At 63 years old, my first customer was a woman who cut her hair for the first time in her life. She showed me a photo of her mother from the 1940’s and told me that she had the same ponytail for a decade. Along with this, she wanted to achieve a vintage wave hairstyle like her mom. I could sense that she wanted to feel glamorous, but as a woman of her generation, she wanted to take the retro style of being bold and unapologetic. These so-called “historic” styles provide a sense of confidence that many women of her age want.
I have handpicked 25 hairstyles from different eras that are suited for all ages and are on-trend. Some hairstyles take time and effort to achieve, but most of these styles won’t try to hide the fact that you are aging. These classic hairstyles are designed to complement you and have stood the test of time.
#1: Classic Soft Grey Bob with Subtle Waves
This cut makes a difference. I can tell you first-hand this is one where you leave the salon and people see you differently. Not that being superficial, of course. Hair shapes and styles can give you a different presence and boost your confidence so much, and it is clear you carry yourself differently. That length just above the shoulders is like the sweet spot where it actually moves with you and does not get in your way or annoy you. There is some really nice soft layering framing the face which opens everything up around the eyes and the waves give it enough lift so it never looks flat. If your hair is on the finer side, the waves are actually ideal because they provide added body while avoiding that unwanted poof.
#2 Elegant Silver Braided Updo
I got to say one of my favorite things about this look is how intentional and almost sculptural having silver hair in a braid looks. Almost as if you are trying to look as striking and eye-catching as possible. The crown braid gives this look a bit of a regal vibe without it looking too costumey (which is a hard balance to make, pun intended). This style works especially well when you have less hair since it gives a better balance of braid structure rather than too much bulk working against it. It’s nothing too complicated but it might take a bit of practicing to make sure the tension is consistent all around the braid. After about three to four times it should become muscle memory. This look definitely has a level of sophistication that will make others look around the room trying to figure out what about your outfit is so well coordinated.
#3 Chic Soft Curly Bob with Bangs
I know what you are thinking, bangs on curly hair??? But hear me out, they shouldn’t! When the curl pattern is soft like this, and the bangs are cut to work with it instead of against it, everything just falls into place in a way that is playful, but not too childish. Because the curl provides the volume, you are not having to create it yourself. The bangs are doing that wonderful thing of pulling the focus to the eyes and cheeks, and bonny are in that bang crew. As the days go on, a good curl cream will be needed to maintain definition, but realy, that’s all the effort you will need.
#4 Classic Vintage Soft Waves
The rich brown hue works beautifully with the warm waves and enhances the richness of the wave patterns. The exceptional precision of the styling is almost overshadowed. The side part holds a lot of quiet work. It achieves a gentle asymmetry which prevents the overall look from becoming overly polished. If you have medium to fine hair, the shoulder-length curls are going to give you so much bounce. Upkeep for the waves is unavoidable, which may be an investment not everyone is willing to make. However, the result will be one of those styles that looks gorgeous from every angle.
#5 Classic Short Curly Bob with Fringe
Red is an amazing warm tone for curly hair! Curls create so much more dimension since each curl captures and reflects light differently. The whole head of hair looks alive! The bangs add some playfulness to what could be a serious bob so I think that was a great choice. The curls look soft and loose and very well defined and intentional without looking crunchy. This is exactly the balance you want in a curly hairstyle. I love how this hair cut will also amplify any natural texture in the hair! Just a little bit of natural texture is all you need for this haircut to look its best!
#6 Softly Layered Blonde Waves with Face-Framing Highlights
A compliment to the stylist means that the highlights and the cut are equally important. They brighten the entire look and the face-framing highlights catch the light just right so you aren’t looking like you’re going full blonde. The layers are just enough to provide some movement in the waves, but not so much that you lose a lot of length. This is a wonderful way to soften things up, especially if you have more angular features. The movement around the face creates a lovely gentle frame.
#7 Textured Short Curly Cut with Bright Highlights
This style is for you if you don’t want an elaborate morning routine. The texture and highlights ensure minimal styling can still look interesting and not too plain. Just add some mousse when damp and scrunch, and you’re almost finished! I also want to mention that you will need to get trims more frequently than you may think, about every five to six weeks. The shape tends to grow out quickly, so you may lose that intentional aesthetic. In between trims, this honestly is about as easy as hair gets.
