Recently, after breaking my glasses and thinking it might be a good opportunity to change my hair, but alas, I changed my mind instead and opted for a quick trim. This is what I call retirement hair.
Some people don’t like gray hair and really don’t like long gray hair. One of my otherwise favorite family members said older women like us shouldn’t have long hair period. Nothing to do there but call bullshit.
I’m not against dying your hair if that makes you happy, but it’s more money and more time in the salon. I’m just not up for it. I had short hair for years, and I do love a good pixie. But again, that’s more time and money in the salon.
I wouldn’t mind growing my hair even longer, but my hair is fine, and it doesn’t hold up well beyond this length. I get a haircut about every three months. This is basically a blunt cut with a couple of subtle layers in the front. Simple.
The stylist blow dried it today, so it’s all smooth, but I have a little wave and let my hair dry naturally mostly to save on wear and tear. No flat irons or curling irons, either. With mid-length hair, I can pull it up in my messy man bun or wear a hat, and it still looks stylish. I shampoo and condition a couple of times a week. No products (another money saver).
Now that I’m keeping my low-maintenance retirement hair, I will turn my focus to glasses. I previously speculated I might go crazy and get something totally funky. Well, it was a thought, wasn’t it? I’ve tried on some frames, but I’m pretty sure I’ve settled into the kind of person who wears plain black glasses.
Sadly, I am an eyewear snob, in the past preferring high-end designer frames, so we’ll see how I handle this challenge on a retirement budget. My sunglasses are Ray-Ban Wayfarer, which I see as having a minimalist retro vibe without being too snotty. Maybe something like that?
Donna Pekar is an aging badass (for real) who lives in California and writes Retirement Confidential.