Hairstyles for Older Ladies

As women get older, they often feel the need to cut their hair into shorter, low-maintenance hairstyles. Most hairstyle websites and magazines cater to the younger generation for hairstyles, and though some older women may wear these long, layered styles, many want a shorter, easier style for their hair. There are many short and medium-length styles that are represented beautifully by women in Hollywood who are over 40, such as Sharon Stone, Meg Ryan and Julie Christie.

Bob

The bob is a perfect style for women over 40 because it so versatile, it fits any face shape, and it's incredibly chic and trendy. There are three popular styles of bob: the traditional bob, the inverted bob and the asymmetrical bob. The traditional bob is a straight cut around the head falling anywhere below the ears. This style is associated with the 1920s era and has been made popular by celebrity Katie Holmes, who wore the styles with side swept bangs and later blunt bangs cut across the forehead. The inverted bob is cut short and tapered in the back, progressively becoming longer and slanting towards the face. This style was made popular by Victoria Beckham, who wore the cut sleek and straight with choppy layers. The asymmetrical bob is also tapered in the back and becomes longer in the front, but one side of the hair is cut longer and angled towards the face. The pop star Rihanna debuted this style and made it immediately popular.

Pixie

The pixie cut is a much shorter cut that is popular among of variety of age groups. The pixie is a style that is cut close to the head, with longer pieces anywhere around the face or head that you feel comfortable. For example, your can request that the hair be cut longer around the face or bang area, or on the sides. The pixie is layered and razored to look messy. Pixie cuts are also a great cut for older woman because they can be cut to hide gray areas. Pixies are an easy get-up-and-go cut that can be styled to be either playful or formal, depending on what the event. Sharon Stone has made the pixie popular among older women because of the classic, yet playful look she exudes.

Layers

Just because you are over 40, you don't have to cut your hair into a short style if you are not comfortable. Many women choose to wear their hair a little longer, in a medium-layered length. Layers still give you the texture and body that require less styling time and maintenance. One benefit of layered cuts is that they can be styled curly or straight. If you have natural curl in your hair, you can allow this style to air dry, or blow it dry with a diffuser and work with the natural curl. You can also use a curling iron to give it a more polished look for formal events. Celebrities such as Jodi Foster, Heather Locklear, Meg Ryan and Jenna Elfman have made these longer layered looks especially popular.

References

• Haircuts of Celebrities Over 40