30 Short Haircuts for Older Women We Love in 2024

Looking for photos of short haircuts for older women? You’ve come to the right place! See 30 examples of flattering haircuts for senior women, plus tips on choosing the right cut for you in our guide below.

Looking for Short Haircuts for Older Women?

Did you know that around age 46 is when most women decide to chop their locks in favor of a flattering, easy-to-maintain short haircut?

If you’re in the same boat and ready to go shorter, the sheer number of options can be a little overwhelming. Especially if it’s been awhile since you’ve rocked a short haircut.

After all, there are pixies, crops, tapered cuts, bobs, pageboys, and more to choose from when you’re looking at short haircuts for older women. So how do you narrow your options down and pick a style that will look good on you?

With a little help from our guide, of course! No rule says you have to go short at a certain age, but we get why it’s such a common thing. Short hair is just easier to take care of. It can accentuate your best features while downplaying any you’d rather hide.

And let’s be honest – you’ve got better things to do at this stage of your life than spending an hour blow-drying and styling long hair.

Getting a short haircut after years of wearing longer styles is so freeing. It can make you look younger, refresh your appearance, and widen your styling options. All in favor of short haircuts for older women, say aye! 

30 Most Popular Short Haircuts for Older Women

Most women who want to go shorter as they get older look for styles that accomplish three things. 

First, it needs to look good on you. Flattering haircuts will suit your face shape by accentuating your best features and downplaying others. We’ve included haircuts that suit oval, round, square, or heart-shaped faces below. 

Second, it should be easy to style and low-maintenance overall. Who wants to spend hours precisely styling a complicated haircut? That’s why we looked for popular haircuts that are also a breeze to style and maintain. 

Third, it should be age-appropriate. You’re not trying to pretend you’re 20 and you want a haircut that suits your age. So we’re skipping the crazy colors and edgy short styles in favor of beautiful, classic cuts that perfectly complement a mature woman like yourself. 

Ready to see the most popular short haircuts for older women (and tips to choosing the most flattering one for you)? Let’s get started. 

1. Ear-Length Bob With Textured Fringe

Here’s a flattering option that can take years off your face, thanks to the textured bangs! This is definitely a haircut for oval faces because it hits right at the cheekbones (not so flattering for heart, square, or round faces). 

2. Sleek Razored Pixie

It’s amazing how feminine and fresh a razored pixie cut can be! This is a great haircut to try if you want a new look. With this short length, styling is quick and easy, especially on straight or slightly wavy hair. 

3. Curly Casual Crop

Thinking about going shorter than a bob? Ladies with natural curls will look great in a short crop like this. It shows off your hair’s texture without requiring much time to set. 

4. Chin-Length Tucked Bob

Chin length bobs work for various face shapes and can help slim a wide or round face. Tuck the ends under with a curling iron or flat iron for a sleek effect. 

5. Quiff Pixie Cut

If you leave a section of the top of a short haircut much longer than the rest, it’s called a quiff. You can part it to the side like this for a casual look, and we love that it works with straight, wavy, or curly hair. 

6. Long-Top Layered Crop

Crops are cut close to the head, but in this example, the top is left longer to cover the short layers underneath. We love the fun touch flipped up ends add to the style! 

7. Layered Bob With Bangs

Soft, side-swept bangs are a tried-and-true way to make you look younger with any hairstyle. Who doesn’t love a basic bob with lightly layered ends?

8. Ginger Blonde Micro-Bob

Go super-short with your bob to make it low maintenance. Isn’t this ginger blonde a pretty color for this short haircut with blunt bangs? 

9. Curly Bob With Side Bangs

If ever there was a perfect hairstyle for someone with big, loose ringlets, this is it. All you’ll need is a curling iron for quick touch-ups – otherwise, it’s wash, air dry, and go! 

10. Shaved and Chic

Not afraid of going ultra-short? We found the perfect chic style for you! This shaved look is done with a #3 clipper guard, so you know it’s super easy to maintain, even at home. 

11. Long Pixie With Side-Swept Bangs

Flirty, feminine, and fresh, this longer version of the classic pixie needs to be on your list. By leaving the top much longer, you have so many more styling possibilities – straight, wavy, curly, middle or side part, or add clips and barrettes to change up the look! 

12. Flirty Bob With Full Bangs

Big curls bring a short bob to life! Set it off with a full fringe that runs across your forehead for a youth-boosting look that only takes minutes to style. 

13. Disheveled Crop

Not a fan of precise, overly-styled looks? You’ll love this fun, disheveled crop. A small amount of pomade, wax, or gel is all you need to create this casual texture. 

14. Classy Ear-Length Curls

If a polished look is more your speed and you’re working with natural curl, try going about ear-length or slightly longer. The curls will perfectly frame your face, while the short length keeps them easy to style and maintain! 

15. Spiky Side-Swept Pixie

Show off your wild side with a spiky side-swept pixie cut like this. Using mousse or gel and blow-drying will help you get this defined texture. Try working a small amount of wax or pomade through the ends to create that spiky look. 

16. Short Curly Cut With Bangs

Leaving your hair just a couple of inches long means less work and time to style it! We love the bangs pinned over to the side with just a few pieces hanging down. It gives the cut a younger feel. 

