Medium Length Layered Hairstyles for Women Over 50

Looking for medium length layered hairstyles for women over 50? We rounded up 18 stunning looks that work well with layers and shoulder-length hair in our guide!

You’ll find a range of cute hairstyles for medium length layered hair below. From fast updos and half-updos to heat-styled boho waves and defined curls, there’s a look for all occasions!

Most importantly, these styles won’t make it look like you’re pretending to be 20. They’re elegant, timeless, and perfectly suited for shoulder length hair with layers!

Need Cute Medium Length Layered Hairstyles for Women Over 50?

• Place updos low or below the crown to secure all layers tightly
• Choose half-up styles to style the shortest layers beautifully
• Play around with different part lines, textures, and accessories

It shouldn’t be hard to find lots of cute medium length layered hairstyles for women over 50. But a quick search for shoulder length layered hairstyles delivers a bunch of results shown on fresh-faced twenty-somethings.

It’s not quite representative for those of us who are officially over the hill. 

And that’s not all. We’ve noted 3 basic challenges when it comes to finding great hairstyles for layered, shoulder length hair as a mature woman. 

First, medium length hair can be tough to style in different ways because of the sheer limitations of the length. It’s not quite long enough to rock in a high bun, top knot, or intricate braid. 

Second, layered hair poses unique issues for certain types of styles, like updos, braids, buns, and ponytails. When you finally wrangle all the layers into the look you want, a few shorter layers inevitably poke out or fall down. 

Third, many of the hairstyles for medium length, layered hair are targeted toward young women. It’s rare to see really cute hairstyles that suit layered, shoulder length hair actually shown and represented on women 50+. 

This guide exists to blow past all of these challenges and make it easy for you to find flattering styles that work with your current cut.

Check out our favorite looks below and see which styles you can work into your repertoire!

18 Medium Length Layered Hairstyles for Women Over 50

Whether you’re looking for fast and easy ways to pull your hair up, chic styles with an elegant feel, or pretty heat-styled options featuring waves, sleek strands, or curls, we’ve got you covered.

Check out the best medium length layered hairstyles for women over 50 below!

1. Wavy With Blended Waterfall Layers

Take a basic medium length layered cut and dress it up with a middle part and wavy texture. The waves make the blended waterfall layers more prominent and give the style a soft, feminine look that’ll stay in place all day long!

2. Simple Claw Clip Updo

Medium length layered hairstyles for women over 50 can be difficult with the different lengths in the cut. A simple claw clip updo is easy, fast, and looks great! Pick out a statement claw clip to make this style stand out.

Twist your hair into a coil at the nape of your neck, point it upward, and clip it into place.

3. Lob With Side Part and Flipped-Out Ends

This shoulder-length lob looks great with short layering at the ends. Those layers can be styled to give the look an energetic twist by flipping the longest layers upward with a flat iron or curling iron.

Create a side part to give this look a casual vibe. Side parts also create a visual diagonal line across your face to help sculpt and contour your face!

4. Chic Twisted Half-Updo

Layered hairstyles are easily tamed with a quick half-updo secured in the back with a pretty clip or barrette. Create your preferred part – middle or side – and twist each side to gather both below the crown.

Secure with a clip and heat style the ends if you’d like!

5. Casual Medium Length Messy Blowout

A fresh blowout is always gorgeous on medium length layered cuts, but you can adopt this style as a second-day look! Shake things up with a little dry shampoo, running your hands through your hair to separate the curved ends for a casual style.

6. Beachy Casual Updo

Getting ready for a fun day in the sun (or just running errands)? Pop your medium length hair into a high beachy updo with tendrils pulled loose around your face. It’s a quick way to get your hair out of your face and gives you all the boho chic vibes!

These styles work well for medium length layered hair since you’ll be pulling shorter pieces out. 

7. Tapered Curls With Choppy Layers

Curls and layers can be hard to master, but if a skilled stylist does the cut, you’ll love the lightweight and defined results! A middle part, some curl-enhancing cream, and a quick spritz of hairspray is all you need to rock this casual style any day of the week.

8. Low Textured Chignon

Bringing all your layers together in the back like you’re making a low ponytail is the first step to creating this elegant look. This style has a helpful trick, too!

Since layers don’t like to form a seamless bun or knot, you’ll be tucking individual sections up over the base of the ponytail and pinning each one into place. 

9. Voluminous Long Layers With Side Part

Volume and body go a long way in accentuating the layers in a medium length cut. When you style long layers, focus on adding lift at the roots to separate and fan out the layers.

A little sea salt spray throughout your hair can help add texture for this loose and beachy look that’s packed with body!

