Grey hair often has a coarser, drier texture that grips a twist, so a low chignon pinned at the nape with four or five bobby pins holds from a morning ceremony through dinner. Most grey hair updos for older women start with collarbone-length layers cut on dry hair, though a few work on a bob or a pinned-back pixie.
1. Classic Low Chignon
I take long layers from the collarbone, working dry, so the twist has texture to grip, and that cut is the base of the low chignon, the grey hair updo older women can wear anywhere because grey holds a twist without the pins fighting it. The length gets smoothed, twisted at the nape and pinned flat. Best on medium density; works with most face shapes. Hairspray to finish, violet shampoo once a week, and a trim every ten weeks.
2. Soft Rolled French Twist
I take long layers from the jaw, working dry, then brush everything to one side, roll it vertically up the back and pin along the seam. That is the soft French twist, the wedding hair for older women I book more than any other, because it lifts the face and stays put for eight hours. Best on medium to thick density with oval or round faces. Hairspray to finish, two pieces left loose at the temple, and a trim every ten weeks.
3. Loose Textured Low Bun
I take long layers from the cheekbone, working dry, and wave the length with a one inch iron before gathering it at the nape, twisting loosely and pinning with pieces pulled free. The textured low bun keeps the grey loose rather than slicked. Best on fine to medium density; works with most face shapes. Texture spray misted through, a light set, violet shampoo once a week, and a trim every eight weeks.
4. Braided Crown Wrap
I take the perimeter past the collarbone, working dry and leaving no layers so the braid stays even, then part at the center, braid each side and cross the two braids over the crown. The braided crown wraps a grey braid around the head and pins above the ears. Best on medium to thick density with oval or long faces. Hairspray to finish, a trim every ten weeks and a gloss every eight.
5. Wavy Grey Half Up Twist
I take long layers from the jaw, working dry, wave the length, then twist the two front sections back and pin them at the crown. A half up twist with the ends left wavy is the half updo that works even on short grey hair. Best on fine to medium density; works with most face shapes. Hairspray to finish, violet shampoo once a week, a trim every eight weeks and a gloss every eight.
6. Polished Sleek High Bun
I take long layers from the collarbone, working dry, then brush the length up to the crown with a boar brush, wrap it into a bun and pin. A sleek high bun on silver hair reads sharp because the color is already doing the talking. Best on medium to thick density with oval or round faces. Pomade on the edges, hairspray to finish, and a trim every ten weeks.
7. Pixie Pinned Back for a Wedding
I take the sides short with scissor over comb, working dry, and keep four inches on top, then twist the front back and pin it behind the ear with two bobby pins. Even a pixie can be pinned up as wedding hair for older women with short grey hair. Best on fine to medium density with oval or heart faces. Hairspray to finish, a small comb if the day calls for one, and a trim every five weeks.
8. Low Bun Behind One Ear
I take long layers from the jaw, working dry, then part deep on the opposite side, sweep the length across and twist it into a bun behind the ear. The low side bun sits behind one ear and shows the neck on the other. Best on medium density with round or square faces. Hairspray to finish, one piece pulled free at the temple, and a trim every ten weeks.
9. Twisted Half Updo for a Grey Bob
I take the perimeter at the collarbone, working dry, with long layers through it, then twist a section back from each temple and pin the pair together at the crown. A twisted half updo on a grey bob only works once the bob reaches the collarbone or longer. Best on fine to medium density; works with most face shapes. Hairspray to finish, violet shampoo once a week, and a trim every eight weeks.
10. Quick Banana Clip Updo
I take long layers from the collarbone, working dry, then gather the length vertically at the back, fold it up and close the clip so the ends fan out at the crown. The banana clip updo takes thirty seconds and holds thick grey hair all day. Best on medium to thick density; works with most face shapes. A mist of hairspray, a trim every ten weeks and a gloss every eight.
11. Chignon for the Mother of the Bride
I take long layers from the jaw, working dry, set the front in a velcro roller for ten minutes, then smooth the length into a low chignon and pin. The mother of the bride chignon is simply a low chignon with the front set in a soft wave. Best on medium density with oval or long faces. Hairspray to finish, violet shampoo the day before, and a trim every ten weeks.
12. Casual Messy Top Knot
I take long layers from the cheekbone, working dry, so the knot has pieces to pull free, then gather the length high, twist it loosely and wrap it around the base. A messy top knot on grey hair reads casual and needs one hair tie. Best on fine to medium density with oval or round faces. A few pieces pulled out at the hairline, a mist of texture spray, and a trim every eight weeks.
