 |
| Kristen McMenamy photo: Style.com |
Is grey hair having a fashion moment? Pinterest is a patchwork of gorgeous white-haired women, Fabulous 80-year-old Fashionistas are being championed on TV and my latest blog post for Boden is all about grey pride. How after years of dyeing my Mallen Streak, I decided to stay au naturel (sort of, if you exclude the blonde highlights. These things take time!) And I'm not alone. Last week, there was a discussion on whether making a silver statement is a feminist issue over on BBC Woman's Hour, with Caryn Franklin and Caroline Cox, you can listen to it here.
 | |
| Caryn Franklin photo: Laura McCluskey |
 |
| Daphne Selfe photo: Guardian |
 |
| Christine Lagarde photo: SIPA |
How do you feel about going grey?
I am not there yet but am totally going to rock it when I do! I have my haircut all picked out and a plan to go gray. I believe I will know when it's time and have faith I will be fabulous.
ReplyDeleteafter years ( approx 33 yrs ) of dying it every colour,( it's blue at the moment) I have decided to stop the dye and go with my natural hair ,complete with side badger streaks. seeing all these fab pictures has inspired me.and no, I'm not having it cut. I'm going to have it long and grey.I am 47 yrs old and have no problem with looking my age, :) what does 47 yrs look like?, it looks like me !
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to go grey.....if my hair goes steel grey like my mum's, I'm onto a winning look.....
ReplyDeleteI think it really depends on the color of the grey, and one's skin tone.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing it, and so far so good. Being meticulous about cut and styling is very important. That, and a modicum of make-up has worked for me.
ReplyDeleteI wish I haven't dyed my hair so young...I was barely 30 and already going gray.Now, 20 years later I'm affraid of the change and of the process. It will take so long...and roots going gray/white while the rest is dyed is a mess. If I looked like Kristen McMenamy maybe I could pull it of, messy and all...
ReplyDeleteDoin' it right now.
ReplyDelete15 months into it.
The process is not for the faint hearted when you are a brunette.
I. Love. It.
Thicker hair, silver, and I am rocking it.
:)
Can't do it. I would love to since I can see I have a potentially beautiful Mallen Streak already, hiding under all that Avon red. But there's definite discrimination in my industry, which is still run mostly by good ol' boys.
ReplyDeleteThe thought of colouring my hair for the next 40 years... oy vey.
ReplyDeleteIt's just the in-between stage that's a pain, especially when you're a brunette, as JoanneM says.
That Fabulous Fashionistas programme was beautiful. Though those ninety year olds were in better shape than I am at 41 *shame*
I'm in the process of going platinum, which will make gray an easier transition. It so depends on the shade of one's "gray". I do like seeing the trend of gray on younger women!
ReplyDeleteI am one of those who is pinning photos of grey hair ladies onto pinterest.
ReplyDeleteI am 41 and have just started with a few stray hairs going silver.
I hate dying my hair and the thought of being on that treadmill terrifies me.
But you are right, the transition when you are brunette is brutal.
So I have decided to get streaks of lighter chunks while I transition.
My style idol is Linda Rodin if I can pull that off I will be very happy indeed.
Go Grey.
Been there, done that, love it! No more hair dye, no more roots growing out, no more trying to look younger but only succeeding in looking unnatural. But I was lucky - I got silver instead of mousy gray.
ReplyDeleteI cut out the dye and let myself be grey aged 42, and for the first time in ages felt like my hair belonged to me!! Now I love it, its like an extra accessory! Although when I first had it cut they did say I was lucky to have an even colour all over, I think it does depend on how you go grey.
ReplyDeleteI love my silvery grey hair however I do admit to adding a few blonde streaks so that it all blends in. I am lucky that my hair has gone a silver colour and not a yellowy grey. I think the skin can look younger in relation to the softness of the hair colour.
ReplyDeleteMe and a friend were discussing this yesterday. We reckon it only works if you wear your hair messy and long, wear vibrantly coloured and outrageous clothes and have a rock star attitude (or you're mega famous) otherwise it just looks frumpy and drab. xxx
ReplyDeleteI'm seventy and have barely a grey hair on my head which is not as great as it sounds! Dark hair near the face can be quite ageing and I'm looking forward to the softening effect of a bit of grey. I have a friend who's been grey since she was 26 and she looks fabulous - a glorious silver bob of luscious thick hair. The important thing with grey hair, I think, is to go for fabulous cutting. It's the mimsy granny stiff waves and curls that are the killer.
ReplyDeleteHi my dear! My grey has been here for a few years now and the last time I dyed it was about 3 years ago. I don't regret it, but I'm happy with myself having 'salt and pepper' hair colour-it's me, as well as wearing glasses rather than contact lenses. I suppose I'm comfortable with how I look! xxx
ReplyDeleteI have just turned 50 and have been letting my hair go grey for the last two years, it's so liberating and I wouldn't go back to dying it, just do it, dyed hair is so bad for you. Sadly I've just moved back to Sydney where absolutely no one has grey hair, they maintain the straw blonde colour of their youth, it's quite depressing but I am determined to keep mine grey!
