When I think about the women who sit in my chair at eighty, eighty-five, even ninety years old, I feel this overwhelming wave of admiration. There is something incredibly powerful about a woman who has lived that much life and still walks in wanting to look and feel her absolute best. That is the kind of energy I live for as a makeup and beauty professional, and honestly, hair is just as much a part of that beauty story as anything else.
Over the years, I have worked with so many women in this age group, and one of the most common conversations I have with them is about hairstyles that work beautifully with their glasses. Because here is the thing — glasses are not an accessory you work around. They are a feature you work with. They frame your face, they express your personality, and when your hair complements them? The whole look comes together in the most stunning way.
So today, I want to share thirteen of my absolute favorite hairstyles for women over eighty who wear glasses. These are styles I have seen transform women, boost their confidence, and make them walk out of the salon feeling like the most radiant version of themselves. Let us get into it.
The Classic Silver Pixie Cut
What is it
The classic silver pixie cut is one of the most iconic short hairstyles that has ever existed, and honestly, it deserves every bit of that legendary status. It is a cropped cut that sits close to the head, typically featuring tapered or faded sides and a slightly longer, textured top. What makes it particularly magical for women over eighty is that it embraces natural silver, white, or salt-and-pepper hair in the most effortlessly glamorous way possible. This is not a hairstyle that apologizes for gray hair — it celebrates it, elevates it, and makes it the star of the entire look.
How it works best for women with glasses
The pixie cut is genuinely one of the best companions for glasses, and here is why it works so beautifully. When your hair is cropped short, your glasses become the frame of your entire face. They get to do their job properly without competing with voluminous hair or complicated styling around them. For women with thicker frames or bold eyeglass styles, the pixie creates a beautiful balance because the simplicity of the cut lets the glasses make a statement. For delicate wire-frame glasses, the pixie adds a certain boldness that complements the subtlety of the frames. It works especially well for women with oval, round, and heart-shaped faces, though honestly, with the right variation it flatters nearly every face shape.
How to make it — tips
When you go in for a pixie cut, bring a few reference photos but also have an open conversation with your stylist about your specific hair texture. Fine hair benefits from a slightly longer top to create the illusion of volume, while thicker hair can handle a more closely cropped approach throughout. Ask your stylist to add soft, feathery texture to the top rather than keeping it blunt, because texture gives movement and dimension that keeps the style looking youthful and dynamic rather than severe. For maintenance, visit your salon every four to six weeks to keep the shape crisp. A small amount of light-hold pomade or a texturizing cream worked through the top with your fingertips is really all you need at home.
Soft Layered Bob
What is it
The soft layered bob is exactly what it sounds like — a bob haircut that has been cut with layers throughout to create movement, softness, and dimension. Unlike a blunt bob, which has a sharp, single-length line at the bottom, the layered version has pieces of varying lengths that blend together to create a beautifully textured, flowing finish. It typically falls anywhere between the chin and the collarbone, and it has this wonderful quality of looking polished without being stiff. For women over eighty, this style is a genuine gift because the layers work with your hair’s natural texture and add body where fine hair tends to lose it.
How it works best for women with glasses
The layered bob is wonderfully versatile with glasses because it creates a visual balance between the width of the glasses and the shape of the face. If you wear glasses with a wider bridge or bold temples, the layers around the face add a softness that prevents the overall look from feeling too angular or structured. The length of the bob also matters here — a chin-length bob draws the eye to the glasses in a flattering way, while a collarbone-length version creates a longer visual line that is particularly beautiful for women with rounder face shapes. The movement in the layers also prevents the style from looking flat or deflated, which can sometimes happen with glasses that press slightly on hair closer to the ears.
How to make it — tips
Ask your stylist to cut the layers so they start from about the cheekbone level, which means you get softness framing your face without losing too much weight at the bottom. Avoid having the layers cut too aggressively short because fine hair in this age group benefits from keeping as much length as possible in the layers to maintain that soft, full appearance. At home, use a round brush when blow-drying to encourage the ends to curve gently inward or flip outward — both looks are beautiful and give you variety. A lightweight mousse applied at the roots before drying will lift the hair and give you that volume that makes layered bobs look truly stunning.
