Being attractive doesn’t mean you have to look young. It makes me sad to see women stop loving themselves and seeing how beautiful they are simply because they are getting older.
Looking into a mirror and seeing grey hair makes many women feel sorrow. But it takes too much time and energy to fight the natural aging process occurring within each of us. And, there’s no reason to!
I see a lot of women over 60 make style choices around their clothes, makeup, and hair that prevents their true personality from coming across.
For years I’ve been teaching women to age not just gracefully, but powerfully. I do this by helping them identify those deep-seated biases we easily develop as we age and overcome them so they can look and feel beautiful by living their truth.
It makes me so happy when I help women discover their true selves and then develop a style of their own that matches their shape and personality. Making choices around your wardrobe, makeup palette, or hairstyle is a lot easier when you know who you are by identifying your Energy Type.
In this article, I’ll discuss short hairstyles for women over 60 and how to make the perfect choice to bring out your natural beauty. And don’t forget to check out my article on the best hair color for older women.
How Does Your Hairstyle Relate To Energy Type?
Your first step is to know your Energy Type. If you haven’t taken my Energy Type quiz, I suggest you spend just a couple of minutes and do that now. This is critical to helping you choose the perfect short hairstyle.
You move through the world in a unique way. We all do. When you understand your Energy Type, you feel more confident and can express who you are in your style. Knowing your Energy Type will help you choose a short hairstyle that’s perfect for you whether that’s light and airy, calm and flowing, edgy and dynamic, or traditional and bold.
Every person expresses one of the four Energy Types each with its own characteristics of movement:
- Type 1: Upward, light, buoyant, and random
- Type 2: Fluid, flowing, relaxed, and subtle
- Type 3: Active, reactive, push-forward, swift
- Type 4: Constant, reflective, and straightforward
It’s easy to not admit who we really are because we pretend to be something we aren’t but want to be. But understanding yourself on a deep level is powerful and gives you freedom. So don’t assume you know your Type. Take the quiz now if you haven’t already.
Your hairstyle is a statement about who you are. It can make or break that first impression. If you use your Energy Type to pick the perfect short hairstyle, you’ll show people who you truly are right away.
How Does Aging Change Your Hair?
You might be asking yourself whether being over 60 should impact your choice of hairstyle.
No hairstyle will be particularly “wrong” because you are getting older. But your hair is changing and some hairstyles just won’t be as flattering as others. As you age, your hair will experience age-related challenges like greying roots or thinning. So it’s important to choose the right short hairstyle that compensates for those changes.
Age-Related Hair Challenges
As women get older, there are a few challenges they will possibly face in regards to their hair.
Most people think of baldness as a male hair problem, but 40% of women face hair loss by age 50. Female pattern baldness is a real thing. This could be the hair becoming thinner throughout or something like a widening part.
Hair also can become more brittle and a bit duller as we age.
Melanin is the pigment that gives skin and hair color. As we age, the body stops producing melanin at the same rate. This can lead to hair turning grey or even white.
Sebum is an oily, waxy substance produced by our body’s sebaceous glands. It coats, moisturizes, and protects skin including the skin on top of your head. As we get older, our body produces less sebum leaving every hair shaft thinner and wirier in appearance. This can cause dull hair and a dry scalp.
Anti-Aging Hair Care
The quality, quantity, and color of our hair often suffer from the aging process. So what can you do about aging hair?
Get good hair products!
Find products that moisturize, strengthen, and are gentle. Choose a product based on the needs of your hair. For example, fine hair needs lighter oils and proteins. Coarse, thick hair requires heavier creams and oils.
If you’re dealing with flat hair, you’ll likely benefit from a root lifter that can add volume. This works particularly well with a curly bob or short curly hairstyle that can benefit from the extra bounce. If you’ve got flyaways or dry hair, apply moisturizer to the length of your hair (not the roots) to lessen the frizz and poufiness.
There are also times when we age when we can benefit from leave-in moisturizing products. But be careful. If you use too much moisturizer, your hair will feel like the lotion or oil is caked in. Another good option is to use a weekly deep treatment mask to provide extra moisture and protein for healthier hair.
Choose the right styling tools!
One big problem for aging hair is heat damage. When we are younger, our hair recovers from heat damage fairly quickly. As we mature, that’s no longer the case. Whether you’re using a flat iron, curling iron, or blow dryer, there are many options available. Just choose wisely.
