For those of us going grey

[SilveryFoxyMe]

Forgive the name change, but I reckon this post makes me fairly recognisable.

Anyway, last year I posted my dilemma as to whether to continue dyeing my hair or let nature take over and see what was really lurking under there

I bit the bullet after yet another hair dye ending up brassier than I had hoped and not lasting at all, and decided to grow it out.

Eight months on (I do have short hair) it's all gone, and I am almost completely silver, with a few smattering of darker.

At just 47 I appreciate this is not the societal norm, and in some people's eyes has aged me. One friend pretty much commiserated with me and my hairdresser is horrified.

But in the past month I have been for two job interviews, been offered both jobs, and been invited out in a date (long story, I am happily married and he mistakenly thought I was single).

Several people have told me it looks fab, a neighbour came up to me to say I had inspired her to go for it.

My face still looks fairly youthful, I think, but at first glance people might think I am much older. Yet I still got the job offers and the date! More attention that I have had in years!

So if you are swithering, I would heartily recommend it.

Thanks for the compliments

DD is 13 and very opinionated and even she likes it

I am very envious of your hair Coco. Great cut.

Looks fab coco :)

Thanks, I cut my hair myself.
I shaved the sides and back this morning to start getting rid of the dyed bits.

Just found this - about to read it. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/01/why-women-dare-not-go-grey-politics-of-hair

'but grey hair is ageing. It drains all the colour from your face, and softening that with creamy, honey tones is always going to be more flattering'

I just dont buy any of it, I see many women with all grey hair and the colour looks good on them.
If it's ok and flattering for men why does the same not apply to women, we are the same species after all.

Men are said to look 'distinguished' with grey hair, they have gravity and authority, I think the problem is that 'society' (ie the patriarchy) feels threatened by the idea of women with gravity and authority.

interesting article.

Your hair looks great Coco!

I do tend to agree that grey hair does look better with a good cut. But a bad cut still looks bad with dyed hair! The shampoo and set approach is terribly ageing no matter what colour your hair is IMO. Plus, I often see ladies who are obviously 60+ with that weird caramel coloured hair and I think "you're fooling nobody but yourself."

That said, my 60+ style icon is a lady I often see at the garden centre where we go for lunch after Sunday swimming. She has a Sassoon-type bob dyed jet black. Her clothes are colourful and flamboyant. One day I'm going to tell her how amazing she looks as I wipe baked beans and snot smears from my faded t-shirt.

I haven't got pics to post right this sec, but using the wash in/wash out and blonde conditioners has mellowed my hair colour so it's not so brassy - had a nice case of yellow highlights and orange base.

I told my SIL I'm growing it out and she's horrified, truly horrified. She thinks I only have about 30% grey (I think it's more) and it'll look awful. I'm even more determined to do it out!!!

I ditched the dye a couple of months ago, I have my hair really short, so all the colour has been chopped out.

I am happy with it, even though I have a weird sandy streak at the front, and one of my dc's friends asked why I was trying to look like a granny (cheeky mare)

It is pretty badgery though ( I know what you mean ouryve about the good cut - it is a different texture now) - I am tempted by the silvery mousse talked about earlier - or would that just look wierd?

Thats lovely hazey, nice cut.

You all look fabulous.
I've been lurking on here for a while now, but wondered if any of you had some advice for me?.

My hair is shoulder length, naturally dark brown, but it's been dyed so often for so many years, it's a real mess of different colours.

My roots are dark brown/silver grey, I think. I have yellow and blonde bits and the brown all over colour always send to go red/orange!!

The last few visits to the hairdresser have resulted in blondeish streaks, to try and disguise the roots, but it doesn't work and I look all wrong.

I'd really love to have dark hair with silver streaks, but don't know how to get there and the hairdressers have seemed unable to help me get there. I honestly didn't ask for orange hair with yellow bits!

I can post some photos of anyone can help me?

Here goes!

Sandra mines pretty much the same ! A multitude of grey /silver root , blorange lengths and dark underneath !! Total mess :( plan on just brazening it out and putting it up ! Like you I just want my dark hair back with whatever grey/silver grows through !! It's so dry and in bad condition , I've had a good few inches chopped off so it just skims my shoulder , planning to keep trimming it as it grows out but feeling a mess at the minute :( not brave enough to go for the chop but would love to buzz it all off and start again !!

It's rubbish isn't it Drama!

I'm considering buying one of those dye removers, just to see what happens. Do you think it'll wreck it?

This what I want ... And what I have !!!!

*is
Think at least 2 years to grow it all out :0

That's whT what I did but will only strip the dye out to orangey because of the peroxide in the dye !! Even dark dyes bleach the hair ! Guess have to grow it out or cut it out :( wish I'd never dyed my hair ever !

Loving this thread, I find myself amongst grey haired friends

I am 41 and have recently chopped off my shoulder length hair, dyed various shades of red or brown with mid parting badger stripe, to reveal a funky grey crop in my mind

I love it and I'm not sorry I did it, I've had a few people saying that it's taken years off me, which goes to show that it isn't just a colour that ages you, it's the cut too.

I grew it for about 4 or 5 months without dying and then got dh's barber to go in for the kill.

Off now to read the thread and admire your pics :)

ThTs brave iknowright ! Was thinking of doing that In another month or 2 ala Jamie lee Curtis crop !!! But I haven't had short hair for over 20 years and don't think I suit it !! ..... Il have to hide the clippers next time I have wine because I can be very impulsive ...,, ;)

I'm either going to go for a crop in the autumn and wear hats while it gets a bit longer (two tries now and hairdressers won't cut it short enough), or bleach and dye the ends silver. I switch between the two options every day!

Hmm, I didn't think the dye remover would make it more reddy orange, I'll strike that off my list then!

I don't suit short hair, although I have had it shaved off before. I can't go down that route.

Gah! ! Off to look at hair dyes at the shop, I can't afford to keep having the roots done properly.

I'd love to go grey and ditch the dye but right now (at 32) I've only got a small grey streak in my hairline at the front.

I'd leave my hair to it if I had a nicer natural colour but it's just so dull and drab, not-quite-dark-blonde-not-quite-light-brown. I hate it so for now I'm using henna and indigo to go black and having fun growing it out to see how long I can get it before I get sick of it.

As soon as I get a decent amount of grey I'm taking the clippers to it and then just letting it do its thing. I can't wait

I can't recommend going to a barber highly enough if you want to go for the crop. They aren't afraid of short hair, they know how to cut it and they don't give a toss how much grey you have. It's so very liberating, and also a hell of a lot cheaper. We go to a barber that does sit and wait, he cuts my hair, dh's, and 2 dc's, it takes him maybe 45 minutes to get through all of us and the whole lot costs less than ?30.