Trend Alert! Short Gray Hair is All the Rage!
Why is this woman laughing? Because what once made you look old, now makes you look bold. Mature fashionistas with the courage to go gray are proving that silver is sexy and they’re enjoying the freedom that comes with cutting it short!
It’s all in the way you wear and care for it.
Short cropped styles are sporty and youthful.
Short gray hair can be gorgeous! Here are a few Instagrammers who prove that point!
Paula is a model at Rocky Mountain Entertainment Agency who is a new face of 60+ with her stunning silver locks.
Dona looks like a silver ray of light in her perky, pretty short hairstyle.
@onesheila
Sheila is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, life coach, certified personal trainer, actress, and model. I can’t imagine her with any other hair color or style. This is gorgeous!
Dawn looks fab in this sophisticated style that is simple and elegant.
Brenda, is an image consultant & best-selling author, looks modern and fresh in her short, spiky hairstyle.
Here’s one way to have low-maintenance hair. Irena is a professional image consultant who knows how to make gray hair look chic!
@thedzmulegirl
Dianna is a sporty, no-fuss gal with a sporty, no-fuss cut who enjoys mules, horses, her Shihtzus, hunting, and photography.
Judith is a Fabulous After 40 Styleblazer. She has a passion for hats, vintage, and yoga and makes having gray hair look glam and easy.
Greet, is an image stylist and creative wardrobe coach who looks cute and classy in her gray pixie.
Lyn, NYC professor, and fashion blogger has gained international attention with her dramatic photos, rebellious, avant-garde style, and fabulous gray hair. Check out my Styleblazer feature with Lyn.
The kidney is a bead sculpture artist and dreamer whose short gray hairdo beautifully frames her big green eyes.
What are you waiting for? If you’ve ever wanted to go gray and go short, now is the time. Check out some other ways to wear gray hair and these Silver Foxes on Instagram!
Your model Dawn looks very lovely with her gray hair. She’s a friend who just happened to scroll and find her here on the website.
After seeing the skunk stripe in my hair in a picture from my vacation( usually, I fix it, but I was in the water), I finally decided to go grey with some silver lilac highlights to make it funky. I haven’t told my stylist yet, but I look forward to this. It seems that it will take patience to get me to my goal, even though my hair grows fast. I just found your blog. It was just what I needed now-I am chronologically 61 but certainly don’t feel it.
I love the gray beauties! I’ve been gray for 15 years, and once I stopped coloring my hair, I never looked back. I constantly get compliments about my hair, blue eyes, and beauty. Gray is beauty for me!
Judith Pepper
You can see my fabulous look at http://www.judithpepper.com.
I see these articles, and as a lady in my 40s, I still say I am not ready to go gray. My husband is a few years older than me, and he looks hot with the salt and pepper look, but I’m not ready yet. When the grays became too numerous, I looked into what I should use to color my hair. The salon and box dyes contain harsh chemicals that destroy your hair and are carcinogens. I also tried a box color years ago, leaving my scalp red and irritated. My husband said go natural as they are natural highlights. I said no, I am not ready to go gray yet. So we agreed on trying henna as it is plant-based and is suitable for your hair. We ordered it online and watched a few youtube videos. We gathered the supplies, a coloring cape, and a ba rush and made the application on the patio. I told him he cuts my hair for me, always a great job, and colorist fits under that job description. The color came out great. I loved it, and he was pleased as well. So every three months, I get a complete henna application and root touch-upmy husband’s six-week pointband. He now trims my hair on the same schedule as doing my color. The cost of having him cut and color my hair at home is meager, under $50 a year for the henna, so I plan on having him continue to do it for me as we are both delighted with the results. I don’t have to deal with the aggravation or insane high cost of having my hair colored at the salon with chemicals I don’t want on my head.
