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Sure, let's keep that bouffant helmet-hair going as we age! When I straightened my longer hair, I got so many compliments, even from the non-English speakers. Sorry it's against your rule book at age 62, but I'll take it, LOL. "You look so much younger" is what I heard.
Some of us feel no need to conform to the crinkled shorn head older look.
No fan of the Helmet head either but women like Mandy Moore, Scarlett’s Johansen, Halle Berry, Sharon Stone, have all shown great style with shorter hair. Nothing wrong with long hair per se but some seem to think a woman with short hair is less than beautiful. I simply believe that more mature women look more stylish with something other than long straight hair, just my opinion.
It just depends on the woman and the woman's style. Check out this wide array of styles, and I think most will agree that almost all of them look good on SOME older women.
It just depends on the woman and the woman's style. Check out this wide array of styles, and I think most will agree that almost all of them look good on SOME older women.
This is the problem when people who were children try and "remember" stuff from back then.
BTW, there were just as many shades of color back then, for goodness sakes. My mother, a blonde, changed her shade constantly when she got touch-ups. Just the blonde alone had easily 20 shades. Reds? a million. Just like now. Rinses & hennas, too.
The massive shift to coloring your hair (especially at home) between the early 1950's to the late 1950's is an iconic historic marketing story.
“Does she…or doesn’t she?” Perhaps the most successful slogan in marketing history.
Miss Clairol debuted in 1956. Sales were $200 Million by 1962.
Nice n Easy debuted in 1965.
L'Oreal Redkin was introduced in 1960 and revolutionized the professional salon business.
Heck, I can remember my mother walking into a beauty supply store and buying Fermodyl WAY back in the 1970s. Because it was in a little glass vial and I wasn't allowed to touch it.
Of course products and techniques have evolved. Just like everything else in life. But just because you can buy a GLAZE instead of permanent or semi-permanent or get a hair balayage doesn't mean "back then" was a desolate island of ugly and matronly.
You REALIZE Lucille Ball wasn't a natural red head, right?
You're right...products and techniques are always evolving. My mother still tells about my grandmother (her mother in law) criticizing her and making snarky comments about her going to the "beauty parlor" regularly in the 50's to have her hair cut and permed, and wearing makeup. My grandmother wore her grey hair in a bun and no makeup. Her comment to her husband was, "Aren't you glad I don't waste my money like that?"
I remember in the 1960's, women going to the "hairdresser" once a week to get a "shampoo and set", and not doing anything, even washing it, the rest of the week (unless maybe a touch up shellacking with Aqua Net). On a first visit to my in-laws in 1981, MIL asked me, shocked, "You wash your hair EVERYDAY???"
A few of our neighbors in the 1960's colored their hair a deep black that looked artificial (I guess they wanted to look like Elizabeth Taylor). Our area didn't have a big modern "salon" with a dozen different stylists back then...there was a lady in our neighborhood who had a shop in her basement. She was great doing the "old lady" perms, washes and sets, and dye jobs, but she wasn't exactly up to date with anything new and trendy.
I think what really improved hair color is that shades can be mixed to get different results and added depth. Naturally, I'm totally gray/white (keep it a secret), but I get a light or medium blonde base with darker and lighter shades of caramel foil low lights, going darker in fall and winter, and lighter in summer. Hair coloring before just involved a single monotone.
Then there's the improved styling products. My mother used "Dippity Do" setting gel and Aqua Net hairspray in the 60's. Now there are all kinds of mousses and volumizing gels. My absolute favorite is Big Sexy Root Pump Plus.
Last edited by Mrs. Skeffington; 02-06-2018 at 11:23 PM..
But in her regular life she didn't. She did look "mature" but she wore makeup and her real hair was not like her Edith hair. It was short and often curled but not the in as much a 60something way. She looked what she was, more or less. Middle aged but put together.
And yeah, O'Connar for sure looked like an old man. Like literally a senior citizen. He reminded me of my Grandpa except mean and an azzhat.
Jean was not, God bless her, an externally beautiful woman but if you watch interviews, the reasons she did not ACTUALLY seem like an old woman were a more relaxed hairstyle, better clothes, makeup, and totally different mannerisms. All of those things figured in then and still do today. Attitude is a HUGE part of this.
Wow, that was some acting job, then! She pulled it off superbly!
Your first paragraph makes an interesting point. This must be where the young guys who come on here (or used to come here) to troll about women being over the hill at 25, and 40 being bag-lady age, and all that kind of stuff, get their impressions about what 40+ aged women look like. Because they sure aren't getting their impressions from the 40-somethings around them!
RE: fuddy-duddy fashion making people look older: remember Ward Cleaver, Cary Grant, Bogie, etc? Men in the movies and TV have changed, too. Men IRL have changed radically. Nowadays, 40+ guys are still in T-shirts and jeans, or skater baggy shorts, carrying a skateboard around.