The best tools will allow you to work at very low levels of heat. You can even use cool air when blow drying your hair. You’ll minimize any damage to your hair when applying heat at low levels.
Another option is to get protective hair serum or a protective thermal spray to be used while heat styling. These products mitigate the damage done by heat-based tools by sealing in the moisture.
Follow good hair practices!
Your hair and scalp will become more fragile and sensitive as you age. You really, really need to be careful and follow good best practices that are appropriate for your hair type. Making just a few simple changes to your routine could provide ample rewards.
- Just use the pads of your fingers when shampooing to gently massage the scalp – no nails
- Try to limit brushing your hair to when it’s full of conditioner (especially if your hair is long)
- Start with the ends of your hair when brushing and try to not tear through tangles
- If you’re going to wear a hat, choose one that is light, loose, and breathable that doesn’t rub or suffocate your scalp
- Choose hair bands that are gentle – wide elastic and tear-free bands work better than rubber ones
- Braids can offer a gentle and protective style for long hair and are a healthier option than buns
Find the perfect hairstyle!
You might still love (or even wear) that hairstyle you were most fond of in your 20s and 30s. But times change. What worked for you in your 20s and 30s might not be the right choice today. After all, who you were in your 20s and 30s might even be different from who you are today (especially if you weren’t living your truth back then). So don’t get stuck on a specific style from your youth. Choose a style that is most flattering for who you are and how you look today.
We want to adapt as we age. We do not have to be stuck.
Choose a hairstyle that expresses who you are NOW and is flattering for the hair you have whether you have fine hair, curly hair, thin hair, straight hair, gray hair, blonde hair or any other type of hair.
Embrace the changing of your hair! Find the perfect hairstyle that will help your hair look healthy, thick, and full. Maybe this means a trim. You could possibly add in long layers. There are so many options so find one that works for you.
Why Are Short Hairstyles Popular For Older Women?
Lots of middle-aged and older women wear short hairstyles. So why do short hairstyles for women over 60 work so well?
Here are three reasons why a short haircut is a perfect choice for women of all ages and quite popular for women over 60:
1. Short Hair Styles are Highly Practical
At some point, you might just come to the conclusion that your hair is a huge hassle. This often happens when women have children. It’s just so challenging to find the time to wash and style your hair when your kids need your attention. It’s a luxury of time that many women just don’t have. Longer hair can also get in the way of doing basic tasks. It’s just not as convenient as short hair and many moms get their first “big chop” shortly after the kids are born.
Even if you don’t have kids, you still might wake up one day and decide that taking care of long hair is just too troublesome. Given that it’s easy to look professional and smart with a shorter haircut, you are just one trip to the salon away from getting rid of an unnecessary problem.
Maybe you’ve had long hair your entire life but have decided you’d prefer a simpler hair routine now that you’re in your 60s. Short hair can be a great choice that doesn’t require styling with heat tools but will still make you look fabulous.
2. Short Hair Styles are Trendy
You can be beautiful and attractive with both long and short hair. But short hair is typically easier to care for and faster to style. Many women who want to look trendy choose short hair.
Remember, cutting your hair short is not going to make you look old. The ideal length of your hair isn’t dictated by your age.
Additionally, it’s so much easier to change your hairstyle when they are short. You can go from a mid-length, clean-cut bob to a pixie cut and then grow the hair back out for a layered, inverted, asymmetrical long bob. There are so many options to choose from.
There’s no rule that says you have to stick with one look or style. Having short hair gives you many options to express your personality through your hair.
3. Short Hair Styles Overcome the Symptoms of Aging
Maybe you have long hair that’s getting thin and straggly at the ends. Or perhaps you know someone with hair like that. Very often the ends just aren’t as full and thick as the hair near the scalp. Changing to a shorter hairstyle can make your hair look healthier and fuller.
Not every part of your hair has the same hair growth rate. Different parts of the head grow at different rates, resulting in some parts being longer and thicker than other parts.
When your hair changes, this difference becomes even more apparent, and the damage is more apparent as well. Getting your ends trimmed is one way to stop the damage of splitting ends and keep the hair growth cycles at a similar length.