#8 Charming Soft Curly Shag with Fringed Bangs
I really look forward to shag styles because they’re one of the rare haircuts that appear effortless but still look professionally done because of their underlying structure. The bangs, for instance, act as a \”break up\” when they cover the forehead and also provide the entire hairstyle with a sense of gravity. From here, all the shaggy layers just fall. The fluffy texture brings volume to the right areas and helps balance out the head’s proportions, which is a classic worry with layered cuts on fine hair. Shag styles are especially great if you have a rounder face. The layers add vertical lines to the hair that create a natural sense of elongation.
#9 Soft Vintage Waves with Delicate Side Part
I love how vintage waves with a side part can make it look like you have a secret. It’s the perfect in-between length. Plus, the loose waves are worthy of a prom. It looks so effortless, and fine hair really helps the waves drape instead of poof. All you need is a light mousse, which is great for hold and shine without weighing your hair down, and the rest is about 15 minutes with a large barrel iron.
#10 Soft Silver Layered Lob with Subtle Face-Framing Highlights
I love suggesting this lob length since it gives you the ease of having short hair while still being versatile enough to have longer hair, that’s a combination that’s hard to beat. The silver tone is gorgeous on its own, but the highlights take it to another level. Those face framing highlights add brightness to the front without making it an overall highlighted look. The movement the layers give is so good that it never looks flat, not even on second day hair. Day to day this is definitely more of a wash and go type of situation, but you will want to get the layers refreshed every few months.
#11 Soft Curly Shoulder-Length Hair with Subtle Volume
The layering in the hair is convincing and creates the appearance of having more hair without being heavily layered. The soft curls and naturally subtle highlights are great. They also provide plenty of dimension and depth to the hair and give it a nice 3D effect. It looks effortless and it looks like the person was born with incredible hair which is what great hair compliments are all about. The photos do require some light product and a few minutes to fluff the curls to where they need to be and overall it is fairly low maintenance.
#12 Graceful Textured Updo with Soft Volume
An excellent updo is often about what is omitted rather than what is included, and this is a good example of that. The crown has been boosted, but it isn’t distractingly so, and the texturised pieces stop it from looking too stiff or too bridal. It’s the kind of style that is perfectly suited to dinner or Tuesday, because it never looks too polished or like it’s trying too hard to be fancy. The finer hair with good density is actually the ideal texture for this hair updo too, as it holds the shape without getting too heavy and droopy by the end of the day.
#13 Charming Vintage Soft Curls with a Modern Twist
This new take on the classic curl pattern is amazing! It enhances the frame of the face by shifting the focus from the hair to the features. It also adds a lot of volume to fine hair since the length is medium giving the curls the space to bounce and maintain a full, weightless, and natural look. The shape has been done to hold some structure so that even on day two the curls can provide a part of the design and look good!
#14 Elegant Silver Twisted Bun with Soft Volume
Instead of just pulling your hair back, this looks nice and the silver tones accentuate the hair twists. The wave allows for softness around the edges and balances the style’s severity. It should be fairly easy to get the twists to stay smooth all day with some styling cream, and it’ll be easy to keep this pinned style. It really shows off your cheekbones, and I think people are always surprised by that when they see it on themselves.
#15 Vintage Glamour with Soft Pin Curls
Pin curls can feel complicated, but once you have learned the technique, all you will need is a comb and a few clips to do it in the bathroom! The curl pattern is the only place where all the volume comes from; meaning no backcomb, or anything aggressive like that to ensure that your hair will remain healthy and soft! The warm blonde color makes the curls pop because the light hits each ridge in different spots. For some extra bounce, I’d recommend a light volumizing mousse, but the pin curls will do all the structural work and just need some extra help to keep them defined for the rest of the day!
#16 Charming Soft Textured Bob with Subtle Waves
This bob cut finishes just above the chin and is one of my favorite lengths because it elongates the neck while also keeping the hair close enough to the face that it creates a framing effect. The wave is very gentle and looks almost as if the hair just decided to bend like that. That really nice natural touch makes this cut very easy to live with. It’s one of those styles that you can air dry and it still looks like you put in effort. That really is the whole point for a lot of my clients. If your hair is fine, this style will make a nice effect because the texture will appear soft rather than heavy.