What era from the past have you been watching, btw? Way back when, it was the thing for women in their 20's, to try to look like their mothers. One WANTED to look older, for credibility, I gather. The matronly look was the thing, once women graduated from college. That must be what you're seeing. (See old college yearbooks from back then.) That changed completely, after the late 60's youth culture revolution, which made it ok for everyone to "let their hair down", so to say, and be more casual about everything.
I'm so confused.
If I tried to correct all the inaccuracies on this thread I'd be here all day.
Besides the fact that vintage 50's has been the rage for some time...Let's briefly (lol) review some history:
Sartorially, socially, economically, the vivid fifties was a prime time to be alive. The decade succeeding the second world war, this era was celebratory, and clothing was a clear representation of this.
The Joyful Fifties: Historical Style Changes
Historically, the fifties was a time of celebration. The ending of World War 2 meant that morale was high, and clothing choices reflected such social changes. The quintessential All-American fifties style flourished, prompted from the excitement that the war was over and the stronger sense of patriotism. Aestheticism was not only represented in the fashion changes but also in household appliances, motor vehicles and even children’s toys. This was a culture obsessed with visuals, and a sartorial celebration was how society enjoyed it.
Are you KIDDING me that Cary Grant, Bogie etc were "fuddy duddy fashion".
Google "Cary Grant Style". (or Bogart or ANY of the "famous men") The 1950's represented the "Cool trend". HELLO? RAT PACK?
No matter how many generations rehash the name of this iconic, martini-sipping, cigar-smoking fraternity, there will never be another group of men that oozes style and class as the original Rat Pack did. When Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford set up shop on Las Vegas Strip the world took note as they sang, danced and acted their way through the 60s, all in their own indisputable style. As men, we can only hope to bear a fraction of the coolness of any of these style icons but dammit we’re going to try anyway.
Women of the 1920's were INFAMOUS for rejecting "their mother's" styles and behaviors. It was scandalous! Setting in motion the liberty to dress pretty much however they wanted with the exception of the DIFFICULTIES during WORLD WAR II. And of course you couldn't even buy stockings, or afford fancy clothing and were on food rations, you weren't going to be the most glam version of "style".
And LOLOL you see guys in their 40's walking around in skater garb carrying skateboards. Uh,no. Not ANYWHERE. I assume you were just using hyperbole.
I don't even understand your point about men over 40 wearing jeans. You realize, of course that before James Dean and Brando et al in the 1950's, jeans were in use for a century or so by miners and farmers. So it wasn't that men over 40 weren't "cool" it was that they did not have access or inclination to wear jeans JUST LIKE YOUNGER MEN, until, as you stated, the revolution of the 1960s which came out of the 50's!.
The only point I agree with is your overall POV that men have "evolved" too, but much more slowly than women and not as radically. Since we don't see men wandering around with their body parts dangling out. Well, except for the low hanging jean phenomenon with BUTTS EXPOSED.
OBVIOUSLY.
I don't think you MEANT to imply that baggy skater neighborhood garb is ANY WAY comparable to true FASHION, of which the 1950's was immense, did you?
Name one famous "look" for that - compared to Coco Chanel or any other fashion icon's contribution. Her bag is still affordable to the masses and imitated by everyone.
Ever hear of Lauren Bacall? Maybe your idea of "hot and sexy" (gross expression, anyway) is gold booty shorts (twerking) and saggy or inflated boobs hanging out of a bra
Seriously, the whole thing is ridiculous to me. Of course your complaint is very generic. WHAT era? Of course there isn't ONE you can pin down because America's history is visible through fashion and every era was RADICALLY different and expressive. So it's "Women over 40 used to look old" type of complaint?
What? I'm a man and I even know blow driers were a thing in the 80's, and probably in the mid to late 70's as well, but maybe not widely available then.
Blow dryers were a thing in the 60's. My mom would blow dry my long thick hair often.
I don't know how far back we're talking...but I have a couple of theories.
1. Birth control became a thing that was accessible to just about all women, and so they were able to control the number of children they had. In the years back, women would easily have 10+ children, and that's HARD on the female body. Not even to mention the extra work that came with each new baby.
2. Sunscreen. There wasn't any sunscreen before the 1930's. And ever since, the formulas for sunscreen have continued to improve. Heck, it was only in the 1980's, that Coppertone developed the first UVA and UVB sunscreen.
Interesting topic. I have a picture of my great great grandma. She died at the age of 42. She looked 20 to 30 yrs. older.
Interesting topic. I have a picture of my great great grandma. She died at the age of 42. She looked 20 to 30 yrs. older.
I've talked to my mom about this as well. She came of age in the 50s, and said that at that time, people wanted to look older. They wanted to look like adults. So when you see those pictures and think, "dang they look old," that's what they wanted, and they thought they looked good.
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"You look so much younger" is what I heard.
