Two thirds of women in a recent study on style said they are stuck in a style rut because they lack the confidence to change their image, it has emerged.

Research revealed the average woman has had their current hairstyle for a staggering six years and 153 days, while nearly half have had the same hair style since they were a teenager.

In fact, one in three said they were suffering a ‘hair rut’, while 60 percent feel they never changed the way they dress or do their makeup.

The study of 2000 women found over a third fear they won’t be able to pull off an image change, with many worried about how their partner might respond or whether other women would judge them.

More than a quarter of respondents said they'd never changed their current hairstyle because it was a safe and comfortable look for them.

More than half of the study, which was commissioned by Remington, wished they had the confidence to try a new hairstyle but were held back by fears of how others might react.

Thanks to bad experience

A massive 90 percent of women had experienced a bad trip to the salon, which led them to feel embarrassed, low on confidence and reluctant to leave the house.

In fact, most women keep the same hairstyle for work and play, with 75 percent admitting they sport a similar style for different occasions like business meetings, parties or even dates.

And one in 10 don't think their current look is great but have stuck with it for years because it's what they and their friends and family are used to.

A third of respondents described their dress sense as "comfy" and a quarter said "conservative" – just 10 percent considered themselves to be trendy and less than three percent dressed adventurously.

Remington’s Marketing Director, Nikki McReynolds, said: "There's nothing wrong with having a consistent image that you're comfortable with, but the findings show that the majority of women would like to be a bit braver and refresh their image now and again.

"It seems the biggest barrier is worrying about how other people will react or whether the new look will suit.

"If bored or unhappy with their current style, women can build their self-confidence gradually by experimenting with small changes, rather than drastically altering their image."

Taking the leap

One in five women said they were keen to explore new hair styles but found it nerve-wracking while others worried that obvious image changes meant they were trying too hard to seem current.

A third of women admitted to being stuck in a hair rut. Not knowing how to create new styles proved a big barrier to trying something new.

Hair equals happiness according to most respondents – 70 percent believe the right ‘do’ makes them feel more attractive while a quarter were convinced it could help them to be taken more seriously as a professional.

Many are convinced image plays a big part when it comes to success. In fact, a quarter thought they had been held back in life by a lack of confidence to change their look, either for a job interview or date.

While 40 percent of style-stuck women think their hair needs a refresh but don't take action because they can't afford expensive salon visits.

Seeing themselves in old photos has caused four out of 10 women to re-think the way they look, while many others have been rocked by comments from a friend or partner.

"Confidence comes from feeling good about yourself and the way you look, but a person should only change their image because they want to, not because they feel they have to," said McReynolds.

"Often, women go for bold and expensive changes and are then disappointed if the result isn't as hoped. But there are styling tools available that mean you can experiment with new looks in the comfort of your home, in order to get the styles you’re really happy with.

"The latest trends for electrical hair styling tools are ease-of-use and products that do more than one thing. For example, the Remington Multi-Style straightens, curls and waves really easily and comes with how-to videos, making it simple for even the most unadventurous to try different looks at home."

While one in four women said they had a friend who was in desperate need of a new hairstyle, less than a fifth of the study would actually speak up.

Princess Anne topped the list as the celebrity most in need of a new hair style, while women would love to see The Queen with a new style, and Kate Moss is definitely in need of a re-think, rounding off the top three.

But envious eyes are cast toward style chameleons like Cheryl Cole and Madonna – over a quarter of women think it’s great they have the confidence to go for new looks.

In fact, it was Cheryl Cole who was voted the biggest inspiration when it comes to lovely locks, topping the list with Rihanna second and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton taking third.