Elegant Chignon
What is it
The chignon is a classic updo that involves gathering the hair at the nape of the neck and twisting or pinning it into a smooth, sleek bun. What separates a chignon from a regular bun is its elegance and intentionality — it sits low, it is polished, and it has a refined quality that feels simultaneously timeless and sophisticated. There are softer variations of the chignon that incorporate loose pieces around the face, and there are more structured versions that are completely smooth. Both are wonderful, and for women over eighty, the softer version with face-framing pieces tends to be particularly flattering.
How it works best for women with glasses
The chignon is a beautiful choice for women with glasses because pulling the hair back opens up the face completely, allowing your glasses to take center stage. This is especially lovely if you have frames that you are proud of — bold colors, interesting shapes, or vintage-inspired designs that deserve to be seen without any hair competing for attention. The low placement of the chignon also means there is no bulk at the back of the head that could create discomfort when leaning back in a chair, which is a practical consideration worth mentioning. For women with thinning hair, the chignon can be built up with the help of a small hair donut or padding that creates the appearance of a fuller bun.
How to make it — tips
Start with second-day hair or apply a light-hold hair spray to freshly washed hair and let it air dry slightly before styling — this gives you more grip and texture to work with. Gather your hair at the nape of your neck and secure it with a covered elastic band. Then twist the ponytail gently, wrap it around the base, and pin it with bobby pins that match your hair color. Pull out a few small pieces around your face and temples to soften the look. Finish with a light mist of flexible-hold hairspray to keep everything in place without making it look stiff. If your hair is on the shorter side, a chignon can still work beautifully — it will simply sit smaller and closer to the head, which is charming in its own way.
Feathered Layers with Side Part
What is it
Feathered layers refer to a cutting technique that creates soft, wispy ends throughout the hair, giving it a light and airy quality that is reminiscent of classic Hollywood glamour. When combined with a side part, this style takes on a graceful, feminine quality that has never really gone out of fashion — it simply evolves with each era. The hair is cut in layers throughout, with the ends softened and feathered by the stylist’s shears, and then parted on one side to create an asymmetrical, flowing shape. For women over eighty, this style works particularly well at medium length, sitting around the chin or just below the jawline.
How it works best for women with glasses
A side part does something really interesting for women who wear glasses — it creates an asymmetrical balance that draws the eye diagonally across the face, which is a beautiful counterpoint to the horizontal line of your glasses frames. The feathered layers add volume and movement around the face, which keeps the look from feeling flat or heavy. If you have glasses with a distinctive shape on one side, like cat-eye frames or glasses with an interesting detail at the temple, a side part can actually direct attention toward that feature in a really lovely way. This style particularly suits women with square or rectangular face shapes because the soft layers and diagonal part line soften strong jaw lines.
How to make it — tips
When discussing this cut with your stylist, use the word “feathered” specifically and ask them to soften the ends of each layer rather than cutting them bluntly. At home, use a large round brush to blow-dry the hair in the direction of the part, sweeping the top section across and letting the layers fall naturally. A light-hold hair spray misted through the finished style will keep the feathered pieces in place without weighing them down. If your hair is naturally wavy, embrace that texture with this style — let it air dry partially before finishing with a diffuser on a low heat setting, and the natural waves will give the feathered layers even more beautiful movement.
Cropped Curly Natural
What is it
The cropped curly natural is a celebration of natural curl texture in a short, carefully shaped cut. It is particularly relevant for women with naturally curly or coily hair who want a style that works with their texture rather than against it. The hair is cut close to the head in a way that allows the curls to spring up and out, creating a rounded, full shape that is both striking and low-maintenance. The beauty of this style for women over eighty is that it requires minimal heat styling, which protects the hair from further damage, and it grows out beautifully and gracefully without requiring constant salon visits to maintain its shape.