Stylish and Short Hairstyles for Women Over 60
Women have been breaking the mold for decades now. Getting a short style doesn’t mean you will look like your mother or grandmother. You can be as structured and traditional or as wild and edgy as you want to be. A lot of this is going to come down to your Energy Type and what you feel comfortable expressing about yourself.
Charming Boyish Cut
Perfect for Type 2s and Type 4s
Are you sweet and a bit on the serious side?
A very short haircut can be modern and sophisticated at the same time. The charming boyish cut has a pronounced rejuvenating effect. It visually makes the contours of the face clearer and lifts cheekbones. It’s a bit unexpected for women, but not so much so that you will stick out. It offers a hassle-free approach that often needs nothing but a bit of styling product for wash-and-go freedom.
The charming boyish cut can be a really great choice for a Type 2 or a Type 4. It expresses your ability to flow but shows a sensible, grounded approach. While it isn’t traditional, it is a very straightforward hairstyle. There is a little bit of no-nonsense in this haircut without being uptight or uppity.
You can add some texture and spikiness to it for an edgy look, or calm it down for a more refined look.
Short Pixie with an Undercut
Perfect For Type 3s
Are you interesting and full of energy?
Go with a very edgy and adorable cut-the short undercut pixie. It’s a personal favorite of mine.😉 It’s very short on the bottom with plenty of textured hair piled on top. Usually, the front part is just a tad longer than the top back section as well. It’s an even more modern twist to the pixie cut.
This is a short pixie haircut for women over 50 that is suited perfectly for both straight hair or stubborn curls. It can be a visually slimming look because it pulls attention up toward the top of your head and creates the illusion of length.
It works well for a Type 3 personality because it signifies fire and motivation. The cut makes you look like a determined go-getter that might be a bit on the pushy side. While it could work well for a Type 1, it is a bit more hard-lined than the typical Type 1 personality. The right undercut pixie could be perfect for the Type 1 personality, though.
Spiky Gray Pixie
Perfect For Type 3s
Are you outspoken and push boundaries frequently?
If you want to express a little bit of a rebellious side, the spiky gray pixie might be the perfect cut. This layered hairstyle is the complete opposite of a traditional female hairstyle. It’s super short, choppy, sharp, and shows off the “aging” color of gray hair in a spunky way.
Right now, gray is a highly popular color. And, just because you are going grey doesn’t mean the grey of this hairstyle is your natural color. There are people of all ages dying their hair and adding a cool tone for a trendy silver color.
This cut is very similar to the short undercut pixie. The hair is voluminous on the top of the head, but it’s very short in the back. The layers are cut with lots of texture for a spiky finish. The cool gray color just adds to the overall “short hair, don’t care” vibe. It is flattering for an angular face because it mimics the lines of the face.
This is a good pick for a Type 3 who is a little on the demanding and persistent side of things. The hair is going to give off vibes of decisive action and a boisterous personality. People who get this hairstyle are projecting an image of embracing their age and leaning into the journey.
Natural Gray Pixie
Perfect For Type 1s and 2s
Are you creative with a little spunk?
Bright white or silver hair looks elegant and chic. The natural gray pixie is untraditional and captivating, but a bit softer than the spiky gray pixie. This pixie is really cute for oval faces. You can go for longer layers on the top of the head to frame round faces.
This is a great style choice for Type 1 and Type 2. Even though these Types are very different in how they process energy, they are both typically people-pleasers and emotional types. The natural gray pixie expresses a personality that is not wild but also isn’t resistant to change. It can show flexibility and light-heartedness.
Because this is a fairly low-maintenance haircut, many find this a freeing cut. There is no need to touch up roots or do a lot of styling. Allowing your natural gray to show through isn’t for everyone, but it does signal that you are comfortable in your own skin as you age.
Shattered Long Pixie
Perfect For Type 2s and 4s
Are you an old soul with a vivacious spirit?
This effortless style is one for the ages. The shattered long pixie cut gives a vintage bob look from the front with a pixie back. This is a top hairstyle option for older women because it is cute, easy, and trendy! The shattered look is achieved by texturing the ends of the hair and then defining the hair’s texture during styling. It’s a really great cut for thick, straight, or wavy hair.
The shattered long pixie offers a nostalgic nod to the 60’s pixie. But this little modern twist makes it fit for any generation! There is something vintage about it, without feeling “old” and expected.
