Youthful hairstyles? (Not pigtails)

[sneakybea]

Hi all! I know a lot of us here have to combat the notion that long hair makes us look older, which we all know is nonsense. But I think that there are probably some hairstyles that play up our youthful sides more than others, and I thought maybe I could start a thread for us to share what they are.
I will be turning forty this year (gulp!), and I teach college, so I have no problem with the school marm/tight-bunned mean lady look for day to day (I still don't look my age, ha ha!). When I want to look younger and more playful, I might wear the same updo, but with my ends exposed in kind of a spiky look. I have bangs, which helps with not looking too severe, especially if I deliberately pull down the wispy pieces by the side of my face. Also using fun hairsticks, and including a tiny ornamental braid into my bun helps create a fun, more bohemian look.
So what are some of the hairstyles you use to look more youthful?

[spidermom]

I like to put my bun up carelessly so that parts of it come down.

[RancheroTheBee]

I have very sharp features, so any tight-bunned looks or basically anything that looks carefully engineered makes me look like a snobby raven with heavy eyelids. Back in the day when I had hair (well, you know; MORE of it) I favored really loose buns with a few pieces escaping the temples and sides, half-ponytails held back with clips, loose braids, etc.

I also really liked fun, flowery hair accessories, especially sticks. Like the kind Nightshade makes.

[Citrine]

I like an english braid, but done on the side of your head. Coupled with wispies around the face makes a cute style that not many other people wear. I like the look of buns and updos with hair-sticks, but think they look too severe and rarely wear those styles :(

[windinherhair]

Hi all! I know a lot of us here have to combat the notion that long hair makes us look older, which we all know is nonsense.

One day at work I had a lady ask me why I kept my hair so long. She said it was a hair style that she would see on little girls, but not someone my age. I am 22 years old. :) It would be nice if the older I get, the younger my long hair would make me feel because from that comment it would be working. :p

The other day I wore my hair in braided pig tails. Now that made me feel even more youthful! lol.

[Jules diamond]

I love half ups that are braided. I think they look very relaxed and cute, especially on older women.

[Heavenly Locks]

I think a side-nape bun with a flower/decoration looks lovely and youthful. :)

[mellie]

I like to do double buns, either high up on either side of the head, or down below each ear. It's cute! And if you make them messy, it looks even cuter!

[Tap Dancer]

I like a high ponytail. :)

[sherigayle]

I think anything that shows off some waves looks young. A half up with a cute clip and waves trailing down the back. That is so cute. I also like a loose low ponytail with all the baby hairs around the hairline flying around.

[misstwist]

I find that creating some height and interest around my face makes any style less severe. What I'm currently doing is parting my hair off center, taking each side forward of my ears, twisting it slightly and anchoring it with a small side comb or barrette.

[Superfine]

My latest is a soft pony using a banana clip (like flat Conair), sideways, so I get a wider pony. The higher on the back of my head the younger it seems to look. Also, my hair is fine,shoulder length & I have longish fringe.

[MsBubbles]

I have very sharp features, so any tight-bunned looks or basically anything that looks carefully engineered makes me look like a snobby raven with heavy eyelids.

I dunno...that sounds pretty good actually! I might ask your permission to use that as a signature: Heavy-lidded snobby raven :D


One day at work I had a lady ask me why I kept my hair so long. She said it was a hair style that she would see on little girls, but not someone my age. I am 22 years old. :) It would be nice if the older I get, the younger my long hair would make me feel because from that comment it would be working. :p

It bugs me how rude people can be sometimes, especially towards youngsters like yourself, windinherhair. I think the reason it bugs me so much is that I used to think that whatever anybody else said was more important than what I believed. But now I'm a mean ol' severe-bunned lady making up for lost time, withering coworkers and acquaintances with an "I dare ya" look if they even think about giving me 'constructive advice' on my appearance! LOL!!

Peacock twists with a pony tail bit hanging out the back make me look a bit perkier and therefore younger (so people have told me). BUt the longer my hair gets the harder it is to get it into that style and have it stay there.

