From Dame Helen Mirren’s foray into blue dye to Viola Davis’s style switch-ups, these days the red-carpet serves as the perfect reminder that age is no barrier to having fun with your hairstyle. But when you’re contemplating a change, it’s always best to have plenty of inspiration on hand so your hairstylist can give you exactly what you want.
Key Takeaways
Below, find some fabulous hair inspiration from stars older than 50. There’s everything from incredibly cool buzz cuts à la Jada Pinkett Smith to silky silk press styles like Regina Hall’s and floaty Catherine Deneuve–inspired blowouts.
What is the most flattering hair length for women over 50?
There is no specific hair length that women over 50 should adhere to—it’s all down to you and your personal style and preferences. Depending on your hair type and density, any and all lengths can be worked with to create your dream hairstyle. However, if you are looking for some foolproof expert advice: “Hair to the collarbone with some soft layers is such a flattering look,” says Andreas Wild, stylist at Larry King, of the cut known as the “clavi-cut.” The most important thing is that it works for your lifestyle and makes you feel confident.
How can women over 50 add volume and texture to thinning hair?
Plenty of products are now available to add a little va-va-voom to thinning hair. Wild suggests adding a volumizing mist throughout the roots to give a little oomph along with a thickening effect.
Another pro tip from Wild is to go for a layered cut to add body and movement. He additionally suggests styling it with a large-barrel curling iron and a soft-bristle brush. This will keep the overall effect glossy and looking effortlessly undone.
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Are bangs a good option for mature hair?
Bangs can be a great option for mature hair, as they look flattering on a range of hair types, whether thick and blocky like Jane Birkin’s or wispier like Sabrina Carpenter’s. A style like Carpenter’s looks especially good on those with natural curls, adding more structure and definition around the face and eyes.
“Face framing is also important,” Wild adds. “Many of my clients who are in their 50s and above opt for a fringe or soft pieces around the face to soften it–some have even suggested that getting a fringe has saved them from getting various tweakments, giving them the glow they were looking for with a simple hair revamp.”
How often should women over 50 get haircuts and trims?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to cutting hair, regardless of age. “It’s all relative,” Irinel de León, celebrity hairstylist and Dyson’s global styling ambassador, previously told Vogue. “It all depends on your hair texture, the integrity of your hair, and how often you color or double process your hair.”
Regularly trimming or cutting your hair is generally beneficial, and De León says that it can even help to improve hair growth. Trims are also important for strengthening your strands and preventing breakage. Overall, a regular trim will keep your hair looking healthy, intentional, and free from any dreaded split ends.
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Silk press
A hero heat-styling technique for Afro-textured hair, the silk press looks fabulous on everyone. The method consists of straightening natural Afro-textured hair using a blow-dryer and flatiron to achieve a smooth, silky, and bouncy result. Former vice president Kamala Harris’s signature style is nothing short of perfection, and the medium face-framing layers are a timeless, ultraflattering cut on anybody.
A pro tip from celebrity hairstylist Charlotte Mensah to protect the style: pull your hair into a loose low bun, secure it with bobby pins, then wrap it with a silk or satin scarf, and sleep on a silk pillowcase.
- Photo: Marc Piasecki/GC Images/Getty Images2/21
Balayage it up
Victoria Beckham is known for her blonde balayage. A low-key way to add brightness to your tresses is to lighten only the ends, allowing the darker hair at the crown of your head to frame your face.
Photo: Getty Images3/21Bob
There truly is a bob for everyone, be it sleek, curly, or blunt, as seen on Regina Hall. Plus, the style works exceptionally well on all hair textures.
Mensah suggests using a few drops of oil and a round brush while blow-drying for a smooth, sleek finish. “Next, apply a small amount of a thicker pomade product for definition and shape before leaving the hair to air-dry. Or use a diffuser for extra volume.”
- Photo: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images4/21
Slicked-back bun
If you just want to get your hair up and out of your face, go for a slicked-back bun. Charlize Theron is a fan—and a brilliant source of inspiration.
- Photo: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage/Getty Images5/21
Birkin bangs
Make like Michelle Yeoh and take a page out of Jane Birkin’s book with a full fringe. Yeoh looks radiant with her gappy eyebrow-grazing fringe and sleek, tumbling tresses.
