Best Hairstyles for Women Over 50 with Glasses

Glasses are one of the first things people notice about you, especially after 50. The right hairstyle can make your frames look intentional and stylish, while the wrong one can fight with them, add years, or feel fussy to manage.

This guide walks you through the best hairstyles for women over 50 with glasses, how to match them to your face shape and frames, and what to ask for at the salon so you leave with a cut you can actually style at home.

What makes a hairstyle work with glasses after 50?

A flattering cut with glasses balances three things: your face shape, your frames, and your hair texture. Past 50, you may also be dealing with thinning, dryness, or grays, which deserve a little extra strategy.

Your face shape and glasses

Most women over 50 lean toward frames that give a gentle lift or structure. Your hairstyle should do the same. As a simple rule, if your glasses are curved and soft, a bit of structure in your cut looks great. If your glasses are very angular, a softer, more textured cut keeps you from looking severe.

Think about where your face is widest and where you want attention. If your cheeks are fuller, aim to keep volume slightly above or below that point, not right at it. If your jawline is strong, a little softness at the ends of your hair can balance it out.

Frame size and thickness

Large or dark frames are already a statement. They pair best with cuts that are clean and slightly simplified so your face does not feel crowded. Thin or rimless frames can handle more movement and curl without looking busy.

Also pay attention to where your frames sit. If the arms of your glasses hit your temples, you do not want a heavy block of hair in that exact spot. Layers that skim over or sit just above the top of your frames usually look best.

Color, gray hair, and contrast

Hair color and glasses color work together. High contrast, such as dark frames with silver hair, can look incredibly chic with a modern cut that has clean lines. Lower contrast, like soft brown frames with warm highlights, suits more blended, layered styles.

If you are embracing gray, ask your stylist for a cut that shows off dimension, such as piecey layers or a shag-inspired bob. It keeps gray hair from feeling flat next to your frames.

Best short hairstyles for women over 50 with glasses

Short hair is popular after 50 for good reason. It highlights your eyes and cheekbones, works beautifully with glasses, and is often easier to style. The key is softness and movement, not a stiff helmet shape.

Here are short cuts that consistently flatter women with glasses:

• Soft pixie with side-swept fringe: A slightly longer pixie with feathered sides and a side fringe that skims the top of your frames brings attention to your eyes without hiding your lenses.
• Ear-length layered crop: Short layers around the crown add lift, while slightly longer pieces around the ears soften the line of your frames and hearing aids, if you wear them.
• Textured boyish cut: If you like a very short cut, ask for texture cut in with scissors or a razor, not a blunt clipper finish. That texture helps glasses feel integrated into the look.
• Chin-length bob with light layers: Technically on the edge of short, this style is extremely friendly to glasses. The ends graze the jawline, which is flattering on most face shapes, and the layers keep it from looking square.

For short hair with glasses, avoid overly heavy bangs that sit right on top of your frames or a hard, one-length bowl effect. A few soft, broken edges make a world of difference and look more current.

Best medium-length hairstyles for women over 50 with glasses

Medium-length hair gives you flexibility without the maintenance of very long hair. It is a sweet spot for many women in their 50s and 60s who wear glasses daily.

• Shoulder-length layered cut: Soft layers starting around cheekbone to chin level draw attention to your eyes and away from the bulk of your frames. This works well straight, wavy, or with a soft curl.
• Shag-inspired lob: A long bob with shag-style layers around the face looks modern and has plenty of movement. It keeps hair from sitting heavily behind your frames and gives a gentle lift to your cheekbones.
• Blunt lob with face-framing pieces: If your hair is fine, a blunt one-length base adds fullness, while subtle face-framing angles prevent your glasses from looking boxed in.

Ask your stylist to check the length with your glasses on. The most flattering point is often where the ends either meet your jawline or land a little below, not stopping exactly at the widest part of your face.

Best long hairstyles for women over 50 with glasses

You do not have to cut your hair short just because you wear glasses or turned 50. Long hair can look elegant if it has shape and feels intentional.

• Long layers with soft waves: Layers that start around the cheekbones or chin create a frame around your glasses and keep long hair from overwhelming your face.
• Face-framing V-shape: Slightly shorter pieces in front, angling longer toward the back, keep your glasses visible and highlight your smile and jawline.
• Half-up, half-down styles: For busy days, clipping the top section back opens your face and prevents hair from catching on your frames.

Very long, one-length hair can drag the face down and emphasize under-eye shadows or sagging. If you love your length, at least add face-framing pieces and a little movement around the bottom.

Hairstyles for fine, thick, curly, or wavy hair with glasses

Texture matters as much as length. Using it smartly makes your glasses feel like part of a complete look instead of an afterthought.

Fine or thinning hair

Many women notice finer, weaker hair after 50. With glasses, the wrong cut can make hair look even thinner around the temples and ears.

• Choose cuts with light layers on top to add lift, not heavy layers that thin out the ends.
• A short crop or chin-length bob often looks fuller than shoulder-length hair that hangs flat.
• Ask for a subtle undercut at the nape if your hair lies flat there. It gives the illusion of more volume on top.