10. Half-Up Style With Volume Bump

One of the best medium length layered hairstyles for women over 50 is a simple half-updo style that lifts the shortest top section of your hair and secures it in the back.

Tease the central section on top of your hair before combing hair over it to form a cute volume bump for youth-enhancing lift!

11. Feathered Back Face-Framing Layers

Layers around your face are such a great feature to have in medium length hairstyles for women over 50. The shorter layers can help accentuate those cheekbones and give your face a sculpted lift.

That’s especially true when you style your shorter face-framing layers feathered back away from the face.

12. Sleek Twisted Coil Bun

Buns are a little more challenging with medium length layered hair, but you can make it work by placing it a little lower! Gather your hair below your crown and secure it with a hair tie.

Twist the bun (it’s okay if layers stick out) and form a coil. Pin it to your head with bobby pins and tuck in any errant layers poking out. 

13. Tapered and Defined Natural Coils

Naturally coily hair looks great in medium length layered cuts. The key is removing the bulk and weight from the ends to avoid the bell-shaped look! Tapered length down the sides and back allows those coils to spring to life.

A little curl-enhancing gel or cream twisted into each coil with a side part is the perfect style. 

14. Quick 3-Strand Braid With Side Part

A 3-strand braid is easy enough to pull off behind your head and makes for a really cute, quick style for medium length layered hair! Create a side part on your preferred side and brush the hair down and back slightly.

Secure it at the nape of your neck with a ponytail holder (or just begin braiding without securing it). Braid as far down as you can before capping off the braid with a small elastic. It’s okay if pieces stick out – call it a casual look!

15. Flipped Short Layers With Side-Swept Bangs

Short layers at the ends of your hair give it a thicker, fuller look that can really reinforce those youthful vibes. Create a lifted, upturned look by using a curling iron to flip the ends up.

If you have side bangs, a round brush to direct them over to the side and back will help them perfectly fall into place.

16. Curved-Under Face-Framing Layers With Side Part

Long layering throughout your cut can help add volume and remove unwanted bulk from the ends. Style a cut like this to flatter your face by curving the shorter layers around your face under with a curling iron or flat iron.

A high-volume side part draws the eye upward for a lifted look – sounds good to us!

17. Off-Center Part With Bangs and Short Layers

Short layers are stacked closely together and aren’t as blended as long layers. If that’s your starting point, you can create a gorgeous style over 50 by drying your bangs with a round brush and pushing them off to one side.

Give your layered ends a gentle flip by upturning a flat iron and finish with a blast of hairspray!

18. Side-Parted Bob With Graduated Layers

A medium length bob shaped up with graduated layers is stunning and offers a subtle lift for women over 50. This cut is nearly shoulder-length and looks great when styled with a side part and subtle curves in the ends directed away from the face.

Things to Consider

Wondering what else you should know to pull off these looks? You’ll have an easier time creating cute medium length layered hairstyles when you keep the following tips in mind. 

• Keep the right tools around. If you have a good hair dryer, curling iron, flat iron, rattail comb (for teasing), paddle brush, and round brush, you’ll be able to create almost any style. Opt for higher-end hot tools that monitor the temperature automatically. They’re much less damaging to hair! 
• Wash your hair less often. If you’ve been washing your mane daily, it’s time to stop. Hair gets weaker and a bit more fragile as we age, and washing too often will only exacerbate the issue. You only need to wash every 2-3 days, depending on your texture and how oily your hair is. Washing less often also allows you to rock second-day curls or waves after heat styling!
• Invest in some cute accessories. It’s a lot easier to create pretty styles fast when you have a range of cute hair accessories on hand! When you see a nice claw clip, headband, scarf, or barrette, grab it and add it to your collection. You’ll be able to create fast styles without feeling like it’s too thrown-together. 
• Consider taking a hair growth supplement. If you’re noticing age-related thinning or patchy areas, it might be a good time to start taking a hair supplement. These nutraceuticals don’t contain any medicine, but are packed with vitamins, minerals, and botanicals your body needs to grow strong, healthy hair. We love Folexin, but there are several choices out there!

Which Medium Length Layered Hairstyle Will You Try First?

Yes, it can be a real challenge to find medium length layered hairstyles for women over 50. But it’s not impossible! We’ve shared 18 of the prettiest options and there are plenty more you can create with the same basic steps. 

With the right styling tools, accessories, and ways to control your layered length, you’ll be set with cute styles for each day of the week. 

Don’t forget to be a little creative and start coming up with unique styles of your own! You might find that a quick twist and bobby pin on each side is all you need to look put-together and chic. 

Take a look at more trending hairstyles for women over 50 next to grab some more inspiration!