Medium-length haircuts masterfully blend the best of both short and long styles, offering a versatile and stylish option for anyone craving a fresh new look. Longer lengths, strategic layering and movement works especially well for women over 50 with thinning or fine hair, as it can give the appearance of fuller, more voluminous locks.
It’s important to consider your unique face shape and personal style preferences when choosing a new ‘do this fall. This could mean adding soft, face-framing “youthful” layers or embracing gentle, voluminous curls and waves to “accentuate” your favorite facial features. With input from expert stylists, we’ve handpicked four medium-length, lob, and long cuts that radiate chic sophistication, perfect for mature beauties looking to embrace a refreshed and elegant look this autumn.
Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Dr. Roshan Vara, hair transplant surgeon and co-founder at The Treatment Rooms, Ghanima Abdullah, hair expert and cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles, Gina Rivera, celebrity hair stylist and founder of Phenix Salon Suites, Janine Jarman, celebrity hair stylist and founder of Curl Cult, Lauren Udoh, hair stylist and hair creative director of WigReports and Krysta Guerrero, owner and stylist at Base Salon Chicago.
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4 Medium-Length And Long Cuts That Flatter Mature Beauties Over 50, According To Stylists
1. Layered Lob With Curtain Bangs
"You don't want short bangs that fall right in the middle of your forehead where you might have a few lines," Abdullah stresses. Instead, she recommends cutting your bangs at your eyebrow level "to emphasize your eyes."
This, paired with face-framing layering in your collarbone-length lob can provide a much more flattering look overall, she notes. Instead of choosing the popular yet often unbecoming baby bangs, one can opt for chic curtain bangs, Abdullah suggests. "These flatter just about any face at any age and neatly frame the face while drawing attention away from serious aging signs," she continues.
Curtain bangs, Abdullah notes, are a type of fringe cut that creates a soft, natural looking wave at the top of the head, as seen here on Goldie Hawn. "They are often used to frame the face and specifically, to give it a youthful appearance," she adds, which "look great on mature women" as they make your face appear "smaller and slimmer when they come down to cheek level."
2. Long, Feathery, Face-Framing Layers
"Longer side bangs" and "face framing pieces" a la Jennifer Aniston can "also result in a more youthful appearance by drawing the eye to the appealing facial features," Rivera explains.
"In general, this provides for a fresher and more youthful look." If you want to keep your hair longer over 50, Rivera says it is imperative to add layers and/or or face-framing pieces to avoid looking "weighed down" and dull.
She points out that "an added choice is to shorten the hair up a bit to the collarbone or above" to create some texture by "adding subtle layers to soften." The more you know!
3. Wispy, Wavy Shag
A shag is an "amazing cut that is well-recognized for being versatile," Rivera says. A quintessential shag, as seen on Halle Berry, offers "nice variations for both longer and shorter hair." Like with a bob, "adding a bang can add a fresh surprise to this look," Rivera suggests. Abdullah adds that bangs like these are "often used to frame the face and specifically, to give it a youthful appearance."
She notes that they also "make your hair appear thicker and are a great way to add volume to thinning hair." The style also "works well for women who want to hide thinning hair in the front."
4. Curly Dark Gray Lob
Andie MacDowell's dark gray look is longer than most bobs (making it fall more into the 'lob' territory). Its collarbone-level length and rich dark hue is undeniably chic.
This not-too-long and also not-too-short cut provides "volume at the crown" for anyone with curly hair, Udoh says, and you can add "textured layers that frame the face nicely while still maintaining an easy-to-manage style."
The Bottom Line
Thankfully, there is an abundance of chic hairstyles that women with naturally fine hair over 50 can experiment with beyond the seven listed here. When you decide to visit the salon this fall for a hair makeover, Abdullah suggests bringing along some pictures of styles that catch your eye to see what works well with your hair and facial features. Educating yourself on various options will help you make a well-informed decision!