Cheryl– lucky you that your hubby can help with henna! I did some (henna) in my 40’s but found home application tiresome. Lucky for me, my hairdresser did it with my supplies. It was great and very natural, and I loved it! I finally decided to “go gray” a couple of months before my 54th birthday. It took about six months (and a stylish short haircut) to “grow it out,” but I’m thrilled with it
I finally took the plunge and stopped coloring my hair last year at 58. I was tired of the every four-week trips to my stylist and the constant covering of the silver hair that framed my face between hair appointments, but more than that; I hated the thought of putting such strong chemicals on my body. I won’t lie to you; the growing out stage was painful, but using semi-perm hair color helped eliminate the “skunk look,” so I looked presentable without resorting to scarves or hats. I have a successful legal career, and my gray hair has made me look more credible, knowledgeable, and, yes, more intelligent – and who doesn’t want that? It was hard to come to terms with eliminating some of my favorite colors from my wardrobe that looked great when I had auburn hair, but not with my new hair color; but it’s been fun buying new clothes in brighter, brighter, funkier colors. I’ve found that blue, especially turquoise, is a great color for me and who can be down when you’re wearing such a fabulous color?! I’ve received many compliments from women and men, friends and strangers, and my husband absolutely loves it – but again, to be honest, I still do a double take when I look in the mirror because I look SO different – but I’m sure that will pass with time. In the meantime, I’ve inspired two female colleagues to stop coloring their hair, and the three of us found it very liberating and fun as we watch each other develop into silver foxes! Ha! Embracing your gray is not for the faint of heart, and it’s not for everyone. Still, with the right haircut, makeup, and clothing choices, we can be confident and beautiful women who are saving hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars a year by not going to the salon – I’d rather spend that time and money by touring Europe, and that’s where you’ll find me this summer (I’ll be the one with the foxy gray hair and wearing turquoise from head to toe…)
I got my first grey hair at age 19! I dyed my hair (my natural color is dark brown) for about ten years until I decided to embrace my grey and stop putting all those chemicals into my body. I’m now 60 and about 85% grey, and I love it! I have beautiful, thick, shiny hair and have been getting compliments for years. I have a fabulous hairstylist who puts up with my going from very short to very long and back again. I tell her the length I want, and she styles my hair to suit my face. The only person who doesn’t like my grey is my 86-year-old mother, who still dyes her hair blond.
Hi All, I am 63 yrs old and have had grey hair for nearly 30 years and long hair for almost 20 years. I have relatively unlined skin, am fit and not overweight, and wear fashionable clothes, so I do not look older. I love my hair; so easy to manage. I wash, towel dry, and put it up. I trim it myself every six weeks or so. I frequently receive compliments for no cost, chemicals, and minimum maintenance. I have curly hair and recently discovered that the conditioner applied on dry hair between washes is better than any other product I used. Now my hair is smoother than ever and even less expensive as I don’t need the various products to remove frizz. I am comfortable in my skin. If you have grey hair, embrace it confidently, and do not let the billion-dollar beauty industry dictate it to you.
I’m turning 40 this year, and I chopped off my hair just before Christmas(3 inches). I had long dark brown hair previously(bottle). I’m one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have patchy white hair; my hair is whiter in front and gradually fades to black in the back. My only problem seems to be a hairstyle to suit now. I was told I still have the curve of a young woman, and I have great courage, as I hold myself proud. I have to learn to find what suits my hair coloring and makeup to bring out my other features. It was funny to have people stop in their tracks cause I looked so familiar, but they couldn’t wrap their minds around my white hair. Now, most people are used to my natural hair color…………… I have to learn to maintain (i didn’t know products can give your hair a funny tint). I am in the process of what works best for me and enjoying the money I save. I had my natural hair going grey before I turned 30. I tried red hair dye for Halloween a few years ago and didn’t realize that temp stuff DOESN”T wash out of grey :( I couldn’t figure out how to fix it, so I kept dying. I guess we learn somehow. It’s the growing out I hate, but I think it’s nice having the grey, and no one has given me negative feedback
I am 50 years old. I stopped dying my hair nine months ago and am half-salt, half-pepper. I am also growing it longer, and it is near to my breasts. I had become fed up with the world telling me that I am an ogre because I won’t bow to the norms of other people born before I was started. Also, I wouldn’t say I like the thought of sporting dyed hair with an aging face 15 years from now. If you need proof I am not the only one with this opinion, perform a net search like “enjoying grey hair,” and you will find forums with people of the same idea. I plan on starting a small business that is not office-based, and my husband teed me off with the routine, “I have read that it makes a better impression if . . .” The impression I will give people is my warmth, confidence, experience, and compassion.
