| Long Hair For Women Over 40 |
| Karen Marie Shelton - Copyright - All
Rights Reserved |
| Revised Publication Date: 02/06/10 |
Introduction
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Jane Seymour to the side -
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit -- NBC
Series -- "Families" |
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Will
Hart/Universal
All Rights Reserved
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Jane Seymour, also known as Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, is probably the most famous long
hair celeb beauty over 40. Jane's long beautiful brunette tresses have certainly helped make her
successful. It's also her beauty signature.
I've read many interviews with Jane in national magazines where she mentions that people
often suggest that she is too old for having such long hair. Of
course she ignores their advice.
It's sad, but many people believe that women over 40 should automatically cut their
hair.
Jane is a woman with her own beauty sense. As a
result, she absolutely refuses to bow to public opinion about
the length of her hair. She will not be dictated by her age.
Clairol agrees with Jane and she is now
enjoying a lucrative advertising assignment for Clairol.
Many people ask me if I'll cut my long hair when I get older. My standard answer is I hope my hair is so long it won't fit in my coffin when I die. I have no intention
of ever cutting my long locks again.
I have researched the roots of society's belief indicating older woman
should have short hair. Society's attitude dictating short hair on older women has been prevalent for a long
time. Before the current century woman of all ages always had long tresses. The older the
woman, the longer her hair except in rare circumstances.
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Joan Collins born May 1933 as
she appeared on Will And Grace on NBC in a short
bob hairstyle - 7/2/02 |
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NBC Photo:
Chris Haston
All Rights Reserved
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Short Hair Fashion Trends in 1920s
Short hair became the latest fashion in the United States in the 1920s. Even then, the
majority of older women kept their hair long periodically wearing it up in a variety of buns,
twists or
braids.
After World War II the hair care industry welcomed the introduction of
the shampoo and wet curler set for short styles. Chemically permed
styles also became prominent.
Older woman flocked to hairdressers and emerged with short curls,
and waves. It became very fashionable to get your hair done every
single week.
The weekly hairdresser visits did not encourage long hair.
Most hairdressers made more money if they trimmed and styled hair on
a weekly or semi-monthly basis.
Older women with
long hair were considered prime hair makeover subjects by the entire beauty industry.
Short Hair Fashion Trends Through
1950s & 1960s
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Cher from NBC's Will And
Grace - May 16. 2002 |
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NBC
All Rights Reserved
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Short hair for older women was the preferred style throughout the 1950s. When the 1960
ushered in the age of the long hair, older women continue to do the shampoo and set on
their short styles.
Short hair for the middle-aged became the norm. It was rare to find
older women with hair past their shoulders.
Many people still believe that older women should have short hair. However, Jane
Seymour, Cher (shown to the side) and Jacqueline Bisset have proven women over 40 can look stunning with
long locks.
The important thing is how each older women looks on an individual basis. If a woman
looks fabulous, her hair is in great condition and flattering to her face, she should
wear her hair as long as she pleases.
Catherine Deneuve looks great with either long or shorter hair. Kim
Basinger, Melanie
Griffith and Sharon Stone all decided to cut their hair as they got older. Whether they
look better or worse is a personal opinion.
Other Aging Hair Factors To Consider
There are other factors to consider on aging hair. With age, long hair's
condition and color can fade. It can appear limp, faded or discolored. Long hair needs to be
carefully
maintained. Long hair which is aging needs to be treated to weekly conditioning treatments, regular trims.
In some cases aging strands which are long would benefit from skillfully
applied highlights or color added to restore luster, bounce and body.
Color extremes should be avoided for older hair. The bleached blonde look should be
discarded for warmer blondes or carefully applied highlights.
Since skin color also changes on older women, they should work with an expert
to enhance skin tone and blend it with hair color. Dark brown or black hair shades may also
look harsh or unflattering on older faces.
If a woman has long hair in good condition with good color and body, she can also play
with the edges of the style to add some softening around the aging face.
Soft feathering of a fringe (bangs) or around the hairline close to the face can be
very flattering and not require any cutting of the length of the hair.
Use a variety of styling products to add softness throughout the fringe and
around the perimeter of your face.
Summary
I recently saw a woman with gorgeous silver hair to her waist. It was thick, shiny
and well maintained. The color was gorgeous against her deep blue eyes and pale skin. I was
very impressed.
The woman looked to be in her 60s or older and was a great inspiration.
Obviously she knows that long hair can look fantastic at any age with the right style,
condition and attitude.
The bottom line for having long hair as you age is understanding what is best for your
face and natural coloring. The first step to achieving this goal is to
find a great hair consultant who will work with you and advise you on color
and condition. A great hairstylist will also offer creative
suggestions on how to amp up your strands for maximum benefit.
Social Media Network Information
Please follow me on Twitter at:
http://Twitter.com/HairBoutique. I look forward to
meeting new
people
from all walks of Twitter and learning from their Tweets. Visit us
at Hairboutique.com
located at: http://www.HairBoutique.com, on Facebook, MySpace and
YouTube.
Thank you for visiting us at
The HairBoutique Blog
and for leaving your comments. They are very much appreciated. We
apologize in advance but must remove any direct advertisements or
solicitations.
Original Publication Date: March 1998 - Revised
Publication Date: 02/06/10 |