(I know we've discussed all the baggage associated with various views on hairstyles and grooming, especially as it intersects with ethnicity and such. I'm not really focused on that in this instance but looking for some practical advice or ideas.) I'm in the beginning stages of looking for a new job and possibly changing career areas fairly dramatically. I've freelanced from home for several years and didn't need to look any particular way for work except for the very occasional meeting. Any future jobs will probably be more formal; then again, basically everything is more formal than 'Silicon Valley freelancer at home'.

My hair at the moment is shoulder length and slightly layered. It's a graying brown that I had been highlighting but have now switched to all-over color because of cost. It's wavy and fairly thick, although not as much as it used to be when I was younger. I'm not particularly skilled with blowouts or fancy styling but I'm not a complete loss either.

I suppose I'm looking for advice for the holy grail of hair - nice looking, relatively easy to maintain, not too pricey to get cut/colored, doesn't make me look too old or too young (I'll be 41 this month, for reference). I realize this is terribly vague, but any suggestions?