A French bob for fine hair
When I was first considering this style, all of the images I could find were of very young women, and I wondered if I’d be able to wear this shorter French bob over 60. (65, to be exact.) But I decided to go for it, and am quite pleased with the result!
It’s an easy cut to style, and works well with my fine hair. I just give it a light blow dry using my fingers, leaving slightly damp, and add some Oribé Dry Texturzing Spray and fluff once it’s dry. (A few months ago, I switched to the Keratase Densifique Bodifying Shampoo and Densifique Bodifying Conditioner, and I do think it gives a little more thickness and body to my fine hair.)
The length is the same all the way around. It’s mostly blunt, but Brian cut into the ends just a bit to make it more choppy. I’m going to keep some layering in it, but let some of the shorter layers grow out just a smidge.
In case you’re considering this or a similar cut, here are side and back views to show your stylist.
My hair has a little bit of natural wave, which seems to work well with this style. I think it looks best when it’s a little bit messy and “un-done,” so I don’t use a brush during drying or afterward.
Will going gray change my seasonal color palette?
I’ve been asked this question often, so thought I’d answer in greater depth. The short answer is, most likely no. The color system we use is based on skin tone, rather than hair color. (In fact, if someone has colored their hair, we often cover it for the initial part of the color analysis.) As your skin tone doesn’t automatically change when you change your hair color, your season won’t change.
The longer answer is this:
You may find that going gray or natural or other changes to your hair color can change your overall contrast levels. For example, if you were dyeing your hair a dark color before, your contrast levels might have been higher than when hair is gray. So you may find that the “best” colors within your seasonal palette can shift. Or that different combinations of colors now look better than others.
While we tend to think of “gray” hair as either white, a mix of black and white, or silver (therefore cool in tone), in fact gray hair can be a range of different colors. My natural gray has still retained some warmth. In the front where it’s lighter it’s more ivory than white, and the darker back leans toward pewter rather than silver.
My best colors have not shifted at all, but I’ve noticed that the highest contrast combinations, or darker colors worn head to toe, can feel overpowering. I’m finding either tonal looks or incorporating a single bright color in otherwise neutral outfits are what feel best now.
And speaking of bright color…
I’m absolutely smitten with this soft, lightweight cashmere sweater! It’s available in a bunch of colors, many in Petite and Plus sizes too. (Color here is “Tomato,” and I’m wearing a Misses X-Small.) Lip color is Chanel Rouge Coco in “Coco.” Glasses are from SEE Eyewear.
Is there a hair cut or style you’ve been wanting to try?
Hi Susan—I love your new haircut-very softly frames your face and flattering. As I was reading your post, I couldn’t help noticing the lovely sweater and happy that you linked it below. What colors would you recommend for a winter? I was surprised to see 3 shades of red. Would you ever wear the sweater without front-tucking or is it too boxy even with sizing down? Necklace or no necklace because of the neckline? Thank you.
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Hi Rose, thanks! I think the Citron (bright acid yellow) could work for some Winters, and probably either of the other reds. I’ve worn it both tucked and untucked. I prefer it tucked, but can also depend what pants you wear with it.
Love the hair and the tomato-colored sweater is smashing!!
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Thanks, julie!
That cut looks lovely on you. I am a bit envious that you can just let it dry with no tools to get that look. Perfect. Two weeks ago I finally succumed to the the cut of my curly hair and ended up with a cut somewhat like yours, with bangs and chin length (when straightened) but can also let it dry into curls that end at my earlobes. A great stylist can really see what will work. I am glad you described the season question, since people often say the same to me when I talk about my season and palette. A friend has always been a spring and now that she has gone very grey, thinks that a winter red looks good on her, among other not spring colours. Her skin has not changed colour. I try to guide her to the old reliable wonderful colours when we shop. It is hard to explain contrast to some people. Anyway, enjoy your cut, it is fabulous.
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Thanks, Diane! Yes, finding a stylist who can work with our hair is essential.
ADORABLE new hair style
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Thanks, Pamela!
I think your hairstyle looks terrific, very natural, very effortless!
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Hi Marina, thank you!
Your “new” hair color & cut are so flattering!
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Thanks very much, Cilla!
Nice! I think you are on to something with this hairstyle and the products. I can relate because I have thin, straight hair that I keep shoulder length in a blunt cut. I’ll try the shampoo and conditioner – I can see the difference.
