24 Formal Hairstyles for Women Over 50, From Chignons to Pixies

A formal event after 50 needs more from the hair than a birthday dinner does, because the photos will be kept and the evening is long.

The styles that look right at this age are soft at the crown and smooth at the sides, with one small detail. A tight updo pulls the face down, and a stiff set ages it.

Gray hair has a formal style that works with it, and so does a shorter cut or thinner hair at the crown.

The soft low chignon comes first because more women over 50 choose it than any other updo.

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Soft Low Chignon

A smooth, loose chignon at the nape with the crown lifted a little and a few pieces left out at the face.

This is the formal style that women over 50 choose more than any other, because it dresses up every length past the shoulders and never looks stiff. Lift the crown with a little backcombing, then gather the hair low and roll it under.

Pin the roll with U-pins and leave it a little loose at the edges.

Classic French Twist

The hair swept up the back of the head and folded into a smooth vertical twist, the ends tucked inside and the sides smooth.

You can choose this hairstyle for a black-tie dinner or a wedding where the dress has a high neckline.

The twist shows off the neck and the earrings. Brush the hair to one side, then fold it back over itself and pin along the seam. Tuck the ends in and spray the sides smooth so nothing slips during the evening.

Smooth Layered Bob

A chin-length layered bob blown out smooth and full, the ends turned under and the layers framing the cheekbones.

A bob worn smooth for an evening event looks more finished than the same bob air-dried.

Blow-dry each section over a large round brush and turn the ends under, lifting the crown as you go so the back does not sit flat.

A drop of serum on the ends adds shine for photos, and the layers keep the shape soft.

Side-Swept Soft Waves

Shoulder-length hair in soft waves swept over one shoulder from a deep side part, pinned behind the ear on the other side.

The waves make the hair look fuller, and the deep part lifts the face and covers a thin spot at the temple.

Curl the hair away from the face with a 1-inch iron, then part it deep and brush the waves toward one shoulder. Pin the other side behind the ear and cover the pin with a small jeweled clip.

Half-Up on a Lob

A shoulder-length cut with the top half pinned back at the crown with a pearl clip, the rest left in soft waves.

The half-up keeps the length down and the face clear, so a mother of the bride can wear it without looking like a guest.

Wave the hair with a wand, then gather the top half and twist it back. Pin it with a pearl clip and loosen the crown a little with the end of a comb so it does not sit flat.

Pixie With a Jeweled Side Clip

A short pixie blown up and back from the face with lift at the roots, a small jeweled clip set at one side and the sides smoothed. Short hair for a wedding or a gala needs one detail, and the clip is enough on its own.

Blow-dry the top up and back with a small round brush, then smooth the sides with a little pomade. Set the clip at the temple on the heavier side and spray the lift so it lasts.

Soft Curled Blowout

Shoulder-length hair blown out full with soft curls bending away from the face, the roots lifted and the ends curled out.

This blowout gives the softest formal look for women who do not want anything pinned up, and the curls hold when they are set in rollers while they cool.

Blow-dry each section over a round brush, then set it in a large velcro roller for ten minutes. Remove the rollers and shake the hair loose, then spray the roots for lift.

Low Twisted Bun With Pearl Pins

A low bun twisted at the nape with three or four pearl pins set along the top of the twist, the sides swept back smooth.

The pearls are the detail, so the bun can stay simple. A navy or black dress goes well with it.

Tie a low ponytail and twist it around the base, then pin it with U-pins and smooth the sides with a soft brush.

Push the pearl pins in along the top of the bun where they will show.

Gray Hair Worn Down With Soft Waves

Silver or gray hair at shoulder length in soft waves with a side part, brushed out so the waves move and shine.

Gray hair worn down for an evening event looks healthy and modern when it is shiny and soft.

Curl the hair with a large barrel iron, then brush the curls out with a soft brush and part the hair on one side. A shine serum on the lengths makes the silver catch the light in every photo.

Teased Crown With a Low Ponytail

The crown teased for lift and the hair gathered into a low ponytail at the nape, the tail curled and pulled over one shoulder.

The lift at the crown makes thinning hair look full, and the ponytail keeps the length tidy through a long dinner.

Backcomb the crown, then smooth the top layer over it and gather the hair low with a soft elastic. Wrap a strand around the elastic to hide it, and curl the tail with hot rollers while you dress.

Rolled Updo With a Hair Comb

The hair rolled under at the nape into a soft horizontal roll, with a jeweled comb pushed in above the roll and the crown lifted.

The comb is the dressed-up part, and the roll works on any length past the chin.

Tease the crown, then gather the hair at the nape and roll it under with your hands, tucking the ends inside the roll.

Pin the roll with U-pins and push the comb in above it, with the teeth pointing down.

Sleek Bob Tucked Behind the Ears

A chin-length bob straightened smooth with a middle or side part, tucked behind both ears with the ends curled under a little.