Hi All,
I’m afraid I have to disagree with some comments that say gray hair has an automatic aging effect on a woman. I don’t think so because I’ve seen a lot of women on my internet searches, and this is not so. I saw samples of many regular women (not celebrities) who embraced their gray and looked fabulous. I think attitude counts because it shows outwardly if you’re unhappy or even ambivalent about embracing gray. One has to have a perfect cut, makeup, and wardrobe that are youthful and, at the same time, age-appropriate (no extremes or trying too hard to look young because that will show and have the opposite effect).
I embraced my gray recently. The compliments I got were amazing. I couldn’t believe it, and included in that was I now look years younger than when I colored my hair – paradoxical but true. I got a nice youthful haircut, updated my wardrobe, wear silver jewelry and subtle makeup. I feel younger and more authentic. I’m 58. I just did counter-culture because everybody in our community, or at least almost every woman, including those in their seventies, eighties, and nineties, still colors their hair. But I’m proud of my silver hair. And even men give me compliments on my silver hair now. I didn’t get this kind of positive feedback when coloring my hair for over two decades.
So Ladies, don’t be disheartened. Gray doesn’t mean “Old.” If you believe that gray equates to old-look, then that becomes your reality – it’s mind over matter. Accepting that gray will make you look marvelous, and it becomes true!!! Believe me.
Hi Ces,
I’m thrilled to hear that you have “embraced your gray”! I agree with you. When debating fashion trends, so much depends on your state of mind, attitude, and of course, good grooming/updating.
Nothing is one size fits all. Personally, It wouldn’t be for me.
Thanks for sending out a word of encouragement to that woman who might be on the fence. No matter what, the fun thing is you can try it; you just might like it!
I had had white hair all my life starting with a small patch on the back of my head when I was small. The white in the front began when I was a teenager, so I plucked out the hairs; that only worked for a while. Eventually, I had more white hair than one of my grandmothers. I just lived with it, and it did not bother me.
Now, at my age, I make sure I have a terrific haircut, keep the white shimmering, and wear up-dated clothes. I get stopped in the street by people asking where I get my hair done. My stylist rocks!
Hi Linda,
It sounds like to us, both YOU and your stylist “rock”!! Great to hear you are enjoying your natural hair but still keeping it well groomed!
I echo the other readers’ statements that going gray is an individual thing. I am a Black woman and have gotten tons of compliments on my salt and pepper hair. It is getting saltier every month! I was blond for several years-think Mary J. Blige or Jade in “The Next Top Model”-and the chemicals were not friendly to my hair. I made the blond move because I was going gray…
I am 48 years old. Black skin tends not to show lines, so I use a prescription Retin-A cream to stay fierce and flawless as an extra boost. The same shampoo that took the brassiness out of my blond also keeps my light strands a sparkling silver (my daughter calls it “tinsel”), although I have heard that a drop of blueing, like is used for laundry, in a gallon of water works well. I like cutting-edge fashion and have started wearing many unique silver pie jewelry piecesYoung-looking skin and dressing well go a long way in making gray hair fabulous. So, I am looking forward to going gracefully gray and loving compliments!
I am 55 years old and have tried going gray for about a year and a half. I thought I liked it because my hair is so white around my face. But then, I kept taking perfect, rugged looks at myself in different types of lighting and began to realize that my hair was making me look old. I had also let my hair grow almost to my shoulders. I cut my hair first, and that helped a bit. Then, when I died, my hair was blond; boy, did I get compliments? Everyone says I look ten years younger, so I don’t think I’ll go back to gray. I guess gray can look fine on someone with a tiny body who can dress very hip, but that isn’t the reality for most of us.
