Fashionable hairstyles that women of any age can enjoy need to not only look good but also be easy to maintain. A great option is a trendy short ‘undone’ haircut. This classy, relaxed look is becoming more popular among women over 70. Many women feel that short ‘undone’ haircuts take years off their appearance. Look through this list of 25 trendy short haircuts that women over 70 can use to inspire their next visit to the salon.
The best haircut I’ve given a woman in her seventies is one that she almost didn’t let me do. She had the same style of hair set and sprayed since the early 90s. When I suggested that she let go of that look and do something more modern with some texture, she looked horrified—as if I suggested that she shave her head. Three weeks later when she came back, she said someone had complimented her hair in a grocery store, which I guess an old compliment that hadn’t been paid in twenty years. That is the thing about undone hairstyles; they help people rediscover themselves.
An undone cut gives an effortless appearance, one that doesn’t look stiff and rigid like someone spent countless minutes and multiple products to achieve that look. Over 70s especially enjoy this style as their hair tends to co-operate. With the right textures, natural silver/grey hair, and softer growth patterns you can achieve a more fluid modern look. Out of all the hairstyles I recommend, these are the most popular. Each experience is unique and tailored to suit your hair, face, and honestly your vibe.
#1: Soft Layered Cut with Natural Bounce
This hairstyle looks like you just ran your fingers through your hair and walked out the door- which is the point! The layers are lightweight and staggered so fine hair can do its own thing without falling flat by noon. The highlights are doing quiet work, just enough contrast so it doesn’t all read as one, flat tone. If you have fine hair and are tired of it looking limp, this shape is going to give you something to work with. You will want to come in every 5-6 weeks to keep those layers from growing out into nothing.
#2 Silver Bob with a Soft Fringe
This cut is amazing! It’s great for people who want a low maintenance style or don’t want to do a lot of work, but still want to look put together. The bangs really do soften the look and bring attention to the right areas. The texture in the bob is really great and keeps it from looking wiggy. That’s always a risk with bobs if they are smooth and perfect. A little textured spray and some scrunching and you’re good to go!
#3 Silver Pixie with Lived-In Texture
We call this a wash-and-go. It’s for those days when you just don’t want to do your hair – like a Tuesday morning kinda cut. The layers are short enough to hold shape, but soft enough to be gentle. And yes, I understand this is one of the toughest balancing acts. Silver hair with this cut is beautiful because all the light plays along the cut at different angles. For those of you with thicker hair, we would modify the internal weight as shown this is ideal with finer hair.
#4 Feathered Pixie with Crown Volume
The volume at the crown of this style is what makes it work: It lifts the whole face and energizes the whole look in a way that a flat pixie just doesn’t. I would steer them towards this if they’ve been wearing their hair short for a while and want it to feel more modern, as in less “I’ve had this cut since 1998.” Light, cool colors keep things soft and create a less harsh overall look. You’ll have to be committed to something like volumizing mousse or a root lift product to maintain that crown height between appointments.
#5 Undone Bob with Gentle Wave
Styles like this return season after season because they are universally flattering, and the style is timeless. For this style, it hits right at the jaw which is a length I recommend for clients wanting something that feels complete, but not too polished. There is a slight wave, just enough to keep it from looking too one-dimensional. If your hair is on the thicker side, this style can feel heavy, so it is best for those with medium to fine density.
#6 Airy Layered Crop with Gentle Movement
People will be complimenting your hair everywhere. The way the layers fall gives the perfect lightness and wispy look. The def lift and cut away from the scalp. The stunning natural gray is the perfect balance and allows focus to the eyes and cheekbones effortlessly. A touch of mousse in damp hair and you’re good to go.
#7 Classic Bob with Wispy Bangs
A bob that just grazes the collarbone is a timeless style that remains versatile and never goes out of date. What sets this style apart is the bangs. They are blended enough with the rest of the hair that they feel like one movement instead of a separate addition. The inner layers are so seamlessly blended that they’re practically invisible, but it’s those layers that create movement in the hair and prevent it from just sitting there. This cut is a reward for being strict with your trimming; once the ends start to split, the entire haircut loses that ‘I just woke up like this’ aesthetic.
