I thought of another besides looking possibly witchy with long grey hair; length is an indicator of socioeconomics too. Not that people have to fit in with the stereotypes and norms of their group, and it all changes over time. Very long hair is often a lower class style unless you are quite young. In the last 10 years Hollywood has been very long hair oriented, but they almost all have extensions making their hair look fuller and hence younger, and of course have their hair dyed constantly. They still dont go below a certain legnth, even though I consider a lot of female stars to have long hair. But, middle of the back and longer is odd to see among adults in the middle classes and wealthier. People generally conform somewhat to the people around them. Dress like them, hair like them, they have even said having fat friends will make you fatter too, so even that might be affected in how you look. People certainly don’t have to conform though.
My SIL in her 50’s has quite long hair, close to the middle of her back, but not quote that long (she also is barely 5’2” so her hair length is shorter than mine would be if it hit the same part of my back). She looks 40. She has full hair that she constantly dyes (she has been grey since her 20’s) it has a great cut to give it great shape, and she also has a great figure, and very pretty. I can’t imagine what her hair will look like when she is 70. I wonder if she will go much shorter? She also when her daughter hit late teens used to get after her to cut her hair a little when it was getting very long, because she did not want her to look like the people who had extremely long hair. There is a fine line for her between long hair that looks young and beautiful and too long hair that is trashy or unsophisticated. It is similar to nail length; too long and it looks lower class.
Where did @GloPro say she is old now? She said maybe around 60 it starts and she isn’t even sure how she will feel at 60 since she is so far from that age.
@jca I know for me, somewhat above shoulder haircuts that are not “boy” short are a pain and hot. They take more work than long hair. When my hair is chin length or a little longer I have to do my hair every day. I can’t pull it back in a ponytail, for sure I will have wicked bed head in back every morning, and the length is on your neck. Summertimes and hot flash time a lot of women want to be able to get their off their neck so that is ponytail ready or severly short.