Hi Mary Ellen,
Yes, your story rings true. Thanks so much for sharing. We 100% agree with you!
Whenever these “gray is cool” articles surface (as they occasionally do), it’s always interesting that the accompanying photos are of line-free faces sporting monochromatically gray hair. This, for most of us, is not representative of real life! Usually, hair goes gray in patches, with the non-graying parts fading to something less glorious than the former shade. Add to this a complexion that is also changing in texture and color.
Aging gracefully thus may be fine for some. Still, for those of us in the corporate world or other occupational arenas that seem to demand competition and look well-groomed (and, let’s face it, are agist), it’s not a viable option!
I also don’t want to cut all my hair off to gray roots or suffer a year of skunkdom. Perhaps on a desert island…
We hear you, Magdalene, and agree!!!
Well, I turn 53 this month (groan) and have been dealing with grey hair since I was in my mid-thirties. The root problem seems to worsen each month, and the cost is outrageous. I have long hair, thick and wavy, and can quite easily color 2cm of roots every month. I am not ready to give up and go grey; I agree with the previous comments about age; I am sure I would look great at 23 or even 33 with grey hair but not now. And then there’s the hubby!! He is grey, and isn’t that just fine for guys, as always, double standards? However, I do have a tip to share. I recently started using Clairol Root Touch-Up; very inexpensive, and I can now miss a month or two if I wish and go to the salon to have the cut and highlights done. And just as a postscript, what helped with my look … losing 20lbs this summer!
I just had to agree with Janine. I am 51, and I also thought (in my 20’s) that I would age gracefully and let my hair go gray. Little did I realize that gray hair can age some. A woman I attend church with has shoulder-length gray and white extremely thick shoulder-length hair, and her eyebrows are natural looking (think Ali McGraw) and dark. She looks fantastic – I do not know her age, just that she is retired and a grandmother. She wears lots of vibrant colors, and she does not move like an older woman….by that, I mean she gets up from her seat in one fell swoop, she does not wince from pain when she moves, and it appears she has whitened her teeth or she has terrific looking false teeth…
Deb, I mean, call me crazy, but Kristen McMenamy does not look 46 in that picture. She looks closer to 60. The hair is beautiful on its own but adds years.
Hi Janine,
Yes, I agree that it does add years, but I thought it was an excellent example of how to wear grey hair and still look hip and stylish, which she does!
No policing noted, Deborah. You always have a timely and fabulous blog.
Thanks!! I love this discussion! Thanks for taking it to the next level!
It is good to remember that gray is a color, just like any hair color women choose, and varies widely among women, as do their reasons for coloring or not coloring. However, it should always be an individual choice rather than expected conformity.
Some women have a severe allergy to a component of hair dye and cannot dye their hair. Some women realize they do not like dying their hair repeatedly every couple of weeks or worry about the effects of dark hair dyes on their health. Some have husbands that love their gray hair and consider it quite beautiful:-). As I live in the Pacific Northwest (in the U.S.), it may be more acceptable to dye or not dye your hair here than elsewhere due to the emphasis on health and everything natural.
Remember that managing your appearance well after going gray is different than before, and the women who do not do anything about their appearance will always be a part of the gray you see out there.
If you want to continue to look 23 at 43 or 63, you should probably dye your hair. Gray hair may look great on you and be healthy and authentic, but it doesn’t usually make you look like you are in your 20s. If younger is your goal, or you are in love with a particular hair color other than what you have, then you should make the personal choice to dye your hair. I think this is an area where it is essential to remember not to project our reasons for our choices onto others as their reasons and individual results may vary.
Hi PJ,
I am not trying to be the “fashion Police.”
I give my opinion, explain why I feel that way, and let my readers take it or leave it. On this issue of going gray, I think some women look fantastic in it, but it can be aging on most.
