Women and Long Hair: Does Age Matter?

Recently, my husband and I have been watching makeover shows, such as 'What Not To Wear'. It's been interesting to see that almost always, the women with long hair are given a much shorter cut, which is deemed 'more appropriate', despite their protestations that they want to keep their long hair. Although they generally love the results, the idea that short hair is somehow necessary once a woman is no longer a young girl is interesting. Why shouldn't 'older' women have long hair too?

Historically, long hair has been seen as a thing of beauty and femininity. The Bible famously states, 'If a woman has long hair, it is glory to her' (1 Corinthians, 11:15). In many cultures, a woman's hair symbolizes her power. Studies have shown that men really do find long hair more attractive than short hair. For example, a study in the journal Human Nature found that when men were shown pictures of the same women, first with short hair and then with long hair, the men rated the longer haired pictures as more attractive. Long hair slims the face and draws attention away from facial imperfections, as well as generally being associated with beauty and youth.

Why should women give this up, just because they are no longer young girls? Of course, not all long hair styles are suitable at all ages, and loose flowing hair is probably not appropriate in the boardroom. However, there are also many elegant, formal long hair styles, which while not suitable for young girls, are ideal for 'older' women in professional situations. If women realized that they had these options, and that with practice, elegant styles can be easily achieved, maybe they could preserve much-loved long hair and not feel that they have to have short hair to give a professional appearance.