Ellen’s Gray Hair

[FitBoop]

She has pretty hair, but the gray ages her a lot. I guess it depends on whether it matters to someone that she will be perceived as an older person. Unfortunately, in our society, being perceived as older can have negative consequences, especially in the workplace. That applies to both men and women. I’ve recently noticed that older men and women on TV, whose hair would certainly be gray, dye their hair so as to be perceived as more youthful. It is sad, but our society does not reward the gift of age. I admire self-acceptance, though.

[eam531]

Originally Posted by FitBoop

She has pretty hair, but the gray ages her a lot. I guess it depends on whether it matters to someone that she will be perceived as an older person. Unfortunately, in our society, being perceived as older can have negative consequences, especially in the workplace. That applies to both men and women. I’ve recently noticed that older men and women on TV, whose hair would certainly be gray, dye their hair so as to be perceived as more youthful. It is sad, but our society does not reward the gift of age. I admire self-acceptance, though.

Ahem ... Anderson Cooper?

I don't think older people started embracing gray hair because trendy young people starting coloring their hair gray.

Note: the comments below only address these individual's *hair color*.

The late Cindy Joseph was a makeup artist who turned model in her 50s when she let her hair go gray. She started a natural skin care/makeup line called Boom, which is all about being "pro-age". This was several years ago, before the trend of young women dying their hair gray began.

Let's also not forget the spectacularly gorgeous model Carmen Dell'Orefice, who had a huge renaissance in her modeling career when she stopped coloring her hair. This was back in the 1970s. She still models and she's in her late 80s.

Daphne Selfe is an English model who is also white haired and in her late 80s.

Conversely, some people never go gray, or gray very little. The writer Alan Bennett still has reddish-blond hair, and he's 85 years old.

Me--I'm 63. DH is 64. He is completely white, as is his beard. His mother went gray in her 30s. My hair is medium brown, with just a few strands of gray. I do not intend to color it once the gray starts accelerating.

To quote that wonderful song from La Cage aux Folles--I am what I am.

[TracyQ]

Ellen’s hair looks amazing.

I started dying and highlighting my hair at age 30. I went like clockwork every 5-weeks always booking my next appointment before leaving the salon. I loved how it looked. But it became such a drag. I started resenting all the time and money spent at the salon. By the time I turned 50 I had had enough and stopped cold turkey. You would not believe all the comments I got. My aunts and a few of my co-workers thought I had lost my mind. I was surprised by how many people had an opinion on my hair. My husband turned gray a few years before me and not one person said a word about it.

I’m 56 now and happy with my hair and get a lot of compliments on it. If it ages me oh well. I love being natural. My hair is much healthier now than it ever was when I was dying and highlighting it.

[suzannaerin]

Originally Posted by amoodygirl

She looks beautiful!

Agree

Ageism is a horrific thing. I have experienced it at work since my 40s and it is worse for females, in my experience. I refuse to have anything cosmetic done to my face, including Botox. I’m proud that my face and neck show my years because not all of my friends have made it to 57. And heck, I remember seeing the moon landing, life before cell phones and the internet and I experienced the bicentennial!

I just wish I had my younger eyes, bones, spine, and muscles....

I have blonde highlights in my hair because there’s still too much brown to make the most of my beautiful natural grey. It’s my one indulgence. I plan to stop having it highlighted in the next few years.

[frogribbit]

Originally Posted by TracyQ

Ellen’s hair looks amazing.

I started dying and highlighting my hair at age 30. I went like clockwork every 5-weeks always booking my next appointment before leaving the salon. I loved how it looked. But it became such a drag. I started resenting all the time and money spent at the salon. By the time I turned 50 I had had enough and stopped cold turkey. You would not believe all the comments I got. My aunts and a few of my co-workers thought I had lost my mind. I was surprised by how many people had an opinion on my hair. My husband turned gray a few years before me and not one person said a word about it.

I’m 56 now and happy with my hair and get a lot of compliments on it. If it ages me oh well. I love being natural. My hair is much healthier now than it ever was when I was dying and highlighting it.

Isn't it amazing what men can get away with. If they go gray or get wrinkles it makes them better looking or distinguished. Women...well they just look old It's infuriating.

[bee]

Wow, if I had known Cindy Joseph died, I had forgotten. Sad to read that.

It is funny how different it is for men. I think the hard part is that growing out stage. I'm so ready to take the plunge but just not sure how to get through that part. Honestly, that may be part of why it's easier for men -- since they never color it in the first place, it just comes in so naturally and gradually it's not as noticeable.

The other thing that bothers me more than the money is the cancer risk. For years I told myself "oh it's probably not that big a deal -- I don't go that often, etc." but I was really just rationalizing.

[suzannaerin]

Originally Posted by frogribbit

Isn't it amazing what men can get away with. If they go gray or get wrinkles it makes them better looking or distinguished. Women...well they just look old It's infuriating.

Yes but who determined that looking old is not beautiful or worthy? Probably the so called beauty industry, and plastic surgeons.

[TracyQ]

Originally Posted by bee

The other thing that bothers me more than the money is the cancer risk. For years I told myself "oh it's probably not that big a deal -- I don't go that often, etc." but I was really just rationalizing.

I didn’t want to bring it up but it was definitely a concern for me.

[laurajhawk]

I have dark brown hair with a fair bit of gray. I've been back & forth with coloring it myself vs letting it be. Recently I started using oVertone Purple for Brown Hair, and everywhere I have gray, it's now bright purple highlights. Where my natural color is still brown, and where previous brown dye is growing out, it still looks mostly brown but there's some purple visible in bright sunlight. It's easy and fun - I realize not everyone can get away with it where they work (or would even want to ) but my workplace is informal and nobody cares. I'm thinking of shifting it toward blue next time I order the color. Just for fun.

[hch]

Originally Posted by carolyn jane

I thought it was against the rules of this forum to discuss an instructor's appearance????

The wording in the Commmunity Guidelines:

Though VFers discuss every aspect of their videos and video instructors, we ask that posters stay away from criticism of a particular instructor's (or cast member's) physique or other qualities that have no bearing on the quality of the workout. Everyone has their own definition of physical beauty, and fit women and men come in all shapes and sizes. Such criticism undermines the inclusiveness of this Forum.

I've seen this guideline invoked against "criticism" that's negative commentary; I've never seen it invoked against the usual kinds of compliments (although I prefer to refrain from those as well).

I do wonder where this thread would've gone if Ellen had what's supposedly the "bad" kind of gray hair. Would we see people commenting "I don't like her hair" more often?

EDITED TO ADD: As one of those who was disappointed in her "skinny woman" talk (I lost interest in her products after that), I wonder if an openness to other hair colors may signal an openness to other physiques.

[Previous message: "Last edited by hch; 01-30-20 at 07:28 PM. Reason: added last paragraph"]