Dust off your overalls and pull out your bandanas because you never should have put them away! With a few artful wisps escaping in front and back, a brightly patterned bandana can keep stray hair out of the way while still showing off the back of your glorious hair. Use longer scarves and wrap everything up on top for a more Bohemian look.
It’s the bob, but not. Chin length haircuts don’t have to be the classic bob—they can be whatever you want them to be. Wavy or curly hair can be particularly becoming at chin length as a fly away ‘do that suits any age. Many women can make this work with or without bangs. Maintenance depends on just how much life of its own your hair has.
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When you’re looking for curls but aren’t quite willing to go all the way with them, a soft curl can be a great compromise. These curls can be achieved in straight hair with a perm or small curling iron, or with a little work for wavy-haired women. However you come by them, they’re youthful and fun, without being too fun.
Pixie cuts can come in a variety of styles and lengths, but they’re all short with a relatively choppy look. Almost any shaped face can pull off a pixie cut, but they’re particularly stunning when they draw attention to a pair of gorgeous eyes in a heart-shaped face. Pixie cuts also pull attention away from long jawlines and soften wide foreheads. If you’re scared of a boyish-looking Pixie, soften the style by blow-drying the bangs to the side with a round brush. If you’re wanting something more modern, use products (pomades or waxes) to texturize the cut.
You are definitely never too old for your first swoopy bangs. Larger foreheads can be softened by the extra sweep of hair, arranged to cover up a lot of your brow when there’s just too much of it. Shorter bangs give you the permanent curtain; having the front of your haircut long enough to hide with the rest of your hair but short enough to sweep off by itself gives you the option of pulling those bangs out for a special occasion.
While you can work a side-sweeping bang into almost any haircut, it takes a very particular type of daring to opt for bangs straight across. Depending on the ‘do you pair it with, you can achieve a fresh off the beach bohemian look, or an off to the library sexy nerd approach. Especially great for high foreheads.
If you had a glorious afro in your youth, there is absolutely no reason not to dust it off and pull it back out a few decades later. Tightly curled hair can do amazing things, and while the word “afro” might not trip off your tongue like it used to, a crown of curls is completely appropriate after 45.
For an updo that keep everything in its place and out of your way, try a classic ballet bun. Start with a high ponytail, then wrap the tail around itself, using bobby pins to hold it. It’s a great style to show off your face and smile, while looking totally graceful.
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Not every women can make the long-haired bed head look work. If you’re carrying your hippy-dippy style into later adulthood with you, the long, lazy look can give a lady a serious air of “don’t care.” Some women actually need a little bit of work to achieve the “I just woke up like this” look, while some hair just knows what you want.
French braids can be so much more than just a braid. For a classy updo, start (or have someone else start) a braid behind your ear, and work in a circle around your head, rather than going straight back from the forehead to create a crown. The longer your hair, the more crown you can make.
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For another shift on an old favorite, abandon your attempts to keep your french braid pulled neatly and tightly into place. Work from the top of one side down to the bottom of the other side of your head, letting hair escape as it wants to. Let the tail of your braid hang over your shoulder for a finishing touch.
For something that looks fancy but is totally easy, just start sticking bobby pins in. The goal is to create a sort of bun simulacrum. It can take a little work to actually get the look your going for, but just keep twisting and sticking.
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