Long Hair….Don’t care?

Dear Cinnamon

Apr 18

Dear Cinnamon,
I’m turning 60 next month! Does this mean I have to cut my hair short? I like my hair to be on the longer side but am feeling the pressure to chop it off to be like the other grannies. What should I do?

Dear Reader,

Dear Granny,

I think we all know the answer to this question. You must schedule your hair appointment at once! That hair can not be anywhere near your shoulders on your 60th birthday. I think if you are not already fully grey you should probably schedule a dye job as well so you can achieve full granny status on day one of your 60th year of life.

And of course I’m not being serious in the slightest!

It’s funny you asked this, because this has been a question I’ve thought about numerous different times in my life. Why does it seem like the aged-like-fine-wine ladies in our lives conform to the much shorter hair style when they get older? Is there some secret convention that all women go to where they learn why they all need to have much shorter hair once they turn a certain age? Is this convention the best kept secret on the planet? What gives?

I have a couple of theories. Especially now that I’m inching closer to the age when the hair tends to inch closer to the ears.

My first theory is that the older you get, you have a much deeper appreciation for things that really matter, like the people in your life who mean the world to you, your health and your personal interests. You tend to care less about superficial things like wearing the best clothes or putting on a lot of make up or having to do your hair all the time. Not to say that a lot of older women have given up on those things, they just mean less in the grand scheme of things. I spend a lot of time in groups of women who are 60+ and let me tell you, there is a LOT that this group is dealing with….illness, injury, loneliness and of course, death of family and friends.

Figuring out how to style your hair in the middle of all that lowers itself on the list of priorities. Shorter hair styles are usually a little easier to manage so it’s an obvious choice when you have so many other pressing things to think about.

My other theory is wrapped around ideas of social norms and contagion. Once all the other grannies are doing it…it becomes a thing, and then for whatever reason, it perpetuates. It starts to feel like the thing to do and even if there isn’t a strong reason to do it, it might just feel odd not to do it.

What’s interesting is that as I’ve paid more attention lately to a few groups I’m a part of which include quite a few ladies well into the it’s-time-to-have-a-short-hair-cut age range, I’ve discovered that there are actually less short hair cuts than I would have assumed! I know plenty of women in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s who have super stylish, shoulder length and sometimes even longer hair styles. And they look amazing.

So I say…if you love your long locks, you keep rockin’ them. And if you ever get tired of dealing with those luscious locks and want to join the short-hair club well then grab those scissors and rock that style too. Don’t feel the pressure to conform to a style you don’t like, just keep doing what grannies do best…giving out hugs, candy and wise advice. ;-)