I grew my hair long, not because of how it would look on me (that I thought it would make me look better) but because I have very thick hair that frizzes up in humidity and I just got sick of it and grew it long and kept it that way when I realized that 1) the weight of it when long decreases how much it frizzes and 2) keeping it in a pony-tail decreases the frizz problem significantly. I never wear it down....keep it in a pony-tail because it's just way easier to manage for me ( I point that out because if I thought it made me look great, I'd wear it down...but I don't. It's strictly for convenience).

The other reason is that I have a face/forehead that looks bad unless the hair is pulled back. And at almost 58 years old, pulling the top back with a barrette would look even more ridiculous than having long hair. My hair is so thick that it would not stay up off my forehead no matter what I did. Having it pulled back in a pony-tail resolves the forehead problem too.

Shoot...I posted pics a few places here but not sure if I could remember how in the heck I did it....or I'd show you my hair. I keep it that way not because I think it makes me look better (it most likely doesn't) but because it's so thick and tends to frizz that it's just way easier for me to manage this way (even though washing it is rather a pain in the butt, to be honest).

deena :)

I think women hang onto long hair far too long. The older someone is, the more witchy they tend to look in my opinion. Color has something to do with it too. Harsh, poorly done color makes long hair look even worse.

Long hair on older women is just not very flattering in my opinion.

Where I live, long hair is common on women of every age, which I noticed when I moved here. I thought about it, too, because it surprised me.

I find it absolutely fascinating how closely we connect hair length and age, two things so disparate that the length and passion of the discussion is pretty amazing. Social mores are often pretty irrational and I suspect this one falls into that category.

My hair is waist length. I've worn it long, I've worn it short, and for the nonce it will stay as it is, gray hairs and all. If you don't like it, don't look. :)

What length do you consider long? Just wondering. For example, does just past the shoulders still look flattering on an older woman, or do you think that is too long as well? Just curious! "Long" can mean so many different things to different people! ;)

That's more about the health of the hair than about the length. If it's dried out and broken off, or if it's thin and limp, it's going to look witchy. Long, thick, soft, shiny, healthy hair would flatter anyone.

I agree with you about the color. It has always bothered me to see an old woman dye her hair jet black or pumpkin orange, and think she's fooling everybody. She's not. We all know she's old. I used to see a lady quite frequently who had her dyed-orange hair piled on top of her head. With her beaky nose and drawn-on heavy eyebrows, she reminded a lot of people of Woody Woodpecker.

But my point is, blanket statements shouldn't be made. There are women of any age who look good with long hair, and there are women of any age who don't. To say long hair doesn't look good on older women, includes all of them, and that's not true.

Me loves my long hair! :) It's about 3 inches past my shoulders and I ain't cuttin' it regardless of anyone thinks--even a guy on a chick forum. Sorry, couldn't resist! Hehe.

My friend and I just had this conversation.We're both into our late 30's and have long hair(well,she had),and she was told that it wasn't flattering for older women to have long hair.She got it cut and hates it now.

As for me,the older I get,the curlier my hair has become.I can't stand it short and curly,because on me,it doesn't look good.It's much easier to maintain a longer style and I have many different ways I can wear it.Not only that,but my husband loves my long hair :D

I do not like that rule that older women cannot have long hair. I remember when Oprah was doing makeovers and delighting in chopping off all the 40ish women's long hair. UGH! Where is it written you cannot wear your beautiful long hair long or pin it up in a chic twist or chignon? Those are classic looks!

If you have beautiful hair and you love it long, you should keep it long. I am partial to long hair.

Also, the points made regarding curly hair - the curly hair experts agree that some length is preferable when you have curly hair. With a short haircut, curly girls just wind up with an afro or a bozo the clown frizzy look when they get caught in the rain or on a humid day. I have curly hair and I don't like it any shorter than shoulder length....and I'm OLD. :)

I have always wanted to cut my hair very short in a pixie cut just to give it a break from being worn long for so long. I'm afraid, however, because I'm so low maintenance that if I love it short, I will never grow it back out.;)

Funny, I get compliments, 2 today in fact and none of them told me I look like a witch ;)

I had thick, long hair down to almost my butt. I cut it all off into a bob so I could donate it to locks for love. Although I was happy to have donated my hair, I miss it so much!! I cant wait until its long again:)

Well done JerseyGirl, that is such a wonderful thing to do :hug:
My daughter has donated 10 inches of her hair 2x now and her hair is long again.

I've often thought about this subject myself because its true long hair seems like its only for those that are young.
I love when my hair is long but when I go through hormonal changes that cause my hair to thin, I chop it all off. But if my hair behaves I would like to let it grow out to the middle of my back or higher.
I do think the health of the hair matters a lot though.

rubbish .... as long as it's not raggedy & scraggly you're never too old.
I'm 32 & I have long hair. It's thick & straight as a board, but I get complements all the time. I will not be cutting any time soon either as long as it stays healthy. Do whatever you like, although I will say I have heard extensions can be damaging, but I don't know how true that is.

I don't think there is any age that it has to be a rule that you can't have long hair anymore.

But I will say that in my personal opinion, women with long hair rarely look as good as they think they do - every time I've known a woman to get a dramatic haircut, she looks more stylish, more polished and most especially younger. I'm not talking super short, that is a hard look to carry off for most women. And I certainly don't mean "beauty parlor set and sprayed" old lady hair!!

I think a little bit of length looks feminine and attractive, but to me, that's usually about shoulder length on most women, and cut with some sort of layers and style. If it's long and just hanging there, it doesn't do a lot to flatter IMO (regardless of size, but especially heavier women)

And I say all of this as someone who has had both long (in between bra strap and waist) and very short hair which was long for several years until I got it cut in a layered, shoulder length bob a few months ago and I've gotten compliment after compliment.