Love your bracelets! Where did you find them? Thanks!
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Thanks, JK!
ooops – just saw the bracelet link. Thanks
Hi again,
Did you order more than one set of bracelets to get the combo you are wearing in the photo? I’d love to find this look. Thanks!
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Some of the bracelets are from the set I linked to but a few are from an earlier set here: https://bit.ly/32HsTLH
Susan
I’ve been a follower for awhile. I just wanted to say you look fantastic and I appreciate every opportunity that women over 50 have to show that we are not invisible, but here, wearing bright colors!!
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Hi Barbara, thanks so much!
Love your new hair style! Beautiful!
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Thanks, Debbie!
I LOVE your hair, so chic and young. The only thing (just my opinion) is I don’t like earrings longer than your hair, as it drags my eye downward instead of stopping at where your hair stops. I have these bugaboo in general about hair/earrings, and I’m sure others feel differently. It’s so gamine and waif like that I feel a small earring would be better.
I think you’ve got a point about earrings not ending right in the middle of a saggy jawline or double-chin.
Sue’s earrings seem to end right at the top of her jaw, which for many of us is about the firmest spot around. I feel like that’s a good length for drop earrings.
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Thanks so much, and I actually agree with you about these earrings. This is the longest/largest pair I wear anymore, usually wear more of a “huggie” style that I think is better, especially now with this cut.
Your hair looks wonderful! I have worn a shorter version on the Ana Wintour bob for many years and after 18 months it’s naturally silver. I splurge on Oribe Silverati shampoo because it adds a definite sparkle to my grays!
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Thanks Robyn! Doesn’t it feel great to find a style that *works*?
Darling hair cut. Softly frames your face and looks so youthful. Happy Halloween.
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Thanks so much, Debra!
I love how you explain details. I also love your new hair style.
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Thanks very much, Marian!
Your hair looks great Susan! My silver hair is cool compared to my warm skin tone. The vibrant autumn colors work well for me—but, as you say, one vibrant only in the outfit and the rest neutrals
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Hi Sally, thanks and yes, I love the contrast with gray hair and vibrant colors!
The haircut is great! I also love the color of the sweater; sadly, cropped/boxy sweaters don’t work on tall me 🙁
I wonder if ‘tomato’ is a cross-season color? I think of myself as a winter (taupe, black, merlot, and evergreen are great colors on me), but I also can wear orangey-red.
In any case, you look FAB!
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Hi Debra, thanks! I think this sweater might skew a bit orange for most Winters, but there are two other reds that I think would be safe bets.
Don’t you feel there is freedom in grey/white hair?
Looks great.
Could you please suggest a golf vacation packing for a month in Florida?
Thank you
Mary
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Thanks, Mary!
Cute ‘do’. !!
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Thanks, Nancy!
I have hair which is very similar to yours. This style looks perfect on you.
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Thanks, Ava!
You look FANTASTIC!!!!!❤️❤️
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Thanks so much, Molly!
A French bob for a fan of France. Makes sense!
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Love your new “french bob” and thank you for showing the sides and back for those who want to share with our stylist. I recently cut my chin length bob to a “bixie” and it is a bit too short for my oval face shape, and I like the style and length of your cut better. Please share photos again after your next cut since you mentioned you are going to grow out some of the shorter layers. And the sweater is a beautiful contrast with your tone.
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Thanks very much, PJ!
Love the new cut and how your hair color has “grown out”. Thanks for the multiple view pics. I can’t wait to show these to my stylist.
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Thanks, Cindy, glad it’s helpful!
Are you going to grow it out a little more? The bangs suit you perfectly too. My hair is very thick so my lob is a few inches longer with a slight angle from back to front as I like the front length longer than my jaw. Razored layers in the back but still long enough to avoid the ubiquitous’mom’ cut. At 67 I only have 30% gray in my dark hair mostly in the front at the temples. ( yes very bride of Frankenstein) A bob type style allows me to hide that or show it off.. a lot of women with that greying pattern simply dye it but I have young people ask me if I have bleached my white ‘side burns’ on purpose because there is so little grey in the rest of my head!!