How it works best for women with glasses
Curly hair and glasses create a wonderful visual conversation when the proportions are right. A cropped curly style at this length allows your glasses to sit prominently on your face while the curls frame the upper part of your head and temples in a way that is full and present without overwhelming the glasses or covering your ears uncomfortably. For women with smaller, daintier frames, the volume of the curly natural creates a beautiful contrast. For women with larger or bolder frames, the curly natural matches that energy and creates a look that is bold from top to bottom in the best possible way.
How to make it — tips
Find a stylist who specializes in natural curl cutting techniques, because the way curly hair is cut is fundamentally different from how straight hair is cut. Ask for a dry cut or a cut that is done on your natural curl pattern so the stylist can see exactly how the curls will sit and shape themselves before making each cut. At home, the most important thing is moisture. Apply a leave-in conditioner to damp hair, then scrunch a curl cream or gel through the hair to define the curls, and let it air dry or use a diffuser on a low heat setting. Refresh curls on non-wash days with a light mist of water and a small amount of curl cream worked gently through any flat areas.
Romantic Loose Waves
What is it
Romantic loose waves are exactly as dreamy as they sound. This style involves creating soft, flowing waves throughout the hair that give it a relaxed, effortless quality — like you just came back from a beautiful afternoon outdoors. Unlike tight curls or structured waves, loose waves have a natural, undone quality that feels youthful and modern without trying too hard. This style works beautifully at medium to longer lengths and is particularly stunning when the hair has natural silver or white tones that catch the light as the waves move.
How it works best for women with glasses
Loose waves create beautiful visual softness around glasses, particularly for women whose frames have a more structured or angular shape. The organic, flowing nature of the waves acts as a counterpoint to the geometric precision of glasses frames, creating a look that feels balanced and harmonious rather than rigid. If you have wire-frame glasses or delicate frames that feel a little understated on their own, loose waves around your face actually give the frames more context and help them read more prominently. This style suits almost every face shape because the softness of the waves is inherently flattering.
How to make it — tips
You do not need to use heat to achieve beautiful loose waves if your hair has any natural wave or texture to it. Try applying a wave-enhancing mousse or cream to damp hair, twisting sections loosely, and allowing the hair to air dry. If you prefer to use heat, a large-barrel curling wand works beautifully — wrap sections of hair around the wand leaving the ends out for a more relaxed, modern wave shape, then let the curls cool completely before gently running your fingers through them to loosen everything into soft waves. Finish with a light-hold flexible hairspray to maintain the wave pattern without making it crunchy.
Short Shaggy Cut
What is it
The shaggy cut is a beautifully rebellious style that is having a major moment right now, and honestly, it has always been incredible on women who know how to wear it with confidence. It features layers cut at various lengths throughout the hair, with the ends deliberately textured and slightly jagged rather than blunt. There is an effortlessly cool quality to the shag that comes from its intentional undone-ness — it looks like great hair that you just happen to have, rather than something you labored over. For women over eighty, the short shag is particularly wonderful because it adds enormous volume and texture to fine or thinning hair.
How it works best for women with glasses
The layered, textured nature of the shaggy cut creates interesting visual dimension around glasses that makes the overall look feel dynamic and lively. Because the layers move and shift as you move, there is a constant, organic interplay between the movement of your hair and the static frame of your glasses that is genuinely captivating. The shag also works particularly well for women who wear fun, bold, or colorful glasses frames because the inherent coolness and personality of the shaggy cut matches that energy. It is a style that communicates creativity and a certain fearless approach to personal style.
How to make it — tips
The shaggy cut requires a stylist who is comfortable with point cutting and razor cutting techniques, so discuss your desired look beforehand and make sure they understand the aesthetic you are going for. At home, work a texturizing spray or a small amount of light-hold mousse through damp hair and let it air dry for the most natural-looking shaggy texture. If your hair is straight, you might scrunch it slightly as it dries to encourage a little wave and movement. Avoid over-brushing or combing the style too much — the slight dishevelment is what makes the shag look so gorgeous, and too much smoothing defeats the purpose.
