Your fifties and the decades beyond it are an exciting style chapter. For one, you will have truly finessed your personal identity and aesthetic. You know what works for you, the trends that suit you—plus the ones you know you’ll want to pass on. And with age should come confidence in all its forms, both your wardrobe choices but also with your hair. You’ll know your hair inside out and know exactly what looks and feels best for you. However, at this life stage our hair can also experience change. Grey hair can become more prominent and the menopause can bring about further, sometimes difficult, changes, including hair loss or hair thinning. And sometimes our hair texture will simply change as we get older. All of these factors can make us want to switch things up with our hairstyle.
Thankfully, society has shifted in that many mature women now embrace their greys, and gone is the notion that you have to cut your long hair short as you grow older. But if you are looking to cut your hair for whatever reason—crops and bobs are a major trend right now after all—a short hairstyle is a chic and timeless haircut that many women over 50 have made iconic. Take Anna Wintour and her blunt bob, which has become synonymous with her image, or Halle Berry’s iconic pixie cut. So many celebrities over 50 have gone for the chop, which means there is plenty of inspiration for short haircut ideas out there to inspire us all.
So, I’m turning to over 50s women who have perfected their personal style with their iconic and elegant short haircuts. Scroll ahead to find all the short haircut and hairstyle ideas to take to the salon.
Anna Wintour’s chin-length blunt bob with fringe has become her signature haircut.
Angela Basset shows us how that an Italian bob is both glamorous and timeless.
A bob haircut is a chic choice to show off your hair texture, as Viola Davis has with her curly middle-parted bob haircut.
French first lady Brigitte Macron’s rounded bob has so much volume.
The former editor in chief of Vogue Paris wears her hair in a shoulder-skimming bob with face-framing layers.
A micro bob looks chic and the blunt cut can make fine hair look and feel fuller too. Jennifer Lopez shows us how its done.
If you’re blessed with thick and curly hair, embrace your natural volume with a long bob like Diane von Furstenberg.
If you’re wondering what short haircuts for over 50s are best type 3 or 4 hair, actor Gina Torres knows. Her face-framing layers allow her curls to sit perfectly around her face in this bob-length cut.
Grece Ghanem’s stunning silver hair looks totally chic in this cropped bob.
Halle Berry never fails to deliver excellent haircut inspiration—case in point with her curly swept-over pixie cut.
Helen Mirren’s tousled long bob feels chic yet modern.
If you’re looking for a statement-making short haircut, make like Iman and go for a blunt bob with a deep side parting.
French actor Isabelle Huppert showcases how choppy layers can bring about volume and shape to a short haircut.
A cropped pixie cut is a timeless short haircut that can also add volume to fine hair. Jada Pinkett Smith wears it so well swept over in a side parting.
Another great example of the pixie cut on Jaime Lee Curtis, this time with a chic wispy fringe.
Jennifer Aniston’s long bob cut is a great haircut choice if you still want to keep some length in your hair. The soft waves and middle parting keep this look feeling modern.
Kate Blanchett wears he shoulder length bob cut with beach waves.
We’re used to seeing Naomi Campbell with long hair, but this short blunt bob cut is particularly chic on the supermodel.
Kris Jenner has made this pixie bob haircut her own with choppy layers that add texture and volume.
Linda Fargo’s stacked bob haircut is ultra chic.
Lisa Rinna’s choppy cut gives her hair incredible volume and body.
A jaw-length bob is an elegant hair length, as Lucy Liu demonstrates with a side parted straight and sleek bob.
Maye Musk’s pixie cut has lots of length at the front which allows for this swept-up style—so chic.
You can update any bob haircut by curling the ends inwards a la Penelope Cruz.
Thandie Newton’s shag haircut with fringe is a great alternative to the standard short haircuts out there.
If you’re blessed with natural curls, a short haircut with plenty of length at the front allows them to stand out.
Wondering how to style your hair in your 50s and beyond? Celebrity hair stylist and Bellisima, Alicia Dotson, has some pointers.
“I would add in layers and movement, to create vibrancy and life to the hair. The Bellissima 8-in-1 Air Wonder (£100) is perfect for creating loose waves,” she says. “The volumising brush has been designed to create volume and give shape from roots to ends, in one step, helping to lift the face. I’d then opt for the round brushes to add in some waves throughout the hair, helping add movement and texture to the hair.”
A really quick hack? Just flip over your parting. “Over-directed hair can give instant volume and make your hairstyle look more fun and vibrant,” says Dotson. “I also recommend adding some shape to your hair, such as a bouncy blow dry, as it gives movement to the hair and makes the hair appear thicker and more fuller.” This volumising hair powder helps to add root lift and texture to pixie cuts.
Any good hairstyle starts with a great shampoo, and Templespa’s has become a staple among editors for leaving hair shiny and healthy—a great starting point for any styling.
If you have fine hair or flat roots, this adds incredible lift and volume as your blowdry.
No matter your age, hair texture or haircut, a good pair of straighteners are a styling essential. GHD’s latest Chronos model is its best yet.
A great curl gel is a must for textured hair, and this one from Pattern (Tracee Ellis Ross’s haircare brand) comes highly acclaimed for its hydrating and defining effects.
Up Next, Bob Hairstyles Suit Everyone—17 Women Who Make Me Want to Cut My Hair