AARP Eye Center
Cut Your Hair, Already!
By Lois Joy Johnson, September 3, 2014 05:04 PM
Jon Kopaloff
You know that change is in the air when even the young and the restless start saying “Buh-bye!” to long hair.
The last time a tonsorial trend this major swept through, we all ended up with Meg Ryan shags. But if there’s one thing the recent Emmy awards show proved, it’s that bobs have snatched the spotlight: Julie Bowen, Kristen Wiig (right) and Julianne Hough went with textured bobs, while Christine Baranski and Jodie Foster rocked classic smoothies with a twist.
A medium-length hairstyle looks more youthful than straggly locks, yet it manages to feel long-ish and sexy at the same time. Could that explain why Helen Mirren, Hoda Kotb (below) and Diane Sawyer have been bobbing for years?
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Here are three style points to consider if you’ve been thinking about rebooting your tresses for the fall. Bobs away!
Try a LOB to offset a full face or sagging jawline. Nothing says “soccer mom” louder than a chin-length bob, so think about getting a LOB (salon argot for a “LOnger Bob”) that hovers mid-neck and clears the shoulders. Ask the stylist to angle the cut slightly longer in front, allowing it to swing forward. That way it can frame — and slim — full cheeks or a stocky neck, and camouflage jowls.
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Dan MacMedan
Use a round brush to blow it smooth for a glossy finish à la Jodie Foster, or blow-dry it with a diffuser and fingers to achieve a tousled look like Julie Bowen’s. For a bigger, fancier bob like Christine Baranski’s (right), follow the blow-out with a hot roller set, then a dab of styling cream or wax to separate ends and add extra movement. Try It’s a 10 Miracle Shine Spray, L’Oréal Paris TXT IT Tousle Waves Spray or Living Proof Style/Lab Amp Instant Texture Volumizer.
A textured bob fattens thinning or fine hair. To channel your inner Kristen Wiig or Julianne Hough (left), ask for a medium-length bob with uneven, choppy ends and long, asymmetric side-swept bangs. The resulting rumpled texture boosts body and will keep the bob looking modern. It also hides heat damage from flatirons (you can now officially pitch those, by the way). 
Imeh Akpanudosen/NBC
Keep the length anywhere from just below the chin to mid-neck — thin hair tends to look stringy any longer than that. Use a dry shampoo from roots to tips to enhance overall thickness, or just at the roots for volume and extra texture. Try Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Dry Shampoo or Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo.
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A wavy bob updates curly hair. A medium-length bob with long layers, textured ends and no bangs makes good use of the volume of naturally curly hair. Just think: No more scrunching and crunching with gels and mousses! Instead, rub a dab of moisturizing styling oil between your palms, then run them through freshly washed damp hair. Then air-dry, or bend at the waist and diffuser-dry. Finally, use a large-barrel curling iron to accent and shape smooth waves mid-shaft, leaving the ends loose and free. Try Garnier Fructis Marvelous Oil Color Illuminate or Josie Maran ArganOil Hair Serum.
For more beauty and style tips for women 50+, check out my Wardrobe Wakeup: Your Guide to Looking Fabulous at Any Age.
Photos:
Kristen Wiig - Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic/Getty Images; Hoda Kotb - Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Photo;
Christine Baranski - Dan MacMedan/WireImage/Getty Images; Julianne Hough - Imeh Akpanudosen/NBC/Getty Images
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