.Totally agree with you on skin tone vs hair colour. My mom was a winter but went over to summer colours as she went white. When my Dad insisted on dark frames for her glasses it was miraculous! The contrast with the white hair was so striking. My SIL and I started gifting her with more subdued winter colours and what a difference!! We ditched the gold and brought out her collection of silver jewellery. In her 90’s she looked stunning!
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Thanks, at this point I like the overall length and will maintain it. I’ll let some of the shorter layers on the crown get just a little longer, but will keep some layering for lift and movement.
I had noticed your adorable new cut. Looks fabulous on you!
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Thanks very much, Linda!
Your hair looks great!
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Thanks, Maite!
Sue, this latest haircut is perfect on you! Can anyone recommend a stylist in Chicago?
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Thanks, Sandra! Hopefully some of my Chicago readers can chime in with some suggestions.
You seemed to transition to gray so seamlessly. I have somewhat but I still have a lot of my natural color with some gays in it that is darker than I have ever worn my hair so I am highlighting and low lighting to brighten up a bit a few times a year. Without color on my hair the texture is different too which takes some getting used to. It does seem that some items from my closet to not look as well as before. It’s a work in progress. Today I was watching the news and a young woman was wearing black and I could see it clearly wasn’t her best look. It’s amazing we can see things easier on others.
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Hi Pat, thanks! It helped that I’d been coloring blonde, so there wasn’t a lot of contrast at the roots. When I began the grow out process, I had Brian add some highlights into the grey to blend it a bit more, which helped too. It sounds like you’ve worked out a good process for your hair.
Love your hair cut and color. My hair is very similar to yours (fine and thinner). I have been wanting to try a bob cut but have been too chicken to cut off the back (which is somewhat longer). You have inspired me. Also, love the all gray, too chicken to try that also.. Take care
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Thanks, Jes!
Your new haircut is very flattering! The ease of care is enviable. Sweater is a fabulous color on you.
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Thanks very much, Vicki!
finally a chic site that is for femme d’un……lovely model..great tips without sounding like it’s written by a 30 year old fashion editor. thank you. look forward to more info.
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Thanks so much, Patricia, and welcome!
It looks terrific. Great cut. I like the colour of your grey hair too. It is quite white/silver which I prefer to actual grey.
And you are right about colours and skin tone. When I was a brunette, I found out that yellow was one of my best colours. Then I dyed my hair blond, I thought I could forget yellow but no, it still suits me perfectly. Yay.
Greetje
PS that tomatoe colour of your top looks very good on you.
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Thanks so much, Greetje! Yes, you still look amazing in yellow.
Your hair looks fantastic.
Helen Mirren is an example of a woman over 60 who has rocked a bob for a while.
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Thanks so much, and yes, she looks fantastic in her bob.
I love getting product suggestions from you, however, these hair products have sketchy ingredients that you don’t want on your skin/scalp. Anything that lists parfum/fragrance will be hiding endocrine disrupters and cancer causers like parabens and other no-nos. Please recommend products that are much safer to use. Thanks.
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If I find any, I will.
Great look!!!
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Thanks!
I know I’m late with this comment but you look stunning in that red sweater with your beautiful silver hair. I’ve gone gray but salt and pepper, not so striking. When I saw your post I just said to myself wow. Had to make a comment.
Hi Susan… I’m a little late to this party but would this tomato color work for an Autumn? I’ve let my hair go gray recently and I feel confused about colors. My hair is now more steel gray than it’s previous bronde and not sure about it with my autumn colors. I know it’s determined by skin color but everything is looking off to me now
PS. Would you ever do a zoom color consultation? I’m in NY.
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Hi June, it really depends on the type of Autumn. If you’re more in the Vibrant range, then yes you probably can. At the moment I’m not doing color analysis online, but should I add it, I’ll let you all know.
Thanks Susan!
The hairstyle looks fantastic on you. I have a similar style and once you have a carefree easy to style hairstyle it is very hard to go back to one that needs a lot of attention. I feel the time I save fixing my hair I can use for many more pleasant things!
Your hair, and you, look fabulous–I don’t know how I missed this before so thank you for your reply to my post on another thread requesting photos of your new style–I LOVE it! I have the same fine hair texture with a little natural wave so I want to cut my classic, traditional bob like yours. I am hoping my stylist can do as good of a job with layering as yours has done–it is a great cut/style. Thanks again, Susan, for your response–you’re the best at what you do!