I wish it were that simple. Unfortunately, even though gray hair is theoretically a subversive and hip look, it adds 10-20 years to anyone’s apparent age. A 50-year-old woman with all-gray hair will look 65, and as soon as she dyes her hair non-gray, she’ll look 50 or even 40 again. My grandma always dyed her hair, and one day at 70-ish, she stopped dying it, and as soon as the dye job was grown out, she looked like her own mother. Literally like she had one foot in the grave. Pretty much the same thing with my mother when she was early. She stopped dying her hair and gained ten years in appearance.
The only way to pull off gray and still look cool and young is to be Lady Gaga’s age because it’s fake and not due to aging since the face is 20-something.
This is sad because I age gracefully with naturally gray hair, and I got my first gray strand earlier this year. But I’ve seen how it ages women. I don’t think I’ll be doing that.
Hi Janine,
You know what?… I have to agree with you on this one. I think gray hair does age you no matter how well it is cut and maintained.
I think Helen Mirren looks gorgeous with her grey locks; there is nothing remotely frumpy about her!
I dyed my hair for the last time the day before my 44th Birthday. For some reason, I thought I would let my silver shine after I turned 50, but when I asked myself if I wanted to be ruled by my roots for the next six years, I quickly decided that the answer was NO! I hated feeling self-conscious about my roots and living my life around my coloring calendar. The mess, the smell, the expense, the unhealthy chemicals; I was finished with it. I found a great website I went to several times a week for information and support and have never looked back! I make sure that my hairstyle is funky, my makeup, clothes, footwear, and accessories are flattering and functional, and I have found other uses for that money! I got rid of all my brown and cream clothes and added more jewel tones, all tips I gleaned from goinggraylookinginggreat.com. I love my new freedom and being the best real me that I can be!
I wish I could go blond, but I’m Asian American, which would look even more unnatural! Maybe I should shave it and start from scratch…
Hi Janet,
LOL…ok..that is a different story. We must ensure we get all the facts before doling out tips!!! Could you send us a photo? We would love to see you!
Grey on older women- politically correct, yes! I’d love to say, “go girl, you just rock the age thing,” but that’s not the reality for most women or me (51).
Here’s the problem- it looks excellent on Lady Gaga because the rest of her is anti-grey – soft skin with rosy color, full natural brows, and fat volume in the face. Also, look closely at the wisps of hair in both pictures- lady Gaga’s is very smooth. I’m not a fan of the look on the other model. Look at you guys- you have gorgeous colors! Just my opinion. Love your site, BTW!
Dear Glam Gals,
As a going gray gal, I just wanted to add that although makeup should be subtle, either dark or pale lips look “off” on me. A lipstick that is my natural lip shade but a little brighter and warmer seems to work the best for me. Although the color of gray hair varies widely among women, if you go gray, you need to re-evaluate what colors you are wearing. Some colors may look better than they used to, and some, such as creams or tans, may not be flattering anymore.
Hi PJ,
You have two thumbs up from the Glam Gals on your comments…they are all valid! Thanks for taking the time to comment~
Wow! Grey hair….all the rage..and to think I’ve been covering it up since I was 16. I am now 42..not sure how grey I am, but I’d say if it does become a trend, I’ll be saving a lot of money!
Gray looks great on some people…better than rocking black hair with a face full of wrinkles (Rose Kennedy). I think a critical part of having gray hair is to keep it gray…keep the yellow out! Use a shampoo and conditioner that is made for gray hair.
Hi, So Ho Accessories,
YUP..you are right on! Yellowing grey hair is like yellow teeth..they need a little help sometimes!
I wish I could go grey but after coloring it so many years, it would be too much work to let it go grey. I’m too vain to go through that weird skunk look. My concern is how unnatural I’ll look when I’m 70– old face, young hair.
Hi Janet,
My mother (JoJami’s) had dark brown here most of her life…as she finally reached her late 60s, dying it to match was looking a little harsh. Her solution was to go blond; she is 74 and looks great and loves it!
I think your complexion…and the color of the grey is important. I’m afraid my hair is battleship grey and with my complexion…that does NOT work! I am dark blond so my roots don’t show that much! I love color on my hair! Grey looks great on some people..but not me! lol ♥