Grey Fox - could I ask a dumb question? I am afraid I'm grey but with an ever receding hairline. What would you (or other readers) suggest for a 51 (former lawyer too) year old ? I've taken to keeping it short and wearing classics (plus hats in winter!)
D.And the reply?
Dear D, firstly, don't regret, or apologise for, being grey with a receding hairline. As older men, we have the advantage of being able to be proud of what we are.
I'm no expert, but it sounds as if you're doing the right thing. Work with it, not against it. Keep it short, don't try to hide anything (covering up anything only draws attention to what you're trying to hide).
Grey FoxIf any readers have anything to add to advise Dimitrious, please add a comment below.
Grey Fox, tell Dimitrious... first of all to grow some facial hair, to counter balance the hair loss on top of his head, with some at the lower part of his face.
ReplyDeleteNext tell him Beauty/Good Looks comes from wearing nice looking interesting clothing. Find shirts, ties, jackets, etc in happy bright jewel tones or bright pastels. Those colors will be eye catching and reflect up at his face, giving him a youthful glow.
Look for colorful watches, belts, and socks to wear with more muted solids. People will look at his accessories.
Start a collection of many different kinds of hats, to wear through all the different seasons of the year.
Always have your clothing pressed off and looking neat as possible. Use your clothing as Eye Candy so that you will be an interesting person to look at.
All to often people think you have to be good looking to be attractive. That is not true. Fred Astaire was not the most handsome of men actors, but his clothing was impeccable.
If he can, buy shoes that have a bit of a contemporary vibe, and look for youthful looking- form fitting clothing, not something a kid would wear.
Don't think that being 50 something is old. It might have been for his father, but it is not true for him. No one who is into clothing wants to look old or dowdy.
Finally try to smile, have a pleasant demeanor, stand up straight, and keep you weight down, if you can.
Nothing wrong with being what Woody Allen called 'the virile balding type'. Definitely go for hats. Older men look so distinguished(and attractive) in a hat - and not just in winter. Try a panama ! But definitely no baseball caps .
ReplyDeleteAs a woman in her forties, most men I know, are beginning to recede in varying degrees and there is nothing wrong with that - it's all part of the ageing process and us women are way too concerned with disguising it. That said, I don't think we like to see it in our men. Trying too hard just looks a little sad. Personal grooming and sense of style are fantastic, but comb overs, wigs and dye jobs, not so much. As for the previous comment on facial hair, I'm afraid I disagree. Most faces look best without, I think-a hat on the other hand, is a great style choice and keeps your head warm. Actually, a hat on the other hand is probably a glove.....
ReplyDeleteBaldness need not be a negative -- in fact, it can be completely neutralized so long as the man does not attempt to cover it up with a "comb-over." Almost as bad is a guy letting his hair grow long in the back (as in long enough for a ponytail) as it recedes in the front. Worst of all is the growing of a "soul patch" circa Greenwich Village 1996 as a diversionary measure. I think a rapidly receding hairline is best dealt with by getting a very close "buzz cut" and eschewing the use of baseball caps (unless, of course, one is actually playing in or attending a sporting event).
ReplyDeleteI think the base ball cap has received a BAD RAP, when it comes to being criticized as head gear for men over 40. I think men of all ages can wear them, and they add that POP of COLOR that is one more thing to look at. Every Golf Course, Resort Country Club and Historic Property, etc sells them as a souvenir. I, being a 57 year old balding fox with a slicked back SHORT pony tail, have acquired a lot of them over the years, in colors to match just about anything. They are part of my ever expanding collection of mixed styles of hats. I'm one who really believes accessories make an outfit.
ReplyDeleteAs for facial hair, I say try it before you poo-poo it. Just the right amount of facial hair might do the trick. Dimitrious will have to grow a full beard, mustache or goatee to see if any of them effect his look in a positive way.
Hi Dave,
ReplyDeleteHairwise I'm closer to Patrick Stewart than Huw Laurie so I wear a hat almost all year round. A woollen beanie at the moment due to the bitter temperatures but in spring and autumn I have several flat caps (wax cotton and tweed) plus a few fedora/trilby type hats. All British made of course! In the summer, it is a panama style hat. When I started wearing hats, I felt a little self conscious. but after awhile, I started wearing the hat, rather than the other way round; If you see what I mean. I don't really feel dressed without one now. I have no use for a baseball cap...
Thank you all for the comments so far - all really useful. So, there are a number of ways to manage hair loss, including cutting hair short and hats. I'm sure there's uniformity of view that the comb-over is not good.
ReplyDeleteGF.
Its really simple. Don't run from it, or hide it. Consider: Crop it short. Or even buzz it. Don't have to shave it bald -- unless you want to, of course. Just clippers with no gauge.
ReplyDeleteKeep your weight down, and really devote your attention to good clothes and grooming. In men, confidence trumps "pretty" anytime. Wisdom, self knowledge and confidence are a gift of age, so enjoy it accordingly.
It's interesting that a couple of people have mentioned keeping weight down - this issue is one that has become important in the West as we over-consume. For the older man, keeping an eye in his weight and health outweighs less-essential questions about what to do with receding hair. GF.
ReplyDeleteAs a woman dating an older balding man, I must weigh in against facial hair. It's kind of a cliche for a man to grow a mustache, beard, soul patch, or some other facial fungus when he becomes insecure about losing hair on top. It's like ozone--good high up, bad lower down. And please, please don't grow a ponytail! It reeks of wannabe rock star or sentimentalization of the hippie era. They're as bad as acrylic nails on a woman.
ReplyDeleteBe as clean cut and manly, in a traditional way, as possible. Men can put on muscle more easily once he's over thirty. Hopefully an older man has enough life experience to avoid the folly of trendy fashions, both follicular and sartorial.
Oh, yes, I forgot to mention cutting your hair quite short is by far the best way of dealing with a balding hairline. It goes without saying that comb-overs are appalling. I think the readers of this blog already know that!
ReplyDeleteHi - I'm 38 and not bald by choice but design. I have shaved my head for over twenty years and echo many sentiments above, I have always had some sort of facial hair (moustache, goatee, handlebar through to full beard) and also many hats to counter the elements.
ReplyDeleteI know this sounds silly but I see my hats as a further opportunity to make a choice about what I wear - I enjoy adding them to an outfit, although again like most clothing I think two or three quality hats is preferable to eight poor ones. Please note quality doesn't mean expensive.
I also agree that trying to disguise baldness or receding hair only draws attention to what many don't percieve as an issue, and yet informs everyone else that you feel uncomfortable with this natural change.