What does the documentary from 2020 tell us?
After the release of the inspirational film, wearing natural silver hair acquired a new meaning.
Why did this film make going grey so cool? The myths of "only people over 65 wear grey hair", "grey hair is unkempt", "people with grey hair have no energy" have been destroyed. Not only by the brave women of all ages, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds who told their stories, but also by the thousands of followers who decided to ditch the dye.
A whole trend was born. Perhaps even a longer-term cultural shift that celebrates the beauty of simplicity and the power of self-acceptance.
In 2020, as a symbolic gift for my 50th birthday, I also let my hair go grey. I had been toying with the idea for years, but was afraid of being seen unkempt during the transition. The first wave of Covid was a game changer for me. By the time we could more or less go back to work and other communities, the "problem" could have been solved with a simple cut. In my case, it was a short pixie bob.
For me, it was part of a longer journey through the milestones of ageing. Firstly, I had to give up a number of sports that I used to love but couldn't do any more because of my severe back pain. Secondly, also as a result of the back problems, I had to say goodbye to my stilettos and all the heels. Finally, I had to accept that I had put on a few unwanted kilos due to my lack of exercise.
After all that, turning grey was easy and liberating. It was my own decision, not a consequence of any pain, I needed to cope with. I felt strong and brave, I found it cool to go against the general social expectations of my environment and I was sure that I had made the right move. Going grey was an important part of my redefinition.
For anyone thinking about going grey and wanting to stay cool, what would be my advice?
Find a good hairdresser. The cut should either be something special or really neat. I opted for a simple, clean cut, but I have a lot of admiration for those who go for a bold, short version. As you will save a lot of time on colouring, the time spent on a regular cut will be peanuts.
Make sure your eyes are sparkling. You need regular sleep, a healthy diet, and above all the "luxury" of having a job you enjoy or enough time for your hobbies
Invest time in regular exercise or preventative exercise to ensure your posture is upright and your movement dynamic.
Choose your wow colours wisely. They may be a little different from what they were before you turned grey. Either do a quick colour analysis or just observe which colours make you feel energised.
One more point to share. My mother is a beautiful, typical winter type woman. When she was very young, she had the colour of Snow White: raven black hair, white-pink skin and bright green eyes. She turned grey in her early 30s, so practically I knew her being silver, all my life. That is why being grey has always been a symbol of a pragmatic kind of self-acceptance for me.
Who could be your role model for self-acceptance?
If you would like advice on your wow colours after going grey, or a virtual hand to hold you back before you dye your roots again, maybe an extra for the wardrobe revolution after your grey shift, let me know.
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