Photo: Getty Images6/21Curly bixie
The curly pixie—or bixie—is a short hairstyle that combines the cropped length of a traditional pixie cut with a little more texture and volume. “It typically features short sides and back with slightly longer curls on top,” says Mensah. Isabelle Huppert’s tousled version is a great example.
Photo: Getty Images7/21Side-part pixie
Want to go even shorter? Charlotte Rampling’s silver crop and a deep side part add definition to her chic pixie cut.
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Buzz cut
The buzz cut may seem like a bold choice, but it’s a stellar hairstyle for those looking to keep thinning hair looking fuller.
This low-maintenance hairstyle can be elevated with hair dye and even buzzed-in shapes, such as small zigzag patterns. See Jada Pinkett Smith’s bright blonde take.
- Photo: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images9/21
Braids
Where to start? Boho braids, Senegalese twists, box braids, knotless braids, and cornrows have all been popular styles for decades, worn by women of all ages with Afro-textured hair.
When it comes to maintenance, Mensah suggests “keeping your scalp and braids moisturized with a light oil or braid spray” to prevent dryness and itching.
Photo: Getty Images10/21Curly lob
Curls are a wonderful way to add texture to thinning hair, and wispy side-swept bangs can soften the face.
Photo: Getty Images11/21Natural money pieces
Money pieces don’t have to be blonde. Just look at Jodie Foster, who embraces her gray strands, allowing them to shine toward the front of her flippy mid-length cut.
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Subtly flicked bob
One of last year’s biggest trends, the subtly flicked bob gives the style a light, feminine touch, like Pamela Anderson’s ’do here.
- Photo: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Getty Images13/21
Curtain bangs
You can’t go wrong with curtain bangs, as seen here on Carla Bruni, styled with loose waves and honey brown highlights.
To perfect the look: “Blow-dry the bangs away from the face, making sure the hair is damp to start to achieve the best look,” says celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton. “Rollers are also a great option if you want to add additional bounce after using heat.”
- Photo: Monica Schipper/WireImage/Getty Images14/21
Chunky bob
Another popular bob variation, the chunky bob is defined by its volume and texture. Viola Davis wears hers with barrel curls and a swept-over side part.
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Low ponytail
There’s nothing chicer than a low ponytail. Here, Vanessa Paradis wears the style to take in Chanel’s spring 2025 couture collectsion.
Photo: Getty Images16/21Loose, undone curls
This look has been a signature for Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry since she first came on the scene. If your hair is naturally curly, you can add more volume by diffusing the curls (either by hand, scrunching in a curl cream, or by using a diffuser attachment on your hair dryer).
For those with straight hair, use a curling iron to create loose, defined waves and gently brush them out for an effortless look.
- Photo: Manny Carabel/Getty Images17/21
Bouncy Afro
A blown-out Afro—as seen here on Tracee Ellis Ross—is a hairstyling technique that stretches and straightens natural Afro-textured hair using heat, typically from a hair dryer, to achieve a voluminous, rounded shape.
Mensah says that using an Afro pick at the base of the hair will give it a lift and even more volume. Spray the hair with a finishing mist for a natural glossy sheen.
Photo: Getty Images18/21Loose bun
Like the low ponytail, a loose bun is gentle on roots. Whether you’re just running errands or going to dinner with friends, a bun like Lauren Hutton’s with a few tendrils left out works for any occasion.
Photo: Getty Images19/21Vintage-inspired updo
There isn’t a short hairstyle that Halle Berry can’t pull off. For the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, Berry wore her curls in a modern take on the 1920s finger wave, over one eye for a dramatic side bang.
Photo: Getty Images20/21Pouf-perfect blowout
Catherine Deneuve is known for her glamorous blowouts. Blow-dry your hair using a boar-bristle brush and apply some oil to the ends for a glossy finish. Then, for the extra pouf, gather any face-framing pieces and pin them back at the crown of your head.
Photo: Getty Images21/21The undercut
Tilda Swinton is the picture of elegance, but always with an edge. Here, her peroxide blonde hair is swept over to one side, partially concealing her cool undercut.
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