Long Hair Beyond The Age of 30

[nycstar]

I'm new to this community and look forward to meeting all the members and exchanging some great thoughts and perspectives. My topic is not a new one (I'm sure other women have posted/blogged about it before) but it is a pet peeve of mine. Ever notice how women (that do not have significantly long hair) tell other women with long hair to chop it off... If you get a stuffy job, cut it! If you find yourself in a life crisis, cut it! If you've had a bad breakup, cut it! If you turn 30, cut it! Why is it that anytime there is an altering moment in a woman's life someone is quick to make that dreaded suggestion (at least in my mind) that a woman must visit her stylist and chop off her long, lovely tresses?!

I look at celebrities like Demi Moore, Jane Seymour, and Crystal Gayle and am elated that they did not give into this no long hair beyond 30 culture. Crystal Gayle is much older now (and still beautiful) and keeps her hair three inches above the floor! I admire her firm stance at keeping her hair length, albeit the ridicule she may get from some people.

I encourage women (30+) to keep their long locks... as long as its maintained (clean and healthy) other people's opinions shouldn't matter.

http://blogs.knoxnews.com/brown/archives/crystal.JPG

mod ETA: pleas note the On Posting Pictures - Hotlinking with IMG Tags and Copyright Issues, thanks.

[dropinthebucket]

I used to *love* watching crystal gayle's hair when she sang - it suited her style of music, too, kinda nostalgic and ethereal and bluesy, all at the same time! My grandmother had long braids to her feet when she was over 65, used to wear them piled on her head during the day and take them down at night. Her hair was amazing. (and henna-ed, i might add!)

[GoddesJourney]

I think hair is easy to change when people are looking to change something. At least it grows back, and it's better than getting a tattoo or a divorce or something else permanent. We are very attached to our hair here at LHC, so it's hard for us to understand how someone could treat their hair as if it didn't matter. I assume it's quite liberating to cut off all your hair. I consider cutting off all my hair cutting back to APL. To me, it's all gone at that length because that's the shortest I've ever had it.

Anyway, I agree with you that long and beautiful hair should know no age limit. I've seen beautiful hair on toddlers and great-grandmothers and in all colors and textures. I find it strange that people think long hair is "really high maintenance" because once you pass around BSL you can get it to stay up really easily as long as it's not layered. However, short and layered seems to be "best for upkeep". I've had it. I was pretty. It was not low maintenance at all. I'm a wash and go girl so having it longer and one length is actually a lot easier for me.

It would be nice if people could make it through a life crisis/change without losing their hair. I would hate to go through something aweful and lose my hair too! Maybe even up the ends with a trim to feel pretty, but that's it. Thanks a lot, lame female friends all over the world, who push us to cut our hair at a time when we're emotionally weak, and might listen. With friends like you, who needs enemies?

[going gray]

Our hair is the one thing we woman have complete control over & I think that's why "we" go for those big extremes. That was the case with me, I needed to do something "drastic" & cut my hair was my only option at that time.

Factor in age too, I've always been told by so called experts & well meaning friends, women of a certain age (I'm well past it) simply aren't attractive with long locks.

Learned it was a huge mistake to cut my hair, & in time of great stress, focus on something else, but leave my hair alone! And age certainly doesn't matter, like you said, just as long as her hair is healthy & well maintained.

[nycstar]

I've read all your comments and am excited about the interaction in this community--thanks for the responses! I'm glad to see that there are women out there that agree with me. I'm tired of Hollywood dictating what's good for women and how women should look. There was a talk show on a couple of years back (might have been Oprah) and it was a makeover topic. This woman, about the age of 40, goes on stage with long, healthy, wavy hair. Post makeover, her hair was shorter (with a gazillion layers) and the woman was crying. I know she wasn't happy even though the host (as I recall) was encouraging her that the new cut was flattering. I say stick with what you like... if you like long hair (no matter the age: 30, 40, 60, 70...) be happy.

haha (forgot to include 50) Yes, 50 is included, too!

[Irishred]

Well, I am 29 plus (sorry family joke). I have hair past my bum. I have only gotten negative comments from my mother (always short, she thinks long is brushing her shoulders). Rarely get comments from anyone else, and never a bad one. I guess some could be taken negatively but I try hard to turn the comment around so it isn't.

I do not plan to cut may hair anytime soon. Been there, done that. I could care less what others think of my hair length. The only one I care about what he thinks is my DH and he always tells me what ever I am happy with... but prefers my hair long

[Themyst]

Oh, I've already decided that I'm going to keep my super-long hair all through my senior years just to spite everybody. Bwahahaha! I'm also going to be one of those old ladies that winds up beating the crap out of would-be-muggers. I find pleasure in going against the grain.

[gnegirl]

It was a terrible short cut after age 40 that i thought aged me more than i cared for that convinced me to grow it back out again!

[Purdy Bear]

I cant see what hair length has to do with age, I think its more to do with colour. I was at a local town and their was this stunning women in front of me, beautiful mermaid locks and gorgeious figure, she looked about 18 from the back. When she turned around she was 80 if she was a day. Many a young buck was rushing past her and their faces falling. LOL!

Im in the age group now I should start to think of what not to do with my hair (if I had any), but Im gonna grow it long anyhow.

[TiaKitty]

The other thing I've been told, which completely rubs me the wrong way, is now that I have children, I should have short hair!

My cousin asked me after the birth of my first babe, when was I going to cut it? I told her I wasn't planning on it, and she told me I'd be sorry, that the baby would pull it or spit up on it. Second baby, she said the same thing, and I asked why she felt I *had* to cut my hair. She told me I would spend more time on my hair than I should and my children were lacking attention because of it! I let her have it. I told her my long hair could be put up neatly, out of the reach of the babies, that I brushed it twice a day and washed it every few days. I bet her that I spent less time on my hair daily/weekly that she did with her short, colored, high-lighted do. Just ridiculous!

My great uncle just told me about his Mom's hair. He said it was to the floor and she would brush it and put it up in braids. He said her hair was red until the day she passed, never a single gray! How exciting... maybe I won't get any grays? I haven't seen one yet, but if they come, I'll embrace them, too!