Grey Pride
— by Alyson Walsh
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?
Discussion (42 Comments)
- crazyjane says:
after 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 !
- littlebrownbird says:
Can't wait to go grey…..if my hair goes steel grey like my mum's, I'm onto a winning look…..
- Une femme says:
I think it really depends on the color of the grey, and one's skin tone.
- Cornelia says:
I'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.
- jacque v. says:
I 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…
- JoanneM says:
Doin' it right now.
15 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.
🙂 - HelsBells says:
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.
- Annie says:
The thought of colouring my hair for the next 40 years… oy vey.
It'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*
- Patti says:
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!
- A Piece Of Cloth says:
I am one of those who is pinning photos of grey hair ladies onto pinterest.
I 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. - Val Sparkle says:
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.
- London Liz says:
I 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.
- Chicatanyage says:
I 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.
- Vix says:
Me 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
- Unknown says:
I'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.
- Sharon S says:
Hi 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
- Justine says:
I 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!
- Lilac In May says:
I'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?
- Pam @ over50feeling40 says:
These 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!
- Unknown says:
i 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!
but 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! - Queenie says:
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.
Just 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.
- Cariad64 says:
I 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!
- Stacy says:
I'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.
- Sue Walker says:
I'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!
- Kstylick says:
Thumbs up for this blog! 🙂 maybe we could follow each other on Bloglovin and/or GFC, Facebook?
Please leave me a comment on my blog and follow by blog!
You can also like my Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/Kstylick
I will follow you back! 🙂
- Sandy says:
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.
Trust me there are very few grey haired ladies in Beverly Hills!
Sandra Sallin
apartfrommyart.com - kenju says:
I love it. I quit dyeing my hair about 8 years ago and I have never looked back.
- Alison McMath says:
I don't feel ready for it yet. I really admire anyone who does it with style 🙂
- D A Wolf says:
I'm with "Une Femme."
And for me, for now, it's a "no" on gray, in part for professional reasons.
- Tiffany says:
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 …
- Theo says:
I'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!
- WendyB says:
Ooh, I love Kristen.
I'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! 😀
- Rosemary the Shopper says:
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.
Cheers from Rosemary of
http://www.foreveronthecatwalkoflife.blogspot.com - Claire says:
I went for it a couple of years back…after years of root watching. Silver, and I have never had as many compliments.
- Claire says:
I went for it a couple of years back…after years of root watching. Silver, and I have never had as many compliments.
- Claire says:
that was the old hair! a bit wind blown but an updated blog photo…
Kristen 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.
- Brenda Ferrari says:
I will be 59 this summer. So tiered of trying to keep up with hiding the greys! I have seen so many pictures of beautiful silver/grey haired, mature women on Pinterest, that I have been inspired to just let go, and go grey! It’s only been about 4 mo. since my last dye job and it shows, but I’m committed. I’m actually excited about the change and embracing this new season of my life! My friends and my granddaughter are not really on board with the idea, but I feel certain that when I finally achieve the look I’m going for, ” still fresh and hip” within my generation, I could have some followers!
- Libby says:
I have very fair skin and although let my hair go naturally grey/silver 3 yrs. ago, I’m not used to looking washed out. I’m not thrilled having to wear more makeup than I did when my hair was dark. That’s the only downside.
- Tova says:
I decided to go grey after colouring my hair for years. I looked at my grey roots one day and realized everyone else can see I’m grey – I’m fooling nobody but myself. The first lockdown allowed me to grow my hair so I could cut off the coloured ends. I’ve gotten some compliments, but mostly people seem to not care much. I use olaplex for shine, and purple shampoo to enhance (!) the grey. I get a cut maybe every two-three months. It’s very liberating not to worry about roots. Funnily enough, I also do not feel I look washed out, the grey suits my skin and eyes better. I’ll never go back to colouring my hair again, this is me now at 53!
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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.