25 Holiday Hairstyles for Short Hair Over 50
Short hair takes very little to dress up for the holidays. A little shine, a new part, a velvet headband or a single sparkly pin turns an everyday pixie or bob into something that feels right for a candlelit dinner or a New Year’s Eve party, usually in ten minutes or less.
These 25 holiday hairstyles for short hair over 50 cover pixies, bixies, bobs, short shags, gray hair, curls and coils. Each one says how to do it at home, which hair types it suits, and a tip to make it last through a long evening.
Before You Start: Prep for Party Hair
Holiday styles hold best on clean, dry hair with a little grip. Washing the morning of the party gives you volume, while second-day hair is easier to pin and wave. A light mousse or volumizing spray at the roots before blow-drying gives fine hair the lift it needs.
Keep heat moderate, since hair over 50 is often drier and more fragile. A heat protectant, a flat iron or small curling iron at 300 to 350°F, a few bobby pins, a fine-tooth comb and a flexible hairspray cover almost every style below.
1. Sleek Side-Parted Pixie
A deep side part and a smooth, glossy finish make a pixie look polished in seconds. It’s one of the quickest holiday looks, and it works on straight or slightly wavy hair, fine or thick.
Part the hair low on one side while it’s damp, blow-dry it flat with a paddle brush, then smooth a pea-sized amount of shine cream over the top. Tuck the longer side behind your ear if you’re wearing statement earrings. For more cuts in this length, see these pixie cuts for older women.
2. Velvet Headband With a Chin-Length Bob
A wide velvet headband in emerald, burgundy or black turns a bob into a party look with no other styling. It holds hair off the face and adds a rich texture that suits winter outfits.
Blow-dry your bob smooth, then slide the headband on from the nape forward so it lifts the crown slightly. Pull out a few loose pieces at the temples so the look doesn’t feel too strict. Padded headbands add height to fine hair.
3. Tousled Bixie With Piece-y Texture
The bixie sits between a pixie and a bob, and a tousled finish keeps it casual. It’s a good choice for a casual holiday gathering or a family dinner.
Work a little texturizing spray or paste through dry hair, then twist small sections with your fingers and let them fall. A quick pass with a flat iron on a few random pieces adds bend without curls. If you’re thinking about the cut itself, these bixie haircuts over 50 show the range.
4. Jeweled Clip Above One Ear
One sparkly barrette or jeweled clip pinned above the ear adds holiday shine to a short bob or longer pixie. It suits every hair color, and it looks especially good against gray or silver hair.
Make a side part, smooth the shorter side back behind your ear, and slide the clip in at a slight angle just above the ear. Spray a little hairspray on your fingers and smooth flyaways around it.
5. Glossy Silver Pixie
Gray and silver hair catch the light when they’re smooth and shiny, so a glossy silver pixie needs almost no styling. It’s polished enough for a formal party.
Use a purple shampoo a day or two before the event to take out any yellow, then blow-dry with a round brush and mist on a light shine spray. For more cuts and color ideas, here are short styles for gray hair.
6. Soft Finger Waves on a Short Bob
Vintage-style waves on a chin-length bob look elegant at a holiday dinner or a New Year’s Eve party. They hold best on hair with some body.
Set damp hair with a strong-hold mousse, comb it into S-shaped waves with a fine-tooth comb, and hold each wave with flat clips while it dries. Remove the clips and mist with hairspray. A curling iron run in alternating directions gives a quicker, softer version.
7. Defined Coils on a Short Natural Cut
Crisp, defined coils with a bit of shine dress up a short natural cut. This style suits tightly curled and coily hair, and the definition holds for hours.
On damp hair, rake a curl cream or gel through small sections, then let it air-dry or diffuse on low heat. Once it’s dry, separate the coils with your fingers and finish with a few drops of oil. Gold earrings bring out the warmth of the curls.
8. Chin-Length Bob With Flipped Ends
A bob with ends flipped out has a cheerful, retro feel for Christmas parties and holiday brunches. It’s easy to do on straight hair.
