Too Old to Wear Hair Feathers?

Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Lauren Hutton have all been spotted wearing hair feathers. Wait a minute: Lauren Hutton?

The hair feathers trend is sweeping the U.S.; look for it to become even bigger during the summer (feathers and the beach just seem to go together.)

The feathers range from long, thin brightly colored feathers to chunkier feathers worn Native American-style behind the ear. They can be put in like extensions at pricey salons (like at Sally Hershberger) or done DIY with removable clasps.

Up until this pic of Lauren Hutton the only other example of a middle-aged person wearing hair feathers was Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and American Idol. And he hardly counts. Especially since his daughter Liv Tyler was recently quoted talking about how they actually share clothes. Ew.

I honestly thought this was one trend – like the shattered nail polish craze – that would stay firmly with the youngsters. But it looks like it's going to jump generational lines and be popular with all ages.

Compared to hair tinsel (which I don't like for grown-ups, but I'm going to put some in my horse's mane) this is a vast improvement. I actually think hair feathers — the natural-looking ones (not the Miley Cyrus neon ones) – are actually really beautiful and classic Native American. It's a really cool, sexy look.

Unfortunately, my hair is just too short to even think about hair feathers this year.

But if you want to try out this look, here are a few Dos and Don'ts for pulling off hair feathers after 40:

Do try the more subtle hair feathers in a color close to your own hair color for a natural look. Most of the high quality feathers can be curled, blown-dry, etc. so you can style them like you want.
Don't wear the neon-colored hair feathers all over your head (like the youngsters are doing.)
Do wear a cluster of hair feathers placed right behind the ear.
Don't wear hair feathers with other head-to-toe boho looks (like a big, floppy hat and a maxi skirt with a fringed bag) or you'll like you're wearing a costume.

Where to buy hair feathers:

DIY hair feather extensions:

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