Why you’re never too old for princess hair

And she’s not the only celeb to have given her tresses a fairytale makeover – last week TV presenter Carol Vorderman, 57, unveiled a similar look during a stint on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

Psychologist Jo Hemmings (johemmings.co.uk) says this romantic trend is all about confidence.

“Blondes have long been associated with having more fun so going blonde often makes women feel younger and more attractive, which in turn makes them more confident,” she says.

“As we get older, we often feel a need to refresh the way we look whether that’s with make-up, a new style or a change of hair colour.

“Knowing we can look good in a new and different way makes us feel confident and ready to take on fresh challenges.”

Stylist and L’Oréal Professionnel ambassador Adam Reed says blonde hair can be a brilliant choice for women of all ages. “Blonde hair can make you look younger because it gives your skintone a natural glow.

“Think of Amanda Holden, Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda,” he says.

Princess hair also contradicts the old edict that women should stick to shorter styles as they age.

“Short hair can be more ageing, particularly because it’s associated with being older,” says Melanie Smith, colourist at Josh Wood Atelier.

“Long hair is seen as youthful and gives you much more flexibility with styling.”

However she warns that very dark brunettes may struggle to go full-on blonde without damaging their hair. “Normally I have a rule of only ever going four shades lighter than your natural colour. If your starting point is dark brunette, going blonde is very high maintenance.

“Start with a consultation with a colourist to decide if the upkeep is realistic,” says Melanie.

Adam adds: “I would say people with very curly hair and hair that is naturally dry should avoid this trend too.

“Grey hair can also be quite dehydrated so take advice from your stylist.”

If you take the plunge, Adam says the key is to keep your hair as hydrated and healthy as possible.

“Regular conditioning and gloss treatments between colour appointments will help to maintain healthy hair.”

Beauty essentials for blondes

Violet pigment in Redken Color Extend Blondage Shampoo, £15.50 (lookfantastic.com) helps tone down any brassiness.

Boost condition with Kérastase Masque Extentioniste, £31.70 (kerastase.co.uk), which deeply nourishes hair and prevents ends from breaking.

Disguise regrowth between salon visits with Charles Worthington Instant Root Concealer in Light Blonde, £9.99 (boots.com).

L’Oréal Professional Mythic Oil, £17 (lookfantastic.com) contains argan and cranberry oils to leave hair with a healthy shine.

Give your blonde locks a honeyed golden glow with Josh Wood Give Me Sun Shade Shot, £5 (joshwoodcolour.com).

Laura Milne: My day as a golden girl didn’t have a fairy tail ending

When I was growing up in the 1970s, my mum cut my hair herself. Instead of the long flowing Farrah Fawcett-style locks I craved, I sported a wonky pudding bowl cut that I always hated.

So at the age of 47, when I was finally offered the chance to try princess hair, it was too good an opportunity to miss. If Mel B could carry it off, I was sure I could too.

Once I had covered my short red bob with a platinum blonde wig, I was quite startled by the effect. I had always assumed long hair was ageing so I was surprised to find it didn’t make me look older. However it did make me a lot more noticeable. There’s no hiding with Rapunzel hair, it certainly attracts a lot of attention.

Sadly my blonde bombshell style didn’t turn me into a femme fatale.

As I swept around the office, I was met with a mixture of shock and mirth. One of my colleagues laughed so hard she nearly fell off her chair. My family were similarly unimpressed. My husband said I resembled Dolly Parton while my nine-year-old just stared at me witheringly and rolled her eyes.

It turns out princess hair is surprisingly impractical too. Long wisps kept snagging on the zip on the back of my dress and as I leaned over to answer the phone, I managed to dip a ringlet into a cup of tea.

So all in all this summer trend wasn’t really for me – it turns out I’m not a princess kind of girl after all.