Blow-dry your bob smooth, then use a flat iron or large round brush to turn the last inch of hair outward all the way around. Mist with hairspray and scrunch lightly so the flip looks soft rather than stiff.
9. Brushed-Back Pixie With Soft Volume
A pixie brushed up and back off the face shows off your eyes and cheekbones, and it looks dressed up without any accessories. It suits short pixies with some length on top.
Blow-dry the top section back with a round brush for lift at the roots, then smooth the sides back with a little cream. Keep it soft rather than slicked down; a few loose pieces look modern and more forgiving.
10. Half-Up Twist on a Short Bob
If your bob reaches your chin, a half-up twist keeps hair out of your face during dinner and adds a little detail at the back of the head.
Take a small section from each temple, twist it back loosely, and pin both twists together at the crown with bobby pins or a small clip. Pull the twists gently to loosen them, so they look full rather than tight.
11. Velvet Bow at the Nape
A small velvet bow pinned at the nape of the neck adds a sweet holiday touch to a short bob, especially one that just reaches the collar.
Gather the hair at the nape into a tiny low ponytail or twist, secure it with an elastic, and clip the bow over the top. If your hair is too short to gather, pin the bow just below a side part instead.
12. Soft Faux Hawk Pixie
A softened faux hawk gives a pixie a bit of edge for a New Year’s Eve party without looking severe. It needs a pixie with longer hair on top.
Work a light paste through dry hair, then push the sides gently toward the center and lift the top with your fingers. Keep the height modest and the sides soft rather than flat, so the shape looks lively but grown-up.
13. Pearl Pins Along a Side Part
A short row of pearl pins tucked along a side part adds a quiet bit of shine to short hair for a holiday dinner, church service or wedding.
Make a clean side part, smooth the hair down, and slide three to five pearl bobby pins in a line along the part or just behind it. They work well on both dark and gray hair and on bobs, pixies and bixies.
14. Bouncy Blowout Bob
A full, bouncy blowout makes a bob look fuller, which helps if your hair has thinned. It works best on fine to medium hair.
Apply volumizing mousse to damp roots, then blow-dry with a large round brush, lifting each section up and away from the scalp. Cool each section before releasing it, then shake the roots with your fingers and mist lightly with hairspray. For more ideas, these short cuts for thin, fine hair add volume every day.
15. Gray Bob With Soft Curls
Soft curls on a gray or silver bob add movement that catches the light. This style suits bobs from chin to shoulder length.
Curl two-inch sections with a one-inch curling iron, alternating direction, and leave the ends a little straighter. Let the curls cool, then separate them gently with your fingers and add a little shine spray.
16. Braided Band on a Bob
A thin braid across the front of the head works like a headband and keeps short hair off the face. It’s a good choice if you’re growing out bangs.
Take a two-inch section behind your hairline on one side, braid it loosely toward the other ear, and pin the end under the hair. Pull the braid apart a little so it looks fuller. On very short hair, a twisted section works the same way.
17. Tucked Bob With Statement Earrings
Tucking one side of a bob behind the ear shows off earrings and the line of the jaw. It works with any neckline, from a turtleneck to a V-neck.
Smooth on a little cream, tuck one side firmly behind the ear, and pin it hidden underneath if it won’t stay. Leave the other side forward for balance. Drop or chandelier earrings work best with this.
18. Hollywood Volume Pixie
A pixie with smooth, rounded volume on top has an old-Hollywood feel made for formal parties and dressy dinners.
Set the top section in two or three large Velcro rollers while it’s damp or after blow-drying, leave them in for ten minutes, then brush the hair into a soft sweep to one side and hold it with a firm-hold hairspray.
19. Curly Bob With a Silk Scarf Headband
A silk scarf tied as a headband adds color and keeps a curly bob neat for a holiday lunch or party. It’s also kind to curls, since silk causes little friction.
Fold a square scarf into a long band, place it under the hair at the nape, and tie it on top near one side. Let the curls spring out around it, and fluff them with your fingers once the scarf is in place.
