'I'm over 50 and I'm sick of being prescribed an "age-appropriate" haircut.'

There is a debate going around, which I find absurd: Should women chop off their hair after a certain age into a more sensible, ‘age-appropriate’ style?

Now, before anyone my age or older loses their mind, let me just say I believe it’s a load of BS. 

Times have changed and now women post-50, 60 and above, are choosing to do what they darn well please. 

In fact, we look younger now at 65 than we used to at 50 back in the day. Is it fashion? Is it a trend? Is it injectables? Or are we just becoming more self-assured and sticking to our guns?

Watch: Short hairstyles we love. Story continues after video.

Women used to cut their hair off as they got older because it was more practical and easier to manage (and if we are honest, a lot of us succumb to that when we have babies for that exact reason).

As we age, hair naturally loses its shine and vibrancy and can become thin and brittle, so it is certainly easier to look after when it's short. However, the range of game-changing hair products on the market these days have made it easier to maintain well-nourished locks at ANY age. 

Listen: On this episode of You Beauty, we are joined by cut and style expert Remi Jeffers from Edwards and Co, to find out what haircut is the best for every face shape.

There's also the fact that women tend to be more emotionally invested in their hair than men. A bad hair day can ruin our day, and a bad haircut or colour… well, that can cause an existential crisis.  

I don’t fit the usual mould. I have coloured my own hair for over the last eight years. And, much to the horror of my niece who is a hairdresser, I've been cutting it for the last 18 months as well – thanks to YouTube tutorials and a 'what's the worst that can happen?' attitude.

Personally, I like a sleek, neat look in my corporate job and I just prefer how my face looks when it's all pulled back.

Image: Supplied

I wear my hair down occasionally, but it can take a lot of effort to style it in the morning.

Image: Supplied

I think one of the reasons I'm lazy with hair is because I worked in a wig shop and regularly used wigs and hairpieces in the same way as fashion — to create a look to suit my mood. 

Playing with different lengths and styles allowed me a certain detachment from my real hair, and proved that there's no one set style that suits all women in their 50s. 

With this in mind, I've decided to drag my sister into this discussion as an example of why there's no such thing as an 'age-appropriate' haircut.

Kim is 58 and I think she looks younger now than she did 10 years ago. 

You know how women end a relationship and often get their hair chopped? I’ve done it numerous times over the years. She has gone the other way.  

For a bit of background, Kim was known for her Cher-like hair in the '80s. It created its own atmosphere; it was that high. Think Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance with Somebody video clip and you are spot on. 

Over the years she has had so many styles, but in her mid-40s, she settled into a very short “age-appropriate” style. 

She reminded me of my aunties. Of our Mum. And of other women I was used to seeing her age. 

Kim with short hair. (Supplied)

What she didn’t remind me of was herself. 

She was also unhappy in her life, so that didn’t help. Over the last few years, Kim has regained her independence and left a 25-year relationship. 

She has slowly found her way back to herself, growing her hair out — and it shows. She is an example of her hair, reflecting that type of inner confidence I think we only hit once we reach 50. 

Like myself, she knows it's not her job to fit a particular mould of what a woman should look like at any age. She has rediscovered her sensuality and her sense of self and part of that was finding her way to a much more modern version of a longer hair that softens her look and suits her. 

She knows what looks good FOR HER. She also has a lot more versatility. Slicked back in a pony, straightened or releasing the Kraken of big curls that she has. I love how she looks. 

Kim now, with long hair (Supplied).

When I decided to write this article, I posed the same question to my friends: What was their opinion of women over 50 being prescribed a certain haircut?

The overwhelming response was women should wear their hair however makes them happy because by the time we are 50, we are our own person — and it's true. 

I no longer find myself a slave to trends of any sort. In all aspects of self, I do what works for me. 

I don’t chase trends because they change so often. I like to cherry-pick things that work well for me and the same goes for my hair. A sleek look for me highlights my features in a way that just having it short and 'age appropriate' would not.

Yet, I see some women rock a severe pixie cut to stunning effect and others with long luscious locks that make them feel who they are.

If you love your hair then you do you. Wear it how you want. 

Embrace it. Because it’s not up to you to please other people. You only need to please yourself. 

Feature Image: Supplied