This is a really great haircut for a Type 2 or Type 4. These are the more introverted personalities that are rarely very daring or interested in pushing the lines. It can be an ideal cut for hiding a long or large forehead without true bangs. It looks great on a longer (oval) face shape-think Twiggy or Audrey Hepburn.
Neat Chin-Length Bob with Layers
Perfect For Type 4s
Are you practical and put together?
There are a number of different bob styles. The classic rounded bob creates a singular shape that offers a much more structured haircut than the asymmetrical or textured layers cuts. Not everyone will be able to keep a neat bob together.
This bob will hit right at your chin to show off your cheekbones and jawline. It adds definition to your face’s natural curves and makes you look younger. Layers are popular in short haircuts for women as they are created by cutting the hair at different lengths to give it a structured shape. These layers blend together for a bold and structured look. This hairstyle is not a great choice for thick, voluminous hair because it will start to look like a helmet.
This is a great haircut for someone who tends to be more organized and softer. Typically, it is going to fit a Type 4 personality the best – someone who is reflective, put together, and straightforward. Types 1 and 2 will likely be irritated with the upkeep, while a Type 3 will find this haircut feels at odds with their typical approach of more angular movements.
Short Bob with Blonde Tousled Waves
Perfect For Type 1s and Sometimes 2s
Are you a bit of a wildcard and sometimes scattered?
A great cut for fine hair is the short, tousled bob. The blonde color tends to give a lighter appearance to the overall look, though strawberry blonde or dark blonde are also popular options. The balayage is still a popular choice, allowing the hair to have a gradient down from darker roots to lighter ends. This angled bob cut will need a darker shade underneath, with bright highlights on top for a dreamy, sun-kissed look.
This velvety hairstyle is a very flattering haircut for free spirit personality types. It showcases a friendly and somewhat easy-going personality. The messy waves show a youthful and flexible person at heart.
That makes this a great haircut for Type 1 and sometimes a great option for Type 2. It is messy by nature, allowing room for the more go-with-the-flow energy types.
Fly Away Shaggy Bob with Bangs
Perfect For Type 2s and Sometimes 1s
Are you a little hardcore with a never-say-die spirit?
This messy-but stylish-look is perfect for the ladies with a lot of spunk and character. Go for a shaggy bob with a long shag bang to pull it all together with a modern twist. It’s pulled right out of the 70s and still just as trendy. It’s a bit more maintenance than you might initially think since those ends will need to be straightened to highlight the choppy hair texture of the shaggy bob.
But, the end result gives you a no-nonsense sass that implies you don’t always play nice. This is a charming, but edgy look that shows a little creativity and a lot of bold spirit.
This hairstyle is best for oval face shapes and fits both fine or thick hair. It looks good in any hair color, from the darkest shades to the lightest blondes. A tinge of color (like lavender highlights in silvery-white hair or brassy orange in a dark brunette) can really add some extra flair that pops out as you move your head.
The shaggy bob with bangs is a great style for a Type 2 personality that is going to be a go-getter. It can also sometimes work well for a Type 1 personality with a bright and electric kind of energy. If you don’t love the idea of bangs, consider the pixie bob instead.
Angled Ash Blonde Cut
Perfect For Type 4s and Sometimes 2s
Are you highly intelligent and classy?
As you get older, the face can get a little softer and the skin may sag a bit. You can contrast this with a fantastic angled cut that adds sharpness, drawing the focus to dramatic eyes and a pointed chin. This sleek hairstyle is sophisticated and intimidating in a subtle way.
The ash blonde color is a stunning tone that suggests sensibility with a very trendy edge. Blondes typically look a little more light-hearted, but this cooler ash color with a sharper cut will give you an elite look. The highlights are fine and blend into the lowlights for a lustrous color. This is a really great cut for straight fine or medium hair. It’s still a pretty short cut, but it allows you to keep medium-length hair in a simple style that extends to around shoulder-length.
This is a style that works well with a long or angled face that has started to soften with age. It contrasts smooth hair with a sharp edge-giving a no-nonsense finish. Because it is more of a serious cut, it fits a Type 4 personality who will be straightforward and introspective. In some cases, this works well for a Type 2 personality who is fluid by nature and detail-oriented.
Choppy Blonde Pixie with Long Side Bangs
Perfect For Type 3s
Are you a boisterous go-getter?