Classic Crown Braid
What is it
The crown braid, also sometimes called a halo braid, involves braiding the hair and wrapping it around the crown of the head like a garland or wreath, pinning it in place to create a beautiful, elegant silhouette. It is one of those hairstyles that has existed across centuries and cultures because it is simply and purely beautiful. For women over eighty with medium-length or longer hair, a crown braid creates an incredibly regal, polished look that works beautifully for special occasions or any day you want to feel particularly put-together.
How it works best for women with glasses
Pulling the hair up and away from the face in a crown braid creates a completely open facial frame, which means your glasses become the primary feature of your look. This is wonderful for women who love their glasses and want them to be a prominent part of their overall appearance. The height of the crown braid also creates a beautiful vertical line that elongates the face visually, which is particularly flattering for women with rounder face shapes. The braid itself adds a lovely textural element at the top of the head that contrasts beautifully with the clean lines of glasses frames.
How to make it — tips
If braiding is difficult due to limited mobility in your hands, ask a friend, family member, or your stylist to help you create this look. Start with hair that has a little texture — either second-day hair or hair that has been lightly misted with texturizing spray — because completely clean, slippery hair is harder to braid and keep in place. Create a loose braid on each side of the head and then wrap them across the crown, tucking the ends under and securing with bobby pins. Pull at the edges of the braid gently to widen and loosen it slightly, giving it a softer, more romantic appearance. Finish with a light hairspray to secure any flyaways.
Tapered Nape Cut
What is it
The tapered nape cut is a beautifully precise short style that features close-cropped or tapered hair at the nape of the neck and behind the ears, gradually getting longer as it moves toward the top of the head. It is a clean, architectural cut that has a modern sensibility and an incredibly polished finish. The contrast between the close-cropped lower section and the slightly longer top creates a beautiful silhouette that looks intentional and sophisticated. For women over eighty, this cut is particularly practical because it keeps hair away from the neck and ears, which can be more comfortable in warmer weather or for women who find longer hair around the ears uncomfortable with hearing aids or glasses temples.
How it works best for women with glasses
Because the hair is tapered close at the ears and temples, the glasses temples rest against skin rather than hair, which creates a much more comfortable and secure fit for your glasses throughout the day. There is no hair getting caught under the temple pieces or creating pressure points, which is something so many women with glasses appreciate more than they might initially expect. The clean lines of the tapered cut also complement the clean lines of glasses frames beautifully, creating a look that feels coordinated and precise without being overly matched or matchy.
How to make it — tips
This cut requires regular maintenance — every three to four weeks is ideal to keep the taper looking sharp rather than grown out. Ask your stylist to use a clipper with a guard for the tapered sections and scissors for the top to create that beautiful gradient transition. At home, very little styling is required beyond a light pomade or cream worked through the top section with your fingertips to add definition and shine. The beauty of this cut is its minimal maintenance nature, which makes it a genuinely practical choice for everyday life.
Wispy Bangs with Medium Length
What is it
Wispy bangs are delicate, feathered, see-through bangs that sit lightly across the forehead rather than creating a heavy, blunt curtain of hair. They have a softness that is genuinely flattering for mature women because they do not create a harsh line or draw too much attention to the forehead on its own. When combined with a medium-length hairstyle — something falling around the chin or just below — they create a beautifully framed, balanced look that feels both classic and fresh. The wispiness of the bangs means they are forgiving and easy to style, and they grow out gracefully rather than becoming awkward between trims.
How it works best for women with glasses
Bangs and glasses have a complicated reputation, but wispy bangs specifically work beautifully with glasses because they sit above the frames rather than underneath them, creating a layered visual effect that is actually quite striking. The bangs frame the forehead and the upper part of the face, while the glasses frame the eye area, and the overall effect is a beautifully layered, editorial look. For women with taller foreheads, wispy bangs can create beautiful proportion. For women with very low-sitting glasses frames, side-swept wispy bangs might work better than straight-across ones, as they will not get caught under the upper rim.
