Femail columnist Clare Foges sparked a fierce debate last month when she claimed that long hair on women over 50 looks desperate.
Clare explained that as she neared her 45th birthday, she cut six inches from her flowing locks, opting instead for a more grown-up bob.
‘Most women look better with shorter hair as they age,’ she argued. Her comments prompted hundreds of responses from Femail Magazine readers – some women agreed with her, while others warned against resorting to an arbitrary chop simply because you’re reaching middle age.
So we asked leading hairstylist Zoe Irwin, creative director at John Frieda, for her expert advice.
Zoe understands how hair, skin and facial structure evolve – and why it’s not as simple as just going shorter as you get older. Here, she explains how to make the most of your hair at every stage of life.
With a little help from AI, we’ve imagined how our model in her 20s might look as she ages – and how, with smart styling choices, her hair could keep her looking just as radiant as she does now…
Thirties
‘In your 30s, you’ve got a youthfulness to your face that lets you get away with styles that might not be as flattering later on,’ says Zoe.
She says a lot of women in their 30s like to use their hair as ‘a power tool’, meaning they command more respect in work (and will also look good on a Zoom call).
To that end, she’s a big fan of a power bob – sharp, all one length, cut into the nape of the neck.
‘At this age you’re likely to have a more defined jawline, which can take a strong cut,’ she says.
For colour, it’s all about enhancing what you’ve got: a really glossy brunette, or the sort of lighter blonde that you might have had as a teen.
Forties
‘Women seem to be having children a lot later now, so I see a lot of women in their 40s with postpartum hair loss,’ says Zoe.
This is also the decade where women might start experiencing perimenopausal changes, so your 40s should be all about layers, which will help lift any thinning areas.
‘The 40s decade is, more than ever, the busy era. Whether it’s work, children, parents, there’s a lot going on – this is a hassle-free cut that’s easy to dress up.’
She recommends a long, layered bob that can be tonged to give a wavy texture and a French-girl fringe that softens the face and doesn’t need a regular trim.
‘Colour also needs to be low-maintenance, so go for a balayage approach – it helps blend in any first sprinkles of grey.’
Fifties
‘By the time my clients get to their 50s, most of them will be experiencing some miniaturisation, or shrinking of their hair follicles,’ says Zoe. ‘There may be less hair, or the hair has become finer.’
So by their 50s most women will have to do some sort of styling but, Zoe says, do not cut it all off.
‘A longer cut can help offset any heaviness around the chin, and layers will soften any angularity as the face loses volume.’
Most women will have some grey hairs by their 50s, but many will still use hair dye.
‘The skin does tend to get lighter as you age, so your hair colour may need to do the same,’ says Zoe.
‘But it’s about making sure the colour is multi-tonal and contoured so it makes the hair look thicker and glossier, while giving the face definition.’
Sixties
As we age, the hair cycle changes and generally we can’t grow our hair to the length we had in our youth; your 60s is the decade when you may opt for a shorter cut.
‘While many women will go very short with a pixie cut, a long, layered bob with a side-swept fringe can be really flattering,’ says Zoe.
‘This is also a look that is forgiving with a softer jawline.’
But this bob should be quite straight and groomed. ‘Undone, loose waves don’t really work in your 60s,’ says Zoe.
Some clients of this age opt for carefully placed hair extensions to add volume.
As for colour, Zoe says: ‘You want your grey to be sparkling and reflective so you need to incorporate violet or ash pigments so it looks groomed and intentional.’
Seventies
The older we get, the harder it is to keep our hair’s length.
‘Now might be the time for an even shorter style,’ says Zoe. ‘Something that’s easy and elegant. That might be a pixie crop, or something longer, but the key is that it has layers, tapers at the back to elongate the neck and is longer on the top and worn to the side.
‘That means that you can blow-dry it the ‘wrong’ way and then flip it back over to get lift and volume. It’s a really flattering, low-maintenance cut.’