20. Short Shag With Side-Swept Bangs
A short shag with side-swept bangs has plenty of movement for a relaxed holiday gathering. The bangs and layers suit round and square faces and soften a high forehead.
Blow-dry the bangs to one side with a round brush, then scrunch a little texturizing spray into the layers. Twist a few pieces around a curling iron for extra movement. If you’d like a fringe cut in, these curtain bangs for short hair show the options.
21. Off-the-Face Style for Glasses
If you wear glasses, a style that keeps hair away from the frames looks neater and shows off your eyes. A short bob or pixie pushed back at the sides works well.
Smooth the sides back behind your ears, add a little lift on top, and keep bangs short or swept away from the lenses. Choose earrings that match the metal of your frames. These hairstyles that work with glasses cover more frame shapes.
22. Tiny Low Knot for a Grown-Out Bob
A grown-out bob that just reaches the collar can twist into a small low knot, which looks neat with a turtleneck or a dressy collar.
Gather the hair at the nape, twist it, and wind it into a small knot. Pin it with bobby pins and leave shorter front pieces loose. A small jeweled pin through the knot makes it feel festive.
23. Defined Waves on a Short Shag
Defined waves give a short shag more shape for an evening out. They suit naturally wavy or straight hair with layers.
Wrap one-inch sections around a flat iron or curling wand, leaving the ends out, then run your fingers through once the waves cool. A wave spray or light cream keeps them defined without crunch.
24. Sleek Side-Swept Bob for Black Tie
For a formal event, a sleek bob swept to one side with a deep part looks sharp next to a gown or a tux. It’s easiest on straight or smoothed hair.
Make a deep side part, blow-dry and flat-iron the hair smooth, and tuck the shorter side behind the ear. Smooth a few drops of serum over the ends for shine. Pair it with a bold lip and simple earrings.
25. Short Locs Styled Up With Gold Cuffs
Short locs look festive styled up off the face with a few gold cuffs. The metal adds shine without heavy accessories, and the pins keep it up all night.
Gather the front locs into a loose pompadour and pin them, or twist two locs at the temples back and pin them. Slide gold cuffs onto a few locs around the face. For care and styling ideas, see this guide to natural gray hair for Black women over 50.
Holiday Hair Accessories That Suit Short Hair
Short hair shows off accessories more than long hair, so a few pieces go a long way. Velvet headbands, pearl and jeweled pins, small barrettes and silk scarves all suit pixies, bixies and bobs.
Choose one accessory per look and match its metal to your earrings. Pins that grip, with a little texture on the inside, stay in fine or slippery hair better than smooth ones. Spray a little hairspray on bobby pins before you slide them in for extra hold.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make short hair look festive for a party?
Add shine with a light serum or spray, change your part, or add one accessory such as a velvet headband, a jeweled clip or pearl pins. Soft waves or extra volume at the crown also make short hair look dressed up.
What holiday hairstyles suit thin short hair over 50?
Styles with lift at the crown work best: a bouncy blowout bob, a brushed-back pixie with soft volume, or a tousled bixie. Padded headbands and textured pins add fullness too.
How do I keep a short hairstyle in place all evening?
Style on clean, dry hair with a light mousse or texture spray, let curls cool fully before touching them, and finish with a flexible hairspray. Pins with grip hold accessories better in fine hair.
Can gray hair look festive for the holidays?
Yes. Gray and silver hair look brightest when they’re smooth and shiny. Use a purple shampoo a day or two before, then finish with a shine spray. Dark velvet and pearl accessories stand out against gray.
Choosing Your Holiday Look
The easiest holiday hairstyles for short hair over 50 start with what you already do every day: a smoother finish, a deeper part or a little extra volume. From there, one accessory, like a velvet headband or a row of pearl pins, makes it feel like a party.
Try your chosen style once before the event, so you know how long it takes and which pins hold. Keep a few spare pins and a travel-size hairspray in your bag for touch-ups.