ReplyDeleteI'm a dyed (in the wool) brunette, I love the idea of never having to undergo the smelly, boring and environmental/health harming process of redoing my roots, but my hair is dark brown, I am olive skinned and with a changeable temperament so fear I would butch it out for long enough for people to notice, then on a bad day cave in (a la Linda Kelsey). Maybe subtle highlights are the way to do it?
ReplyDeleteThese women look amazing and do give me courage to go toward this direction. I love my dark hair, but it gets increasingly harder to keep it dark...I know I am grey underneath. I am about to beginning a process of gradually going toward a blonder style. Thanks for giving me hope that someday I can look a little closer to these ladies....they are fabulous!
ReplyDeletei honestly don't see the problem with going grey. it's an interesting and greatly underrated process to watch, it always suits your complexion, and it's free!
ReplyDeletebut then i've never liked the idea of being dependent on someone else's idea of a good colour for me; of using chemicals on my scalp; of causing extra damage to the environment – and animals – by buying and using these chemicals; of having to maintain roots etc.. i much prefer a good haircut and lipstick to avoid looking frumpy (which, by the way, really has nothing to do with age or hairlength!
It's taking me so LONG to make a respectable grey showing and since my hair is black (faded from blue-black with age)There is no real transition,sadly, just a mess of oddly placed hairs that stick up and make me look more than slightly mad & unkempt. I was hoping for a skunk stripe if I couldn't get that pure, all over silver but I'm still stuck in the dye mode since I refuse to commit myself to the hair destroying color stripping or bleaching it would take to get a good grey showing.
ReplyDeleteJust too lazy (not to mention poor) for that degree of upkeep so still waiting but these gorgeous pictures are sure inspiring. Thanks
No greys here as of yet but I do love how noble she looks.
ReplyDeleteI went down this route about 3 years ago, after realising that the tell tale grey line at the roots was probably more ageing than having grey hair. Took the final decision after a trip to Berlin where I spotted a number of stylish and well dressed women in their late 30s and upwards with well cut grey hair. It all depends on what suits you and what you feel comfortable with, but glad I no longer spend half a day at the hairdressers every 3 weeks. Plus it feels a small contribution to female liberation!
ReplyDeleteI'm 41 and I definitely have enough gray to be noticeable - especially if I pull it back (so much on the sides!). When I have a tan in summer it almost looks like blonde highlights so I haven't coloured it in about 5 months. My hair is long and colouring it just makes it so weak and breakable. I'm seeing how long I can last this time.
ReplyDeleteI'm 66 and have dark brown hair, with lighter highlights from living in a sunny climate. I have grey hairs coming in at the sides however I only get my hair coloured every couple of months as the dark grey (I'd love to be silver!) still doesn't look too obvious. I'm lucky that my Spanish hairdresser only charges me 20€ for cut, tint and blow-dry! I'm keeping it short and plan not to have it coloured during the winter months to see how much grey there actually is!
ReplyDeleteThumbs up for this blog! :) maybe we could follow each other on Bloglovin and/or GFC, Facebook?
ReplyDeletePlease leave me a comment on my blog and follow by blog!
http://kstylick.blogspot.com
You can also like my Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/Kstylick
I will follow you back! :)
I've been there for years. I love the freedom and the look. I'm a 72 year old blogger and proud of it. Yes, I may look older but I also don't look like I dye my hair. I look unique.
ReplyDeleteTrust me there are very few grey haired ladies in Beverly Hills!
Sandra Sallin
apartfrommyart.com
I love it. I quit dyeing my hair about 8 years ago and I have never looked back.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel ready for it yet. I really admire anyone who does it with style :)
ReplyDeleteI'm with "Une Femme."
ReplyDeleteAnd for me, for now, it's a "no" on gray, in part for professional reasons.
Grey all over looks great, as does a defined streak. Mine is at that tedious stage where it is almost entirely grey at the sides, but at the back still dark brown, with a few greys on top. I grew it out a few years back and it looked horrendous. I will happily go grey the moment there is enough ...
ReplyDeleteI'm fifty three and dyed for six months at 41 yrs on my then totally brunette hair. I love my silver & it's who I am. Couldn't bear the thought of dyed hair and roots and feel more attractive with longer hair and with the silver. Quite welcome the total transformation when it comes!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I love Kristen.
ReplyDeleteI'm not ready to go grey myself! At 45, I still have few enough that I pluck them out. Yeah, I know I shouldn't but it's irresistible, let's face it! :-D
I would sooner go grey than have face wrinkles, but unfortunately, I wasn't given that choice. It's a lot easier to dye your hair than erase lines on your face. I think grey hair and a beautiful unlined face is gorgeous, but it ain't never gonna happen with me.
ReplyDeleteCheers from Rosemary of
www.foreveronthecatwalkoflife.blogspot.com
I went for it a couple of years back...after years of root watching. Silver, and I have never had as many compliments.
ReplyDeleteI went for it a couple of years back...after years of root watching. Silver, and I have never had as many compliments.
ReplyDeletethat was the old hair! a bit wind blown but an updated blog photo...
ReplyDeleteKristen McMenamy's Italian and American Vigue covers in 2011 are the reason I stopped dyeing my salt and pepper hair. And I've never looked back.
ReplyDelete