How to make it — tips
When asking for wispy bangs, use the word “wispy” and “feathered” and ask specifically for a light, see-through finish rather than a blunt cut. Wispy bangs are cut with a point-cutting or razor technique that creates those delicate, feathered ends. At home, use a small round brush or even just your fingers and a low-heat hair dryer to smooth the bangs across the forehead. A tiny amount of light-hold pomade or even a light-hold hairspray misted onto a soft brush and then swept through the bangs will keep them in place without making them stiff or crunchy.
Voluminous White Afro
What is it
The voluminous white afro is an absolutely breathtaking style that celebrates natural coily and tightly curled hair in its fullest, most glorious form. It involves allowing naturally coily or tightly curled hair to grow out and spring up into a full, rounded shape that frames the face and head beautifully. When this hair is white or silver — which it often naturally becomes with age — the effect is nothing short of magnificent. There is an elegance and a power to this style that I think is unmatched by almost anything else I have seen in my years of working in beauty, and I mean that from the very bottom of my heart.
How it works best for women with glasses
The voluminous afro creates a striking visual composition with glasses because it adds such dramatic volume and presence to the overall silhouette that the glasses become a beautiful focal point within that larger frame. For women with bold, statement-making frames, the afro matches that statement energy and creates a look that is absolutely unforgettable. For women with smaller, more understated glasses, the afro creates a beautiful contrast where the delicacy of the frames plays against the volume of the hair. Either way, the combination is powerful and confidence-inspiring.
How to make it — tips
The most important thing for maintaining a healthy, beautiful afro at any age is deep moisture. Use a rich, creamy shampoo and follow with a deeply conditioning treatment every wash day. After washing, apply a generous amount of leave-in conditioner while the hair is still very wet, work it through in sections, and then either allow it to air dry or use a diffuser on a low heat setting. As the hair dries, you can use a wide-tooth afro pick to gently lift and shape the hair into its rounded form. Avoid over-manipulating the curls once they are dry to prevent frizz. A light layer of natural oil like argan or jojoba oil applied lightly over the finished style gives a beautiful sheen.
Swept-Back French Twist
What is it
The French twist is one of the most elegant updos ever created, and it has the remarkable quality of never looking dated or out of place regardless of the era. It involves sweeping the hair up and back, rolling it against the back of the head, and tucking the ends in to create a vertical roll that sits at the center back of the head. The result is a sleek, polished, utterly sophisticated updo that has graced the heads of some of the most iconic women throughout history. For women over eighty with medium to longer hair, the French twist is a wonderful way to wear hair up for special occasions or any day that calls for something a little extra.
How it works best for women with glasses
The French twist, like other elegant updos, creates a completely open face that allows glasses to shine. What makes the French twist particularly interesting with glasses is the vertical element — the roll of the twist draws the eye upward and creates a long, elegant line at the back of the head that adds visual height. This is especially beautiful for women who wear glasses with a slight cat-eye lift at the outer corners, as the upward energy of the twist complements that angle. The overall effect is one of composed, timeless elegance that makes a woman look and feel genuinely regal.
How to make it — tips
The French twist is easier to create on hair that is slightly dirty or has some dry shampoo or texturizing spray worked through it for grip. Pull all the hair to one side first, then sweep it upward and slightly to the center of the back of the head. Begin rolling the hair toward the center, tucking the ends in as you roll, and secure with bobby pins placed inside the roll. Pull a few soft pieces out around the face and at the temples to soften the look. A light mist of flexible hold hairspray will keep everything smooth and in place. If your hair is shorter, a French twist variation using a comb and pins can still work beautifully — ask your stylist to show you a version that works for your specific length.
Textured Silver Lob
What is it
The lob — or long bob — sits somewhere between the traditional chin-length bob and true shoulder-length hair, typically landing right around the collarbone or just above it. The textured silver lob takes this versatile length and adds dimension through layers and texturizing techniques that give the hair a lived-in, effortlessly cool quality. What makes this style particularly special for women over eighty is that it embraces and highlights silver and white hair tones beautifully — the natural variation in silver hair, with its brighter and darker threads, creates incredible visual depth and texture in a lob that color-treated hair simply cannot replicate.