This extended pixie is one of the most popular short haircut options among older women today. It gives a lot of texture and character without being too over-the-top. The finish is a tousled look, perfect for thinning hair. If you have less volume, you may use a root volumizer here to give it a little more life.
Teaming the pixie with long side side-swept bangs and choppy layers creates a final look that is mature with a youthful edge. This is an easy haircut to manage-it typically just takes a quick dry and some texturizing pomade. It gives off highly driven vibes for someone who is going to push hard and offers an analytical perspective.
If you are looking for a haircut that expresses consistency and compliments a more angular face, then this might be the right haircut for you. This is typically a haircut that works well for a Type 3 personality.
Natural Salt and Pepper Curly Pixie
Perfect For Type 2s and 4s
Are you wise and grounded?
The texture of fine curly hair works great with a pixie cut, so here is another ideal option if your hair is getting a bit fine and brittle. It works well for thicker hair that has a natural curl (or a tight perm). This natural approach to graying hair is a fantastic look for a sophisticated woman.
The natural salt and pepper contrast will make your curls appear more voluminous with the color dimension. This is a very low-maintenance hairstyle that will only require regular trims to keep the edges sharp and perfectly shaped.
You will be able to get away with a dry-and-go approach to styling every day, using a little mousse, texturizing spray, or water-based wax pomade. You may need a root lifter for this haircut, depending on how long or short you choose to go with it.
This haircut is most ideal for a Type 2 woman. It’s soft, blended, and will add just the right amount of s-curve movement around her eyes.
Additionally, this haircut is also great for a Type 4 personality. This is a sensible and mature look that showcases stability and poise.
Burnt Orange Bob with Highlights
Perfect For Type 1s and 3s
Are you fiery and spicy?
Nothing about aging needs to be boring or predictable. If you are a wildcard, there is still a mature look out there that will help you look younger without looking like a wannabe adolescent. A fiery burnt orange color is going to catch a lot of attention. You want to pull out the color with darker brown lowlights and brighter brassy orange highlights.
The bob can be a tousled mess of tight curls or a sleek hard-edge cut for straight hair. Either way, this hairstyle is still going to give a firecracker impression. It will show you are aging with spunk. A bob is classy, but the orange will give it an edge that’s impossible to ignore. You can also flatter a longer face shape by adding face-framing bangs.
I highly recommend going to a hairstylist for every hair cut and color-but this one more than all the others. If you aren’t a natural redhead (or are starting to cover the gray), this will look very unnatural coming from a box. You will get a much more flattering and attractive end result when a professional is using high-quality color products and adding highlights and lowlights.
This livewire cut is perfect for the high energy of a Type 1 or Type 3 personality.
Off-Beat Pompadour
Perfect For Type 3s and Sometimes 4s
Are you rocking into your old age?
I can’t stress enough that old doesn’t have to mean subdued. There is a real stigma about age that after a certain point we should slink out of the limelight and spend retirement in a corner somewhere. This shouldn’t be further from the truth. You have a lot to offer as you get older, and you should feel free to express that to the world.
The pompadour is loud and expressive, but not childish. It is typically paired with a rockstar personality-think of Pink or Rihanna. Most of the time, the sides are cut down to a short fade that is dramatically different from the long top. If you don’t want to go short, you can rock a pompadour hairdo by pulling it tight on the sides and poufing the top whenever you want to turn up the volume a bit.
This style works best with straight (or straightened) hair in order to get that smooth quiff. It also offers a lot of styling options. The pompadour cut is versatile, allowing you to slick it back for a sleek look or pull it forward with a side part for long bangs whenever you feel like changing things up.
A Type 3 is usually the one daring enough to rock this look. In some cases, a Type 4 pulls it off well too. It takes a lot of confidence and a longer face shape. It is a bold and grounded look that shows you aren’t backing down with age.
Finding the Right Style for You
I feel like far too often, we push aside women when they hit a certain age. I want to help women understand who they are and how they can express themselves.
Once you find the style that works for you, it is so liberating! It might seem silly or frivolous, but it’s not. You should be able to express yourself and feel comfortable in your own skin.
I help women discover their ideal looks with my Dressing Your Truth site. We don’t just choose the looks that are flattering to you on the outside-we also choose looks that will help your inner personality shine through.
Are you ready to feel incredible inside and out?
Head to Dressing Your Truth to get your free Beginner’s Guide and find the perfect outward projection of your beautiful soul.
