As women mature and reach their 50s, many start to feel that they need to cut their hair short or lose their sense of style.
However, that couldn’t be further from the truth!
There are countless gorgeous long hairstyles that are perfect for women over 50.
Long hair can make you look youthful and vibrant no matter your age.
The key is finding cuts, colors, and styles that enhance your best features.
For each look, we will explain how to style it and what face shapes and hair textures it works best for.
We’ll also provide tips from professional hair stylists on how to care for and maintain longer locks as you get older. With the right cut, color, and products, long tresses can look fresh and fabulous on mature women.
Read on for inspired ideas to renew your hair and your look!
Long Layers
One of the most universally flattering long styles for women over 50 is long layers.
Layers add shape, movement, and volume to limp, fine hair. Ask your stylist for face-framing layers around the front and long layers throughout the back and sides.
This will take weight off and make hair look fuller and bouncier.
When styling long layered hair, use a round brush to flip ends out and under as you blow dry.
This will create a soft, curved shape that opens up your face.
Spritz on a volume spray or mousse and scrunch hair up at the roots to pump up flat areas. To refresh second-day hair, mist with water and reshape with your fingers or use a curling iron to touch up ends.
Long layers work well on all face shapes and hair textures.
They are especially great for thinning hair, as they camouflage where density is lacking.
For fine, limp hair, ask your colorist to add lowlights and highlights to create dimension that makes it appear thicker. Be sure to use moisturizing shampoos and conditioners formulated for your hair type to keep long layers looking healthy.
The Lob (Long Bob)
For women who want to trim just a few inches off their long locks, a lob (long bob) is a chic, low-maintenance option. A lob falls between the chin and shoulders, the perfect medium length.
It is short enough to swing easily yet long enough to pull back or style up.
The blunt-cut lob is a trendy style favored by celebs like Jennifer Aniston.
Ask for an even line across the bottoms with minimal layering. Blow drying flipped under ends helps create a slightly retro vibe. This cut works well with straight, medium-textured hair.
Curly or wavy hair will benefit from long layers cut throughout to encourage movement and shape.
Another option is an A-line lob, with a slight angle down from the back of the head toward the front. This is an easy way to add style while removing some bulk from thick hair.
Parted deeply on the side, an A-line lob is sexy and alluring. Use a medium barrel curling iron to add bends and waves for volume and dimension.
Whether sleek and straight or tousled with texture, a lob is low-maintenance and ideal for busy women over 50. It allows you to embrace longer lengths while shedding annoying weight. Just be sure to get regular trims to keep the line sharp and ends healthy.
Beach Waves
Long, tousled beach waves are effortlessly chic at any age.
The texture adds volume and softness around the face for a relaxed yet stylished look. Beach waves move beautifully and cut down on styling time. Simply scrunch in a salt spray or texturizing mousse and let your natural waves air dry or diffuse.
To amp up the beachy effect, alternate using different sized curling iron barrels to add random bends throughout your lengths. Try a 1 1/4 inch iron on top, 1 1/2 inch in the middle, and 1 inch on bottom pieces.
Spritz waves with hairspray and run fingers through to separate. Then add a styling cream to boost moisture and fight frizz.
Beach waves flatter oval, heart, and diamond face shapes with softer jawlines. If you have a square face, create a side part and focus waves mainly on one side to soften angles.
Thick, wavy and curly hair textures are ideal for achieving the beach look. If your hair is straight, add perms for permanent waves. Regular trims will keep dry ends from dragging down your style.
Long Shag
The long shag haircut is back in a big way for women over 50.
Shags have an edgy, rock n’ roll vibe that is totally on-trend. Ask your stylist for choppy layers that get longer toward the front.
Shorter layers at the crown create lift and volume. Long layers falling collarbone to shoulder-length frame the face flatteringly.
Blow drying upside down and use fingers to ruffle layers up rather than smoothing down.
This pumps up volume at the roots and creates texture. Alternate parting your shag on either side and tuck longer front pieces behind one ear. Sea salt or texturizing sprays work wonders to enhance the piecy, rumpled effect.
Shags pair best with oval or diamond face shapes.
Very thick hair may get too bulky with a heavily layered cut, so ask for interior long layers to thin and create movement without sacrificing density. Similarly, fine limp hair benefits from long layers all over to boost fullness and dimension. Regular trims are a must to maintain the shaggy silhouette.
Face-Framing Highlights
Adding face-framing highlights around the front instantly illuminates aging complexions.
Strategically placed highlights and lowlights break up solid blocks of color for depth and dimension. Light reflection blurs fine lines and imperfections for a more youthful appearance.
Ask your colorist for a partial highlight using lighter tones than your natural base color.
For women with dark brown or black hair, golden brown highlights pop nicely.
Blondes can brighten up with creamy beige or platinum highlights. Focus lighter pieces near your face around the eyes, cheekbones and mouth to create a halo effect.
Pair with soft, blended babylights (very fine highlights) at the crown to simulate natural graying. Balance with a few lowlights at the nape of the neck and sides to ground lighter pieces. Avoid any blunt stripes or blocky chunks of color. Subtle, face-brightening highlights let you continue enjoying long locks while defying age.
The Half Updo
One easy way to style long hair for mature women is the half updo.
This look epitomizes elegance and polish for women over 50. And it could not be simpler! Just part hair down the middle or diagonally. Then pull back the top front half and secure in a low bun or clip at the back crown of your head.
Let the remaining length fall freely in soft waves or curls.
Or create a chignon-style knot or bun in the back using a clear hair band. Half updos keep hair contained yet retain free-flowing movement below for a romantic vibe. They also show off gorgeous balayage or ombre color melts.