13. French Braid Coiled Into a Low Bun
I take the perimeter past the collarbone, working dry and leaving no layers, French braid from the hairline to the nape, then coil the tail into a bun and pin. A French braid running into a low bun keeps the crown flat with the detail at the back. Best on medium to thick density with oval or long faces. Hairspray to finish, a trim every ten weeks and a gloss every eight.
14. Rolled Updo With Height at the Crown
I take long layers from the jaw, working dry, tease the crown lightly, then roll the length under at the nape and pin. A rolled updo with crown volume gives back the height grey hair over 60 tends to lose. Best on fine to medium density with round or square faces. A boar brush smoothed over the teasing, hairspray to finish, and a trim every ten weeks.
15. Grey Hair Updo Older Women Can Wear With Glasses
I take long layers from the collarbone, working dry, then brush the sides back behind the ears, twist the length at the nape and pin it with nothing left at the temple. A grey hair updo older women pair with glasses has to keep the sides clear of the frames. Best on fine to medium density; works with most face shapes. Hairspray to finish, a trim every ten weeks and a gloss every eight.
16. Loose Low Bun Under Curtain Bangs
I take the bangs from the nose to the cheekbone, working dry and splitting them at the center, with long layers through the length, then gather it at the nape and twist loosely. Curtain bangs worn down over a loose low bun frame the face. Best on medium density with square or round faces. A round brush to blow the bangs out, hairspray on the bun, and a bang trim every five weeks.
17. Twisted-Up Short Grey Hair
I take the perimeter at the chin, working dry, with two long layers, then twist small sections back from the hairline and pin each at the crown until the sides are up. Chin-length grey hair can still go up as wedding hair for older women. Best on fine to medium density; works with most face shapes. Hairspray to finish, the nape left soft, and a trim every six weeks.
18. Smooth Silver Ballerina Bun
I take the perimeter past the collarbone, working dry and leaving no layers so the bun stays smooth, then brush the length up, wrap it around a bun form and pin. The silver ballerina bun is a tight crown bun with nothing left out. Best on medium to thick density with oval or long faces. Pomade on the edges, a trim every ten weeks, and violet shampoo once a week.
19. Half Up Braided Crown
I take long layers from the jaw, working dry, then braid a section back from each temple and pin the two braids together at the crown. A half up braid pulls the front back while the grey length stays down. Best on fine to medium density; works with most face shapes. A large iron through the length, a mist of hairspray, a trim every eight weeks and a gloss every eight.
20. Side-Parted Low Twisted Knot
I take long layers from the jaw, working dry, part deep to one side, sweep the heavy side across and twist the length into a knot at the nape. A low twisted knot with a side part puts the volume on one side and the knot low at the back. Best on medium density with round or square faces. Hairspray to finish, a trim every ten weeks and a gloss every eight.
21. Stacked Pinned Curls
I take the perimeter at the collarbone, working on dry curls, with long layers, then gather the curls at the nape and pin them one cluster at a time so they stack. Pinned curls are the updo for grey hair that is curly to begin with. Best on medium density and type 3A to 3B curls. Curl cream before pinning, hairspray to finish, and a trim every eight weeks.
22. Sleek Wrapped Low Ponytail
I take long layers from the collarbone, working dry, then brush the length smooth into a low ponytail, wrap a piece around the band and pin the end under. A sleek low ponytail with a wrap reads as an updo and needs no pins. Best on medium density with oval or long faces. Pomade to smooth, hairspray to finish, and a trim every ten weeks.
23. Chignon With Pieces Left Out
I take long layers from the collarbone, working dry, and point cut two pieces at the cheekbone to leave out, then twist the length into a low chignon and pin. Face framing pieces left loose from a chignon soften the jaw. Best on medium density with square or round faces. A small iron on the two pieces, hairspray on the chignon, and a trim every ten weeks.
24. Teased-Crown Low Bun
I take long layers from the jaw, working dry, tease the crown with a fine comb, smooth the top over it and twist the length into a low bun. A teased crown over a low bun is how I get volume into fine grey hair. Best on fine density with round or square faces. Hairspray to finish, violet shampoo once a week, and a trim every ten weeks.
25. Three-Braid Low Bun
I take the perimeter past the collarbone, working dry and leaving no layers, split the length into three, braid each and coil them together at the nape with pins. The braided low bun is three braids coiled into one bun at the nape. Best on medium to thick density; works with most face shapes. Hairspray to finish, a trim every ten weeks and a gloss every eight.
For more like this, see shag hair styles for older women and bangs for older women with long hair.
Grey hair updo for older women works because the coarser, drier texture grips a twist, so a low chignon pinned at the nape holds from a morning ceremony through dinner. FYI, three braids coiled together at the nape stay put better than one. That past-collarbone length is what gives the braids enough to hold the pins.
