, not having a mop of hair bringing my face down.

But do you and wear your hair as long as you desire.

 

[winnettag]

I always thought it was the exact opposite. When I saw an older woman with short hair, I thought it made her look even older, because in our society older women tend to cut their hair after a certain age.
I love seeing gray haired ladies taking out their buns and their hair comes down to their waist.
Even on makeover shows, they always want to cut everyone's hair and they always look more mature afterward. I've always hated how they do that.
But like the other ladies said, do what YOU want to do.

 

[Rapunzel*]

I think your friend is just hating because your hair is longer than hers.

i think so too

 

[dm81]

I will be turning the big 40 in nov. a friend told me that women my age look older with long hair and that I should get a short hairdo fo my 40th bday this is after I had mention that my hair goal is to grow my hair to bsl in two more years and she was like girl your crazy just cut it off. Tell me what you think I have done the short hairdos in the past now I want something different.

I guess it depends on the woman honestly, but in my personal experience it's true. My aunt has very long hair, at one point it was mid thigh and it looked great...when she was younger. She went to a salon and got her hair cut short, and it really did take about 10 years off of her she looked great.