Wow, who knew that having long hair after 40 was still an issue? I mean, seriously, does anybody really care about what others do to their hair at any age? I guess it’s just not on my radar to worry about how others are wearing their hair, because frankly, I’m just not interested.
I am over 40. Heck, I am well over 50! And my hair length is halfway down my back. I have always considered my hair to be one of my best assets; it’s thick and I’m a natural redhead. I have had longish hair for most of my life — excepting a few years in the ’70s when I sported the Dorothy Hamill Wedge, that is! It just feels very natural for me to have long hair, and it suits my tall, statuesque frame. Plus, I’ve always had an inner hippie, folksy, Boho ’70s vibe that won’t quit.
So I was slightly bemused when I read another article today: Too Old for That Joni Mitchell Look? Here we go again; women over 40 are dictated to shed their locks. Of course, this is a law blog, so perhaps I should give them some leeway? Then again, why? I’m sure there are plenty of long-haired lawyers over 40 that look fabulous. Why should we have to get the cookie-cutter requisite bob or pixie hairdo once we reach our 40th birthday?
I make it a point to go up to long-haired women ‘of a certain age’, and complement them on their tresses. I especially love seeing a long sheath of gray hair, or a braid down the back. I get some amusing stories of how their kids want them to cut their hair, but they don’t. Or how they just got tired of going to the hairdresser for cuts. Or how they are like me, and just like living their inner Joni Mitchell. To that I say, Rock On!
P.S. Joni Mitchell still has her long hair. 😉
~Marilyn Huttunen
I aspire to have my hair a couple inches longer then I do now for as long as possible. I’m 44 now. If its healthy looking then its beautiful.
For a change, I recently cut my hair to about my collarbone. It’s still on the longish side, I guess, but now I can’t wait until it grows a little longer again!