Here's the thing about short hair: men hate it, women like it.
Am I generalizing? Of course. But while long hair symbolizes things like femininity and fertility, short hair for women is the opposite: a rebellion against societal norms.
I happen to have short hair, so I'm a bit prejudiced as to its charms. I think it's a fabulous option for our age group. Not only do I lack the patience to grow my hair long, I've found that shorter hair over 40 makes my thinner hair look fuller and more lustrous. I've also noticed that with age my face has lost its youthful plumpness and longer hair seems to drag down my features while shorter hair flatters them.
But not every woman can carry off short hair. A good, trusted hair stylist can save you from making a huge mistake with the wrong haircut.
I've been known to carry in photos of celebrity haircuts, like I'm about to do with Victoria Beckham's fabulous new 'do and ask my stylist if she thinks I can carry it off. Victoria's cut is so chic and sexy that I can't imagine how anyone who sees this type of haircut could say that short hair wasn't sexy.
But you might be surprised to find out that not only are some people short hair haters, they will even go as far as to say it means things like you're signaling a lack of interest in sex. Now, I don't know my ego from my id, but I can assure you that when I cut my hair it's not because I'm not interested in sex.
Not only is short hair a supposed sexual barometer, it may also be an indicator of how well the economy is doing. Researchers in Japan found that when the economy was doing well, women grew their hair long; when the economy was in a slump, women cut their hair shorter.
And you thought a haircut was just a haircut.
More about hair over 40: