New York Times Article: Older Woman With Long Hair
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Printed Date: June 06 2025 at 9:58am
Topic: New York Times Article: Older Woman With Long Hair
Posted By: Kramer
Subject: New York Times Article: Older Woman With Long Hair
Date Posted: October 25 2010 at 12:23am
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The New York Times had a great first-person column by Dominique Browning about what it's like to be an older woman with long hair. She said she gets heat about having long hair from people who think she should cut it, but she persists for a variety of reasons -- including the fact that she loves it. Since you're on this site, you'll no doubt agree with her, as I do. Here's a link to the article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/fashion/24Mirror.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=homepage - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/fashion/24Mirror.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=homepage
Here's a photo of Dominique I found on Google:
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Replies:
Posted By: thart
Date Posted: October 25 2010 at 11:46am
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I read the article and I have soo much respect for this woman. I love her long hair and she really does look great with it :)
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Posted By: Susan W
Date Posted: October 26 2010 at 10:14am
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I'm truly surprised she's receiving so much flak, its not even that long (plus its lovely and professional). Longer seems to be the style lately for older women (or so I thought), many more are growing it to shoulder length if not longer than they were 10 years ago. I have seen many a long gray head in my college town. Usually not to bsl, but longer than the shoulders. I find it pretty.
I'm also surprised people think longer is higher maintenance. They should try it, its the quickest style I've ever had! I do plenty of fancy looking braids or buns too, but not one of them takes more than 6 minutes (I timed it once when somebody asked me about my side french braid). Far worse was having to get short hair to not stick up in the wrong direction in the mornings using curling iron and spray. Some days that used to take me 20 minutes. ------------- Making metal barettes/concord clips hair safe, long hair style how to: http://alonghair.wordpress.com |
Posted By: Bob S
Date Posted: October 26 2010 at 12:09pm
She's probably only receiving grief from other professional women who have already made the decision to cut their own hair short. It's a strange thing that when someone refuses to follow the crowd, the crowd becomes uncomfortable. And I suppose that the extra male attention that long hair sometimes brings is not appreciated as well.
You are right, Susan. Her hair is moderately long. I can buttress your observation that more "older" women are letting their hair grow. About six years ago in Philly at a Flyers' game, virtually no woman of any age in the crowd of 10,000+ had shoulder length or longer hair. Last week, at a Phillies' playoff game, I'd bet that 1/3 of the women over 40 had long(er) locks. Few *very* long, but a huge improvement!  Bob
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Posted By: Miss Burgundy
Date Posted: October 26 2010 at 10:41pm
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I'm amused by the arguments that people are making against long hair on older women. I've seen them both in the comments section of that article, as well as other places. First, they wrongly assume that older women have long hair because they're "trying to hang on to their youth and look younger". They view this as wrong, saying old women shouldn't try to look younger than they are. Then, in the next sentence, they say old women should have short hair because it supposedly makes them appear younger! Contradiction much?
I read that article a couple days ago and wanted to comment on it with something like the above, but they closed the comments and I wasn't able to. So I'm glad I was able to get that out here. Personally, I don't think it's wrong for someone to try to look younger if that's what they want, but I also don't see anything wrong with being old and looking your age. And if your old your still going to look old with short hair. There's no hiding it (well unless you get botex or facelifts), so people might as well just start accepting it and get over the hair debate. I have one white hair now at the age of 23. I can't wait until it all turns white, but unfortunately that seems like it's going to be a while as I've had that hair about a year and no others have turned white. But I imagine myself as having long white hair when I'm old. To me long white, silver or grey hair represent wisdom and old age. Hopefully by that time my hair will be all white and then I'll be able to flaunt my oldness in public and piss people off! |