How it works best for women with glasses
The lob is one of the most universally flattering lengths for women with glasses because it creates a perfect visual balance. The hair hits at the collarbone, which means it creates a long, graceful line from the face downward, drawing the eye along a path that makes the overall silhouette feel elongated and elegant. This length does not interfere with glasses temples or arms, and it provides enough length to be styled in multiple ways — worn straight and smooth, wavy and loose, half-up half-down, or tucked behind the ears — giving you enormous versatility. The texture of the lob also ensures that even if your hair is fine, it looks full and present rather than flat.
How to make it — tips
Ask your stylist for a lob with “lived-in layers” and “piece-y texture” to get that effortlessly textured finish. At home, a salt spray or texturizing spray applied to damp hair and scrunched in before air drying creates a beautiful natural texture. If you prefer more controlled waves, a medium-barrel curling wand used to curl random sections in alternating directions creates that gorgeous, undone wave pattern. Finish with a light-hold oil or serum worked through the ends to add shine and prevent frizz. The silver lob genuinely looks better and better the more you work with your natural hair texture rather than against it.
Conclusion
I want to sit with you for a moment before I close out this piece, because this topic means something very personal to me.
In my years of working in beauty, I have had the privilege of sitting across from women at every stage of life. But I have to tell you honestly — some of my most meaningful and memorable experiences have been with women in their eighties and beyond. These are women who have done the work. They have raised families, built careers, navigated decades of change, overcome losses, celebrated joys, and through all of it, they still walk in wanting to feel beautiful. That is not vanity. That is something deeply, profoundly human, and I honor it with everything I have.
I remember one particular afternoon — I was working on set and a woman who had been brought in for a beauty segment sat down in my chair. She was eighty-two years old and she had the most spectacular natural white hair I had ever seen. She also wore the most stunning pair of tortoiseshell glasses with a slight cat-eye lift at the corners. She told me she had not known what to do with her hair for years since it had gone fully white, and she was wearing it in a simple style that, while neat, was not doing justice to either her hair or her glasses.
We talked for a while before I even touched her hair. We talked about what she loved, what she felt comfortable in, what felt like her. And then we worked together on a soft, textured lob that embraced every thread of her gorgeous white hair, with loose waves that complemented the beautiful angles of her glasses frames. When she looked in the mirror, she was quiet for a moment. And then she smiled this enormous, full smile, and she said, “That’s me. That’s actually me.”
That is what this is all about. It is not about chasing youth or apologizing for age. It is about finding the version of yourself that you recognize when you look in the mirror and saying, yes — that is me.
When you are choosing a hairstyle at eighty, eighty-five, ninety, the principles are actually very simple. Choose something that works with your hair’s current texture and density rather than fighting it. Choose something that makes your glasses feel like a deliberate, beautiful part of your look rather than an afterthought. Choose something that you can manage comfortably at home without excessive effort. And most importantly, choose something that makes you feel like yourself — your best, most vibrant, most confident self.
Gray, silver, and white hair is not something to hide or minimize. In my professional experience, these tones are genuinely some of the most beautiful and luminous I have ever worked with. The way silver hair catches light is extraordinary. The way white hair creates a soft, radiant halo around a face is something that takes my breath away every single time. Age is not the absence of beauty — it is beauty in one of its most interesting, layered, and complex forms.
And glasses? Glasses are one of the greatest accessories a person can wear because they are on your face. They are the first thing people see. When your hair works with your glasses rather than competing with them, you create a look that is completely cohesive and intentional from top to bottom.
I hope that somewhere in these thirteen styles, you found something that resonated with you. Maybe it is the silvery freedom of a pixie cut. Maybe it is the elegance of a French twist before a special dinner. Maybe it is the joyful, full celebration of a voluminous white afro. Whatever it is, I encourage you to bring it to your stylist, have the conversation, and let yourself be transformed — not into someone different, but more fully into yourself.
Beauty at eighty is not a compromise. It is a culmination. And you deserve to wear it exactly the way you want to.
With so much love and admiration for every woman reading this — go out there and be stunning. Because you absolutely are.