#17 Charming Textured Updo with a Floral Headband
I really like headbands and updos because they help hide flaws, provide additional detail, and keep everything styled. The curls at the top of the head look good on everyone, and the added flowers give more detail without being overdone. I’ve seen this style at lots of events like weddings and brunch, and it’s perfect for all occasions. Even with thinner hair, this technique gives the look of more volume because of the gathering at the top.
#18 Charming Soft Silver Curls with Subtle Volume
The curl pattern looks very natural. It appears to be how her hair actually grows. The silver is stunning and the medium length gives the curls enough weight to hang perfectly. There is an underlying natural wave beneath the curls and that gives the overall style structure with out looking stiff. Because of this, the hair moves effortlessly and looks great. Styles like these have minimal upkeep. You really don’t need to do much to enhance what is already there instead of forcing anything.
#19 Elegant Silver Chignon with Floral Accent
The perception of chignons as a hairstyle restricted to ballerinas is understandable, but a chignon worn with silver hair and a floral hair clip is something else entirely. The combination of silvery hair and a floral adornment is visually pleasing without being too much. A chignon is particularly well suited to fine and medium textured hair. In these hair types, the twist of the chignon will stay in place with little effort. In coarser hair types, the chignon may lose its form and unravel during the day. This style adds a nice touch of elegance to special occasions, and I have had clients really love this look for the grocery store too!
#20 Chic Blunt Bob with Soft Bangs
Some people think soft bangs are what make the look exciting. The bangs attract the viewer’s attention toward the eyes, which is always a good thing, plus, the blunt line on the bottom gives it a polished look, that suggests some level of refinement. Often, blunt cuts can demonstrate the quality of your hair and if your hair is uneven or frizzy you will have to make sure you put in the effort to keep it looking smooth. But, if your hair goes straight down how you want and is some sort of naturally straight, then this is a look that can score you a large amount of style points.
#21 Charming Soft Bouncy Layers with Subtle Highlights
The placement of the highlights is very unique and special. Each layer is designed to capture and reflect light in a different way when in motion, producing a sparkly effect. The layers are bouncy, and have just the right amount of volume, which is hard to do, but once done is perfect. I will admit, this is a cut that is going to take regular upkeep in order to keep the layers looking the same. Naturally, the cut will fall into place and the highlights will conceal any bad grow-out. If you appreciate the appearance of movement and activity in the hair, this is an amazing choice.
#22 Charming Short Curly Cut with Soft Volume
I show this shortcut to clients who are nervous about trying things. It shows that going short does not mean sacrificing softness and femininity. The curls create nice volume around the face and the length keeps it light and fresh. Naturally curly hair? You’re in luck! This cut is one of those that basically styles itself (just a bit of defining mousse and ten minutes of diffusing). You will need to be diligent about trims though and probably go every five weeks, because short curly cuts lose shape faster than you think.
#23 Charming Soft Curly Bob with Volume
What really sells this bob for me is the liveliness and softness from the bounce! Curls of this length have the versatility to really do their thing and create some stunning looks! I feel like it’s the type of style that looks different every day because of how the curls fall and I find that so charming! For hair finer than this, it gives the illusion of loads of volume. The shape is forgiving enough that even on a lazy day, it looks intentional. You won’t need heaps of product. Definitional product will work wonders here to keep the curls from fuz.
#24 Chic Textured Ponytail with Soft Curls
Ponytails are often overlooked, but simple styles can look amazing too. This ponytail is a perfect example. The soft, frontal wave, and the curls that make the ponytail look full and bouncy transform the ponytail from an afterthought into an intentional style. The ponytail is long enough to have nice movement, but, it’s not too long that it would pull on the scalp. This style works for a polished look while giving the impression that you didn’t spend a ton of time doing your hair and it really does the job.
#25 Chic Soft Shoulder-Length Waves with Volume
This note shows off neat style with a crowd-pleasing hairdo, which I appreciate for a number of reasons. The generous layering creates a soft, airy movement and it doesn’t thin out the ends too much. Dimension was kept fun with the color and also subtle highlights. This is really a versatile style that takes you from day to night with no changes if your hair is fine to medium. The technique to create the waves will come to you quickly, but you’ll probably need a round brush and a blow dryer.
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