Women who let their hair go grey

[CJ2010]

I don't understand why women, except the very old, say age 70 plus do not cover their grey hair?

I know a couple of women who have just turned 40 who are letting their grey come through and are just leaving it. It makes them
look so much older and washed out. I don't understand it really. I appreciate that some women are into the 'natural' look and are not fussed with make up and hair dye but I think by not having colour on your hair you age yourself dramatically.

Grey hair looks so wrong on younger women. AIBU?

Well I'm knocking on for 40 and have not so much a 'crown of glory' as a dinky little fascinator of glory I'm too busy to dye it, it's that simple. I haven't got time to faff around with my hair. Or, more precisely, I prioritise other things in my life over and above faffing around with my hair. I admire women who look fabulous all the time, but I've got too much else going on to be too high-maintenance!

That is total nonsense! lol. I am 39 and growing quite a few grey hair on the side of my head and I see them as being part of who I am and me getting into the next stage of my life and I embrace it. Why hide it?
Each to their own and it doesn't make me look older at all.. The sainsbury's lady always asks my age when I buy alcohol.

I am 40 next month and started to get some grey hairs last year. Facially I look about 10 years younger so I ummed and aaaahed about whether to dye it. But I have decided to stay natural for two reasons:

1. I'd rather 'look younger' naturally rather than have to 'fess up about dyeing my hair.
2. I didn't want to go through the 'growing out' process at any point where it looks shit for ages.

Live and let live I say. I dont care if other people dye their hair. I'm 35, work in a professional environment , am smart and well presented and have had grey hairs for 5 years and steadfastly refuse to get into the dye the grey, re-dye the grey, keep doing so cycle because quite frankly I dont really care about it and can think of other things I'd like to do with my time.

YABU

I rest my case

I henna my greying hair for the moment but when the grey starts to take over I plan to celebrate the greyness, keep it long and let it go completely grey and wear it in plaits like the older mother of a friend of mine used to do...

I leave mine grey, it saves me a bucket load of money as I get away with free bus travel and discounted amusement park entry

I'm letting my hair get gradually greyer and greyer (I'm 47) and it's fascinating to watch it change - I love it! I'm a total snob though - I think badly dyed hair with grey roots is the worst look ever - far worse than any kind of natural colour could ever be.

Oh, and I don't look old because I'm slim and fit and gorgeous! How about you, OP? How big is your arse? What are your teeth like?

I'm with yokel I do think the worse look is the half grown out dye.

If I am honest:

I love it when people leave their hair grey.

I love it if women just wear their husband's fleece

I like seeing people wearing sensible shoes.

I sigh (in relief) at the sight of hairy threadveiny legs (quite possibly my own)

As I love the way people in Britain are not obsessed by their looks. Having lived in a country were it was "de rigeur" for ALL women to:

• be skinny with fake boobs inserted
• have long hair and nails
• have botox and fillers
• wear tight fitting fashionable clothes at all times
• and having to witness tummy tuck comparisons at the school gate (not kidding)

...I like to see people who are not bothered. In England you can be into your looks, or into your horses, or into gardening, or running, or your job, and style yourself accordingly. it's refreshing.

I've had to stop dyeing mine after years of colouring it as my scalp has started reacting to it.
It's fine, it really doesn't look too bad and I save time and money every 6-8 weeks as I don't have to go in for a touch up.
Hair dye is possibly carcinogenic, can trigger really severe reactions even if you've never reacted before and is tested on animals.
All these are good reasons for someone to not dye their hair, as is 'I Don't Want To!'

The Guardian Saturday magazine usually features an older model with long grey hair. She's totally stunning, partly beacuse her hair is such a feature.

Grey hair is quite trendy don't you know!

Excellent post Chandon

But surely there is nothing worse than an older woman with dyed hair where it makes her look so washed out. As you get older your skin tone changes together with your hair colour. Clinging onto your youthful hair colour can actually make you look OLDER.

Judi Dench and Helen Mirren are fantastic examples of older, grey ladies. Who would want to look like Joan Collins?

Each to their own - but what happened to going old gracefully?

My mum went very grey very early but in the 70s people used to ask her where she had her highlights done

I have a few grey hairs now and look my age. I care not what you think. Really why do you care?

YABU

My 71 year old super-stylish, energetic, fashion-conscious mother would give you a clout with her latest Mulberry handbag if she heard you refer to her as "very old, say over 70".

She has her hair cut and coloured every 4 weeks by the way and has no plans to go grey this side of 90.

I don't think it's occurred to the OP that not everyone shares her aesthetic sense, or views on ageing...

I think it's more your issue than other peoples hair - maybe some introspective thought wouldn't go amiss

It's personal taste and women shouldn't be made to feel like old hags because they don't want to dye their hair. Men are slobbered over all the time for being so called silver foxes.

Aesthetically speaking though I think grey hair looks best on people with a Mediterranean colouring as the contrast between silver hair and olive skin is stunning. (this goes for men and women).

Sing if you're glad to be grey
Sing if you're happy that way

Oy, OP,

OP, I'm 39 with quite a bit of grey hair. I don't dye it because:-

1. Main reason: I don't like anything 'fake'.
2. I hate going to the hairdresser and only go twice a year so my roots would be pretty shocking by then.
3. Anyone who thinks less of me because of something so superficial and trivial is not welcome in my life anyway.
4. I've got other priorities.

Much like Scuttlebutter I am a cancer survivor and it did change me quite a lot. I'm aware I don't look young for my age but frankly, I don't give a fig. I wear my wrinkles and grey hairs with pride along with the scars and ugly bits on my body that serve to remind me what I went through.

Life really is too short to worry about other peoples choices.

Supernewwhizzylaptop I wish you all the best.

I am proud to be one of the few middle aged women in London who does not colour her hair. I don't mind if CJ2010 thinks my hair 'looks wrong'. It's MY hair.

If you don't like the way I look, don't look at me. If you are that judgy, I would rather have nothing to do with you, anyway.

40 year olds with greying hair don't look older - they look 40-ish!