#8 Choppy Textured Crop
Thank you for trusting me with this cut! It’s not meant to be pretty and is definitely more interesting than most. The chop gives fine hair something it almost never has, which is volume and direction. The finish is going to look effortless, but it’s going to require a bit of work, so if you’re looking for a style you can literally do nothing to, this probably isn’t the one. However, if you are willing to invest about three minutes of finger-work and a little product, it will reward you quite a bit.
#9 Layered Crop with Soft Fullness
This is an amazing cut for anyone who has been told their whole life that they have “flat hair” and has taken this as a negative for them. The layering gives extra fullness where fine hair tends to fall flat (through the crown and on the sides) and the softer face-framing pieces are purposely effortless. It’s the shape that gives the illusion of having more hair than you actually do, which is, let’s be honest, half the battle.
#10 Soft Layered Cut Just Above the Shoulders
This length is a sweet spot for a lot of my clients. It’s short enough to feel easy but long enough that you can still pull back if you want to. The wispy layers at the crown are doing what they’re meant to, creating a bit of height and lightness while the rest just falls. It’s not a dramatic cut by any means but it’s really good, the sort that makes your mornings easier without you feeling like you’ve sacrificed anything.
#11 Curly Crop with Soft Body
This type of cut is better suited for curls or waves than any longer lengths would be. The layers are designed to work with your natural curl pattern rather than fight them, and the shape is overall round and soft without being poofy. The color here is super lively, with those warm tones reflecting light within each curl and keeping the look from falling flat. You’re going to need a curl cream (or something like that) to keep definition, especially on day two.
#12 Fluffy Layered Cut with Crown Lift
Beautiful crown layering has been done on this cut which achieves that soft, lifted effect without having to backcomb or build up products; just smart cutting. This style is especially good for heart-shaped faces because the volume on top helps to balance out the face with narrower chins. The length at the nape also keeps it more soft and feminine than harsh. This is definitely one of those styles that goes from good to great based on who is holding the scissors since the layering has to be exact for it to look this effortless.
#13 Wavy Bob with Tousled Texture
This bob is laid back and a total winner for being that way. The waves are a little chaotic, but that’s not a mistake, it’s a design choice. It’s a gentle overall imbalance that adds character where a standard bob would be dull. She’s also rocking a bright blonde that is just the right side of brassy. Keeping that on grey hair is no small feat, so make sure your colorist knows how to work toner. On fine to medium hair this shape is ideal, as the wave pattern really enhances the texture.
#14 Layered Short Cut with Textured Movement
I believe the strategic placement of the layers on this cut is brilliant because they’re concentrated around the most impactful areas, the crown and the forehead, rather than just evenly cutting for the sake of it. This sort of placement changes the haircut’s grow out, which most people do not consider, and will quickly realize after three weeks that their hair is doing something completely different. This is a shape that maintains its character between appointments, which is something a lot of people don’t appreciate enough.
#15 Textured Bob with a Soft Fringe
I keep coming back to these kinds of haircuts as they tackle a number of problems in one go. The fringe softens a forehead without concealing it, the length is an easy element to manage, plus the texture ensures it doesn’t appear overly intentional. This fine hair is in harmony with the cut, rather than being in opposition to it like it often does when weight is removed from the right spots. You might require a lightweight volumizing spray on days when it is especially flat, but it should self-manage on most days.
#16 Short Curly Cut with Natural Fullness
I truly envy clients with straight hair because of the effortless elegance that comes with having this length of curls. This haircut creates the perfect shape for each curl to bounce freely, creating a different look every day. In this case, the fine density is actually a bonus because the curls will not battle for space, but rather coexist happily. If you want to add highlights to curly hair, this is a fantastic example of how it works because the color is placed in a way that reflects light within and not just on top of the curls.