Tucking the bob behind the ears shows the earrings and the jawline, and it makes a plain bob look dressed up with no pins.

Straighten the hair with a flat iron, then brush it smooth with a little serum and tuck it behind the ears.

Curl the ends under with the flat iron and add large earrings.

Soft Braided Crown

A loose braid wrapped around the head like a crown, pulled wide at the edges and pinned at the back with the crown soft.

A braided crown is a good choice for a garden wedding or a daytime anniversary lunch, and it keeps the hair off the neck in warm weather.

Braid the hair in two sections from behind each ear, then wrap them around the head. Pin the braids as you go and tug the edges out so they look fuller.

Pinned Curls Updo

Soft curls pinned up at the crown in sections, the curl ends left loose so they stand away from the head and a few curls out at the front.

The pinned curls give the back of the head fullness, because each curl keeps its shape instead of lying flat. Curl the hair with a 1-inch iron and pin each section up at the crown.

Leave the ends loose and finish with a light mist of hairspray so the curls hold all night.

Short Layered Cut With Volume

A short layered cut blown out with lift at the crown, the layers feathered back from the face and the ends soft.

This cut gives an evening event more volume than any style on longer hair, and the feathered layers soften the face.

Blow-dry the layers back and up with a vent brush, then set the lift with a dry texture spray. A little pomade on the ends keeps the layers separated and soft, and a pair of earrings finishes it.

Low Side Bun With Curls

A loose bun of soft curls pinned behind one ear, with a few curled pieces left loose and the other side of the face open.

The side bun works with an off-the-shoulder or one-shoulder dress, and it shows the earring on the open side.

Curl the hair with a curling iron, then gather it behind one ear and pin the curls one at a time into a loose bun. Pull a few pieces loose at the front and spray the bun so it holds.

Smooth Lob With a Deep Side Part

A shoulder-length cut blown out smooth with a deep side part, the heavy side falling over one eye and the ends bent under.

The deep part gives a plain lob an evening shape, and it covers a thin spot at the temple.

Blow-dry the hair smooth with a paddle brush and bend the ends under with a flat iron, then part it deep on one side with a comb.

A light hairspray keeps the heavy side in place, and a serum adds shine.

Half-Up Twist With a Jeweled Pin

The front sections twisted back from the temples and pinned at the back of the head with a jeweled pin, the rest worn down in soft waves.

The twists lift the face without pulling the hair tight, and the pin covers the bobby pins. You can wear this hairstyle with a shorter cut as long as the front sections reach the back.

Twist each side back and cross them, then set the jeweled pin over the join. Wave the length below with a curling iron.

Short Hair Slicked Back

Short hair brushed back smooth from the face with gel, the sides flat and the top with a little lift at the front.

The slicked-back look is the simplest dressed-up style for short hair, and it suits a bold earring or a dress with a high neckline.

Brush the damp hair back with a strong-hold gel, then blow-dry it in place with your hand. Finish with a shine spray so the hair looks healthy, and smooth any loose pieces at the sides.

Loose Low Chignon With Side Bangs

A soft low chignon at the nape with side-swept bangs falling across the forehead and the sides left smooth.

The bangs soften the forehead and the chignon keeps the rest of the hair tidy, so the face is not bare.

Blow-dry the bangs to one side with a flat brush, then gather the length low and roll it under. Pin the roll with U-pins and hold the bangs in place with a light mist of hairspray so they do not separate.

Soft Curls on a Bob

A chin-length bob set in soft bouncy curls all over, the curls brushed through so they blend and the crown lifted. Soft curls give a bob a fullness that a smooth blowout cannot, and they hold through a long evening.

Set the dry hair in hot rollers for fifteen minutes, then remove them and brush the curls out with your fingers. Spray the crown for lift and add a drop of serum to the ends so the curls shine.

Twisted Half-Updo With a Headband

The top half twisted back at the crown and held with a slim jeweled headband, the length worn down in soft waves below it.

The headband hides a thin hairline and adds the dressy detail at the same time, so nothing else needs pinning.

Wave the hair with a curling iron, then push the headband in a few inches behind the hairline.

Twist the top half back under the band and pin it with one bobby pin, then loosen the crown a little.

Faux Bob With Pinned Ends

Long hair tucked under at the nape and pinned so it looks like a full chin-length bob, with soft waves on top.

The faux bob gives long hair a short evening shape for one night without a cut, and it looks thick because all the length is folded into the ends.

Wave the hair with a wand, then roll the ends under at the nape and pin them in a line across the back. Pull the waves loose on top and spray the back.

Side-Parted Pixie With Soft Volume

A short pixie with a deep side part, the longer top pieces swept across the forehead with soft volume and the sides smooth.

The side part gives a pixie a soft finish that an upswept style cannot, and it softens the face for a close-up photo.

Blow-dry the top across the forehead with a small round brush, lifting at the roots so the top keeps its height. Smooth the sides with a little pomade, then add a pair of drop earrings to finish.