The half updo flatters all face shapes and sizes.
It adds lift to thin or aging hair while removing visual bulk from thick locks. Curly girls can embrace their texture in a half up style. It helps elongate a round face by lifting up the crown.
For added polish, curl back bangs or side pieces before pulling into the updo. The options are endless!
Long Bob with Bangs
Some mature women feel bangs are best left to the youngsters.
But the right style can be extremely flattering on women over 50! A long bob cut to collarbone length is versatile enough for busy lifestyles. Add a full, side-swept fringe and you have an elegant yet edgy look.
The key is keeping bangs long and sideswept rather than blunt.
Ask your stylist for bangs that angle down past your eyebrows to at least cheekbone length. Part your hair deeply on the side, letting bangs cascade over one eye gracefully. Use a round brush when blow drying to sweep bangs to the side and under.
Long side-swept bangs complement oval and heart shaped faces best.
They draw attention upward, balancing out a stronger jawline. Bangs can soften a prominent nose and restore symmetry to a long face. Just be sure you have enough density at the top front to support long bangs. Thin or wispy bangs may look stringy and overwhelm delicate features.
Ombre Color Melt
Why choose one hair color when you can have two…or more?
Ombre color melts are a gorgeous option for long hair. The colors blend seamlessly from dark to light, removing harsh lines associated with traditional highlights. It creates gorgeous dimension that catches the eye.
Ask your colorist for a rich brown base that gradually melts into warm copper and caramel tones mid-length. Or start with jet black roots that melt into a deep burgundy, then fade into light pink ends.
There are no rules – feel free to get creative! The uneven coloring effect appears softer and more natural.
Ombre looks beautiful on straight, wavy or curly textured hair. It brings out dimension and sheen.
Best of all, the grown out effect is part of the style, making ombre color low maintenance. Avoid flat ironing or overstyling hair to show off the melt. Finish with a smoothing serum to boost shine and manageability.
Shoulder Length With Curled Ends
Want to retain length while updating your style? Shoulder-skimming hair with curled ends is feminine and flirty.
The curls create shape and movement without the hassle of overly long tresses.
The look flatters women over 50 by softening facial features and removing severity from the cut.
Ask your stylist for a few long layers to encourage natural bend and texture.
Part hair down the center or side, then blow dry using a round ceramic brush. Wrap locks around a 1-1 1/4 inch curling iron barrel vertically to flip ends under and outward. This opens up your face and keeps the shape bouncy.
Shoulder length hair with curled ends and volume at the roots works well for fine to medium density hair. If your hair is too thick and heavy, layers will be needed throughout.
Keep curls touchable rather than stiff by misting hair with water before curling. Finish with a flexible hold hairspray to extend the style.
Long Pixie Cut
Women often shun very short styles, fearing an edgy pixie will age them.
But the long pixie proves you can enjoy short hair and retain femininity after 50! Shorn sides, back and nape give you ease of very short locks. Long bangs combed forward maintain softness around the face.
Ask your stylist for a pixie with at least 2-3 inches of length in front.
Create side-swept bangs grazing the cheeks, letting your natural texture shine through. Style the back very short at the nape – freeing you from styling hassles.
For special occasions, you can always add a partial hairpiece for ponytails or updos!
The long pixie cut flatters petite facial features best.
Those with oval and heart shaped faces can pull it off beautifully. Avoid overlay large earrings or necklaces that might overwhelm the delicate proportions of this cut. If your hair is wavy or very curly, allow added length in front to accommodate shrinkage.
Long Curly Bob
Curly haired ladies need not sacrifice their natural texture for an age-appropriate cut. The long curly bob is a lively look that makes the most of coils and kinks.
Chin or shoulder-length cuts with layered ends create flattering definition as curls bounce and move.
A wide center or deep side part adds body at the crown.
Cutting layers shorter through the sides and back removes excess bulk while leaving length in front. Avoid closely trimmed styles, which can make hair appear triangular. Keep sides full and lengthy to balance the volume up top.
Let curls air dry or diffuse gently – overdirecting curls outward creates width rather than height. Define ringlets by scrunching in curl cream or gel.
Finish with an anti-humectant like humidity spray to keep frizz at bay without crunch. Show off your beautiful silver strands by embracing your inner curl girl power!
The Choppy Bob
Over 50 doesn’t mean you must sacrifice an edgy style. The choppy bob is shattered ends taken to the extreme for bold texture and dimension.
Piecey ends create volume and attitude to invigorate aging hair. Go for dramatic layers cut shorter in back and cascading longer through the front.
Ask your stylist to point cut into ends with scissors for the ultimate choppy effect. Keep the underlayer slightly shorter to prevent bulky blocks of hair as layers fall.
For lightweight texture, have some shorter layers sliced into the interior. Embrace natural waves by air drying and scrunching in sea salt spray.
The choppy bob pairs best with naturally wavy or straight hair that can hold the jagged texture. Very curly hair may end up overly poufy with this amount of layering.
For thin or fine hair, ask your colorist to paint in dimensional highlights that mimic fuller density. Oval and heart shaped faces look beautiful surrounded by choppy locks.
There you have it – 13 gorgeous, long hairstyle ideas for women over 50!
From soft waves to edgy chopped layers, you can embrace length and remain stylish at any age.
Work with experienced professionals to find cuts, colors, and styles uniquely flattering to your face shape and hair type. With the right tools and techniques, salon-worthy looks are easy to maintain at home.
Most importantly, choose lengths and styles that make you feel confident and beautiful.
Do not limit yourself based on age.
Renew your look and refresh your inner glow with inspiration from these fabulous cuts, colors and styles to turn back time.