Thick or coarse hair

Thick hair can crowd your frames and feel bulky around your temples and ears. The goal is to remove weight without losing shape.

• Request interior layering, which removes bulk from inside the cut while keeping the outline smooth.
• A shoulder-length or slightly shorter cut is often easier to manage than very long thick hair pushed behind your glasses all day.
• Avoid over-thinning just at the front; that can make your glasses stand out in a harsh way instead of blending with your hair.

Curly or wavy hair

Curls can look beautiful with glasses as long as there is a bit of structure. The wrong length can cause curls to sit directly on top of the frames.

• Ask your stylist to cut curls at their natural pattern while your hair is at least damp, not completely straightened.
• Try a curly shag or layered cut where curls begin above and below your glasses, not centered right at the frames.
• Keep a few defined curls near your temples to soften the edges of your frames without covering them entirely.

Bangs and layers that work with glasses

Bangs are one of the easiest ways to refresh your look after 50, especially with glasses. The trick is choosing the right type for your features and lenses.

• Side-swept bangs are the most forgiving. They angle across your forehead and usually meet the top of your frames, which draws attention to your eyes.
• Curtain bangs that part in the center and fall to the cheekbones are flattering on many face shapes and work well with both large and small frames.
• Soft, wispy fringe can hide forehead lines without feeling heavy or casting shadows on bifocal or progressive lenses.

Full, very blunt bangs that hit right at the frame line tend to block light and can accentuate under-eye shadows or lines. If you love full bangs, ask your stylist to keep them slightly longer and textured at the ends so they blend with your glasses instead of cutting across them sharply.

Practical styling tips when you wear glasses

A great haircut should match the way you actually live. If you only have a few minutes in the morning and wear glasses all day, build that into your styling routine.

• Always style with your glasses handy. Put them on mid-styling to see where your hair sits around the frames, then adjust parting, volume, or curls as needed.
• Keep hair slightly off the temples. Use a light volumizing spray or mousse at the roots and direct hair up and back instead of flat against the sides.
• Use a light-hold product so hair can move around the frames instead of forming stiff ridges where your glasses sit.
• Protect fragile areas where glasses rub, like behind the ears. A small drop of leave-in conditioner or oil on those sections helps reduce breakage.
• Have a go-to quick style for rushed mornings, such as a low, loose ponytail, soft twist, or half-up clip that keeps hair from catching on your frames.

How to talk to your stylist about hair and glasses

The best haircut for you at 50 plus is the one you can maintain and feel great in every day. A clear conversation with your stylist is essential.

1. Wear your everyday glasses to the appointment and keep them on while your stylist checks length and layers.
2. Bring 2 or 3 photos of styles you like that feature women wearing glasses, if possible. Point to what you like, such as the fringe, the length, or the volume.
3. Be honest about styling time. If you have five minutes in the morning, say so. Your stylist can adjust the cut to work with air-drying or quick blow-drying.
4. Mention any problem areas: thinning around the temples, stubborn cowlicks, or curls that fight your frames. Ask specifically how the cut will address those spots.
5. Schedule regular trims every 6 to 8 weeks for short styles and 8 to 10 weeks for longer cuts so the shape stays flattering around your glasses.

See also

For more ways to flatter your features with frames, take a look at these makeup tricks for older women with glasses alongside our picks for the best makeup for women over 50.

• Find the best hair brush for fine hair to build gentle volume without damage.
• Compare the best hair dryers for fine hair to speed up styling and protect fragile strands.
• Repair and soften your style with a nourishing hair mask for damaged hair.

FAQ

What is the most flattering haircut for a 50 year old woman who wears glasses?

The most universally flattering option is a chin- to shoulder-length layered cut with soft, face-framing pieces that land near your cheekbones. This length works with almost every face shape, keeps glasses visible, and is long enough to style different ways but short enough to avoid dragging your features down.

Should women over 50 with glasses get bangs?

Bangs can be very flattering after 50, especially with glasses, as long as they are soft and not too heavy. Side-swept or curtain bangs that hit around the top of your frames or your cheekbones add lift, hide some forehead lines, and draw attention to your eyes without blocking light into your lenses.

How short can I cut my hair if I have a round face and glasses?

If your face is round, you can absolutely wear short hair, but avoid anything that ends exactly at cheek level with lots of side volume. A pixie with height at the crown and slightly longer pieces around the ears, or a chin-length bob that angles a little longer in front, will visually lengthen your face and balance your frames.

What hairstyles work for fine, thinning hair with glasses after 50?

For fine or thinning hair, shorter to mid-length cuts with light layers on top usually look best. Try a soft pixie, an ear-length crop, or a chin-length bob with minimal layering so the ends still look full, then add a bit of root lift when styling to keep hair from collapsing around your frames.

How often should I trim my hair to keep a flattering shape around my glasses?

Most women over 50 who wear glasses do well with trims every 6 to 8 weeks for short cuts and every 8 to 10 weeks for medium or long styles. Regular trims keep the hairline around your temples, ears, and neck neat so your glasses look intentional, and they prevent overgrown layers from sitting awkwardly on top of your frames.

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