17 Gorgeous Pixie Haircuts on Women Over 50

These Short Styles Look Great on Women of All Ages

The pixie is one of the hottest hairstyles. It flatters most face shapes, works with almost all hair textures and, better yet, it looks great on femmes of all ages—whether you're 15 or 80.

We're going to explore some fantastic pixies on older women. There are edgy and classic pixies, and we'll help you figure out if a pixie hairstyle would work with your hairstyle and hair texture.

Keep these tips in mind before you jump on the pixie bandwagon:

• Does your personality fit this cut? Short cuts such as these invite attention. If you are the sort who hides behind their hair or doesn't like attention, think twice before hitting the salon.
• Do you mind salon visits? If you don't, a pixie might not be for you. It's one of the most high maintenance cuts. You'll need a trim every four to six weeks to keep your hair looking fresh.
• Are you a risk-taker? If you end up not enjoying your haircut, it may take months or even years to grow back.
• If you are by nature risk-averse, then consider getting a shag or a bob cut first, before going all the way to this shock-short cut.

Know Your Hair Texture

Pixies can work on all hair textures, even curly hair. However, super curly hair can get a little wild as it grows out when it's cut super short. Consult with your stylist before they snip, and make sure your hair can take this style without having to resort to a ton of styling products.

Considering Face Shape

Almost all pixie hairstyles look great on oval, square, and heart-shaped faces. This particular style looks great on round face shapes because it adds lift at the top of the head, which elongates a round face.

"All those little pieces help emphasize the cheekbones and eyes; it's almost as if you build in cheekbones with this cut," said stylist Jimmy Paul of this in Allure Magazine.

This look works best on petite women with wavy or straight hair. The cut can make a long face look even more oblong.

Body Types and Pixies

Your body type actually matters when it comes to whether or not you'd look good in a pixie. Here are some basic guidelines on who looks good in a pixie:

• Women with long, elegant necks.
• Petite, thin women like former Glamour Magazine Editor-In-Chief Cindy Leive look great in a pixie (think "Amelie").
• Tall, thin women can pull off this cut (think Charlize Theron, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Audrey Hepburn, who was surprisingly very tall for her day). However, if you're tall and have a less curvy figure, you may want something with more body than a pixie.
• If you're a little on the heavier side and have a small skull, though, the pixie might not be right for you either. You'll also want more volume up top to balance out your body below the neck.
• Some experts claim women with round faces shouldn't wear a pixie, but that's not true. Plenty of gorgeous women with round faces wear pixies, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

In the end, rules are made to be broken, so don't fret if anyone tells you that a pixie won't look good on you. The most important part is that you love it. If you wear it with confidence, you'll look great.

One Pixie, Two Looks

Pixie haircuts that hug the skull look great on some women, but not everyone. If you want an edgy look, give your hair texture by using pomade or molding paste to get a spiky, cool look like Denise Welch's hair on the right. 

Pixies with longer bangs allow more flexibility in styling. For a very trendy stylish look, like Welch's hair on the left, wear your bangs a bit longer so you can brush them back or forward.

The Super Edgy Pixie

This hairstyle on Judi Dench is edgy and cool. And it could suit a woman at age 15, 25, 40, 65, or 85. Plus, it looks stunning with her naturally gray hair.

More and more women are embracing their gray hair color and there are many reasons to let your hair go. If you have a naturally gorgeous gray coloring and don't want the hassle and expense of covering up gray, it's an excellent option for you. Perhaps you just want to embrace life as it develops, wrinkles, gray hair, and all.

The Super Stylish Pixie

There's a lot to love about the pixie on Bravo star Tabatha Coffey. The pixie is her signature look and it is perfect for her role as a powerful figure. She has an ability to be intimidating, and the pixie fits her personality beautifully.

This one also has great long, side-swept bangs. It gives her a ton of flexibility when it comes to styling, according to stylist Anh Co Tran in Allure Magazine.

"Keeping it longer on top gives you that versatility to sweep it to the side, part it in the middle, pull it back, or create waves," says Co Tran. "It's also flattering for almost everyone. You can play down a square jaw or round face."

Your Cut Should Fit Your Personality

Who can wear this look? Anyone with guts, really. This cut is more about attitude than your face shape, according to stylist Matt Fugate of the Glo website.

This cut works best on coarse, thick hair. Fine hair will just fall flat without the help of a ton of styling product. A good stylist is adept at funky hairstyles and knows to follow the shape of your head rather than just your face shape when cutting a short, edgy style.

Avoid Helmet Head

The pixie doesn't work as well on fine, straight hair because the hair falls too close to the scalp, looking a bit like a helmet. The secret to avoiding that is to add body, something that requires the right hair products during stying.

Side-Swept Bangs

Sharon Stone shows off a short hairstyle that also includes side-swept bangs. Bangs are great for older women because they can take years off your look, and they bring attention to your best features. They can be high-maintenance, though, because you have to get them cut every few weeks. Although, if you have a pixie, you'll probably be doing that anyway.

A Short, Edgy Pixie

It takes a certain chutzpah to get a super-short, edgy haircut. Kris Jenner certainly has it, and the results turned out amazing. It even has a great sophistication to it, with the slicked back bangs. This one's also quite versatile, because the bangs can be worn over the forehead to soften the look.

Charming, Simple Pixie

Pixies are wonderful cuts, and they don't have to be boring. Have the top of haircut longer than the sides, slick it back, or wear long bangs.

Tilda Swinton's cut works well, whether she's wearing full makeup or it's barely-there. It's charming and simple, and is one of the easiest pixies to maintain.

Super-Short and Edgy

Annette Bening has a great pixie with a lot of life and volume. This messier look is fun and pretty easy to style. Simply add a bit of light product in the morning and muss it up. It eliminates the possibility of a bad hair day.

Additionally, this is a nice length if you're unsure if you should go short. It's not so short that you'll have to wait long for it to grow out into a bob. If you want to test the waters on a pixie, it's a good choice.

Makeup Considerations

You may find that you need to change your makeup when you get a pixie cut. Your face is on display, so you're attracting attention with your edgy haircut. You might find it best to go with a calmer lip or eye. You don't want to look like you need to speak to the manager.

Do You Want Glasses?

Just because you're a "woman of a certain age" who wears glasses, you aren't doomed to bifocals, glasses hung from chains, or the pastel frames from 1988. Pick the right glasses and frames, and you could actually shave years off your look. Pick the wrong ones and you can add years. Better still, pixies and glasses are a perfect match.

To Get Bangs or Not

In her book, "How Not to Look Old," the late author Charla Krupp tells women they absolutely have to get bangs. "Once you reach a certain age, you look better with bangs," she writes. "Almost everyone does."

She's right because they can take years off your face. Bangs can hide forehead wrinkles if you're insecure about them, and they can bring attention to your eyes and lips instead of your fine lines. They're also a quick and easy way to refresh your current haircut.

A Lovely Pixie

The great news is that almost everyone can get away with a short hairstyle, like this wonderful pixie on Florence Henderson. It's not dowdy, it flatters her face shape, and it brings attention to her beautiful eyes.

As mentioned before, some styles work better with certain face shapes and hair textures. For example, your haircut should give you the illusion of having an oval face shape. If you have a round face, you'll want to elongate it. For a square face, you would want to soften the jawline. With a long face, the goal is to widen it.