[spidermom]

Multiple braids down the back is pretty edgy/youthful.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/spidermom/dreadhawk4.jpg

[florenonite]

Multiple braids down the back is pretty edgy/youthful.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/spidermom/dreadhawk4.jpg

I like this! It looks time-consuming, though.

[spidermom]

I like this! It looks time-consuming, though.

Somewhat. Not bad, though. If you don't have a lot of time, do only 2 or 3.

[JamieLeigh]

I like all the other replies so far! I, too, think a "messy" bun and a side braid look very youthful. French braiding can look more youthful, the farther forward on your head that you start the braid (keeping it smooth, of course!), and French-braided pigtails wouldn't look as little-girlish as regular pigtail braids, IMHO. Also a fan of the high pony, and I saw this on a lady who had streaks of grey in her brunette long hair the other day - she had her hair in a high ponytail, but she took a small lock from the underside of her pony, and wound it around the base and tucked the end under, pinning it in place. It looked like a ponytail holder made of hair, and it was very flattering on her. She looked to be in her late-40's. I bet you could also braid the small lock before winding it around. :)

[jel]

I would never wear pigtails as such, but recently tried odangos for the first time - the base twisted and pulled in a knot, the ends left down. Mine reached to collarbone length (but they slightly loosened during the day - I probably need to use a pin or two to keep them in place).

Anyway, I wore them to work, and I don't remember the last time I got so many compliments on my hairstyle! Several people also mentioned I looked 'younger', 'girlish' and 'fun'...

So, thumbs up to odangos! :D



Another youthful style I just saw for the first time (haven't tried it yet) is the braid from this thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=27827).

[Madame J]

I did double-buns and liked the look, but that's a little pigtail-ish. Half-ups of long, shiny, healthy hair always look youthful to me. The Caterpillar ponytail always strikes me as youthful because it reminds me of playing outdoor sports in elementary and middle school, when the girls would use this style to keep hair well out of the face.

[teela1978]

Double buns have been mentioned, but higher multiples can be fun too. Personally I love doing triple buns right at my neck in a row.

Also, 'freedom braids' (don't know why they're called that)... make a skinny braid on either side of your part, then pull them back and stick together under your hair with a hairtie, makes a little braid headband. I used to do that a lot in high school/college.

[demitasse]

I'm not sure what you'd call it but a French braid worn like a headband can look youthful, especially if it's loose and a little messy. Start braiding above one ear and then braid across the top of the head and tie at the other side. Also works well for keeping hair off the face.

[coolbreeze212]

*snipped* Also, 'freedom braids' (don't know why they're called that)... make a skinny braid on either side of your part, then pull them back and stick together under your hair with a hairtie, makes a little braid headband. I used to do that a lot in high school/college.

This sounds really cute...would you happen to have a pic?

[concrescence]

I think multiples and offset anything looks quite youthful. For example, side poytail, side braid, side bun, and 2+ buns, braids, twists. Also, adding ribbons or flowers is young and fresh.

[Cindi Eponabri]

I wear my hair for myself not to impress anyone else. I'm almost 60 and don't worry about looking younger or older. And I do sometimes wear pigtails... simply because I like them.

Why does everyone worry so much about age? It's just a number.

[Finoriel]

For some reason ´crownbraid!´ immediately popped up in my mind when I read the title. Not sure why, but crownbraids of all sorts (durchbraided, frenchbraided, wrap-around-crown, with one or two braids, etc. etc.) seem somehow youthful to me. No chance to ever look old or aged in a crownbraid :p.

[viking_quest]

I like to do double buns, either high up on either side of the head, or down below each ear. It's cute! And if you make them messy, it looks even cuter!

This is what I like to do.

[Cinnamon Hair]

To me, a ponytail or wearing it completely down (or half up, or with a headband) looks youthful. If you look at most women past their teens, they have short hair cuts. So long hair itself is youthful.

[teela1978]

This sounds really cute...would you happen to have a pic?

Made one for ya :)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e117/lchamber78/20090620-freedombraids.jpg

[nancy33936]

I think cornrows could be a fun youthful style.