17. Bob With Eyebrow-Grazing Fringe

Bangs hide wrinkles and give any cut a youthful feel, and eyebrow grazing bangs add a trendy touch. Tuck the ends of the bob under for a soft look or straighten them for something a little more modern. 

18. Blunt Cut Bob

This blunt-cut bob is perfect for ladies with an oval face shape. This is a one-length hairstyle, so you won’t have to worry about styling layers. Pop on a headband for an easy style! 

19. Lob With Short Layers

If you’re starting with longer hair, a lob will feel like a short haircut by comparison. The key to this particular cut is the short layers cut into the ends, making them naturally flip out a bit. We think it gives the look a little sass! 

20. Crop With Slicked-Back Bangs

Big fan of air drying your hair? Check out this short crop with bangs! This is a great style for women with fine or thinning hair. Slick your bangs back with a dab of gel to hide any thinning spots up front. 

21. Chin-Length Bob With Blunt Bangs

Blunt bangs are great for disguising forehead wrinkles and are known to make you look younger. Paired with a soft, chin-length bob haircut, you will be absolutely glowing! 

22. Sleek Blunt-Cut Bob

Try a bob without bangs for something a little sleeker. This cut can work for any hair texture, but we love how smooth it looks with straight hair. 

23. Audrey Hepburn Pixie

Channel your inner Audrey with this super-short pixie crop. The longest layers are on top, with everything underneath getting progressively shorter toward the neckline. 

24. Chin-Length Bob With Side-Swept Bangs

You can always choose a longer length if you’re not quite settled on going short. This chin-length bob will give you the best of both worlds. Side-swept bangs make you look years younger, too! 

25. Razored Crop With Bangs

While bobs are long on the sides, crops keep the sides short and open up the face more. Add some razored bangs to complete the look. 

26. Curly Bob With Short Layers

Short layers on the ends of the hair give it the stacked effect, making it look super thick and healthy. This is a great cut for any woman that has a little natural wave or curl. 

27. Sleek Pixie With Long Layers

Pixies don’t have to be spiky and short. Try this sleek version with long layers sliced in to create thin, curved-under ends. This cut works best on naturally straight hair. 

28. Feathered Farrah Style Bob

This short bob reminds us of Farrah Fawcett’s voluminous feathered curls. It’s simple to create them with a large barreled curling iron held vertically. 

29. Short Tapered Cut With Bangs

This tapered haircut will keep you nice and cool, and the length gives you something to work with when you want to style it. You can push the bangs over and back as pictured or style them down and across the forehead for a youthful touch. 

30. Stacked Crop With Bangs

Stacking the hair involves cutting in lots of short layers that create volume where you want it. Here, the volume is concentrated around the crown area for plenty of youthful lift. 

Choosing a Short Haircut for Older Women

Choosing the right haircut in middle age and beyond starts with knowing what flatters your face and features the best. If you’re not sure, take a look at our helpful tips below. You’ll learn how to choose a short haircut that will look great on you with no regrets! 

Your Face Shape Is Important

The general shape of your face – oval, round, square, or heart – determines which types of haircuts will be flattering on you. Here’s a quick overview of what each face shape should look for and avoid in short haircuts. 

• Oval: Anything goes, you lucky lady! Ovals are perfectly balanced. Avoid styles with lots of volume on top, like a curly long pixie – these can elongate the face from oval into oblong. Adding bangs can make an oval face look a little shorter. 
• Round: Round faces tend to be widest at the cheekbones with a rounded chin and jawline, so look for styles that can give your face a more angular structure. Choose cuts that hit above or below the chin – never right at the chin, as this can visually widen the area. 
• Square: Square faces are more angular and sharp around the jawline and chin, so they need to be softened a little by the right hairstyle. Look for styles featuring side-swept bangs, razored ends or long layers, and cuts that hit above or below the chin. Avoid bobs that hit right at the chin, which will accentuate your angular jaw. 
• Heart: Heart-shaped faces are widest at the cheekbones and narrowest at the chin and jawline. So pump up the volume in the chin area to visually fill it out and get rid of the narrow look. Chin-length bobs are perfect for heart faces. 

Consider Your Styling Preferences

Chances are, a new haircut isn’t going to change your mind about styling. You know whether or not you’ll actually spend 30 minutes perfecting your hair every morning. Be sure to choose a short haircut that fits your styling preferences, not the other way around.

Free-form cuts with lots of layers are perfect if you prefer air-drying your hair and minimal styling. Side-swept bangs, blunt bangs, and longer pixie or bob styles will require some extra time to style. Choose your cut accordingly!

Note the Maintenance Requirements

Tons of cute short haircuts are beautiful to admire, but in reality, are super high maintenance. Make sure the cut you choose will be easy for you to maintain. 

Haircuts that are one length all-over are easier to maintain than heavily layered or tapered styles. Super-short haircuts need to be trimmed more often than longer ones. Before you commit to any cut, ask your stylist, “Is this type of cut going to be high maintenance?”

That’s the long and short of it. Need a little more help choosing the right haircut for you? We’ve got you covered.

Read Next:

• Apps to virtually try on new hairstyles here
• Our Favorite Short Haircuts
• Hairstyles for Women Over 50