#17 Cropped Texture with Soft Height
quite a few of women find this length to be shorter than what they might typically go for but they get this style and ask what has taken them so long! The soft highlights prevent the color from looking too cool and washed out. The volume at the top is what makes this style feel more feminine than harsh. On fine hair, this is one of the most flattering cuts you can get. A root boosting mousse while your hair is damp will give you that height without any weight and without any stiffness.
#18 Silver Layered Cut with Effortless Shape
Some hairstyles can appear to be more expensive because of the high quality of the hair, and how well the finer details of the cut are accentuated. This image shows effective styling and polishing of silver hair. The layers of hair are well cut, and the level of detail is so precise that it would appear that an actual artist did the work. The contrast of the hair color with the skin is very elegant. Most will be at a loss for this luxury, perhaps due to the lack of styling, though the lack of styling is commendable. Staff appear developed and polished, perhaps due to the silver color against skin though there are few that inspire and amaze. polished and effortless maintaining look, perhaps due to the result of the work.
#19 Wavy Bob with Soft-Swept Bangs
These bangs are something special. Not only do they seem to float rather than fall on the forehead, but they also help soften the whole look so that the wearer looks younger. The waviness throughout the bob provides that fine hair the movement it needs, and it all rests at that shoulder-skimming length that’s super easy to style. You’ll probably want to re-do those waves every few days, but it will literally take you seconds to do so.
#20 Curly Textured Cut with Easy Volume
A hairstyle like this looks good messy, looks good air dried, looks good unloved, and looks good when you do nothing to it as the curls create their very own magic. All this style needs to do is get out of the way and it does! It will work for most face shapes as the curls soften and frame everything. The rest of the time this is a really low maintenance style to wear. The only thing you should be looking to hold on to is definition in humid weather because the curls will just dissolve into frizz.
#21 Textured Short Cut with Soft Wave
Light blonde tones and clever cutting work together to accentuate dimension without a striated look. Colorists have to be really good to achieve this effect. Additionally, the wave in this hairstyle is soft, almost like it was done by accident, and it relaxes the overall shape in a way a straight cut of this kind would be lacking. This won’t looking like a full blown effort to get food, this cut gives you the polished look for a dinner. For this look, consistent trims will be needed because once the layers grow out far enough the wave will lose its structure and everything is going down.
#22 Wispy Pixie with Delicate Layers
This is a softened pixie that makes the hairstyle look like ‘short cute hair’ that is close to the head and moves with the light. For fine hair, the best texture is wispy, and I always advocate for the impression of fullness through movement over depth. The lighter shade is going to brighten your face and open up everything around it. You’ll probably only need a little bit of light hold wax at the ends to define the pieces.
#23 Layered Blonde Cut with Tousled Finish
The messy style of this cut means it will look more current than dated. It is the difference between a cut looking *styled* as opposed to just looking *tousled*. The layers are adding lift and movement around the sides and the top, and the warmth of the blonde avoids that icy, washed-out. The lighter shades can sometimes have an unflattering effect on mature skin. Blondes who wish to stay blonde will have to budget for regular toning appointments every 6 weeks as the brassiness will creep in and undermine the whole effect.
#24 Short Textured Cut Above the Ears
Cuts above the ear present a sense of self-assurance, and this cut just adds to that. With this one, top is longer so there is some texture and direction. Sides are nice and clean, and close to the scalp. The natural color is warm against the skin and the soft texture makes things not feel too hard or masculine. This is one of the quickest style cuts, and for most of my clients, this is the most important aspect of a haircut.
#25 Short Curly Cut with Natural Bounce
If you’ve been straightening your natural curls for years, then I recommend trying this cut. The design of the layers helps to support your curl pattern and gives enough space for each section to spring, helping to form the beautiful shape you see here. The face framing is flattering, and when the curls fall just right, the framing just happens. Cutting fine, natural curls is one of my favorite textures to cut because it always looks more than it is and this is the perfect example.
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