"These happy golden years are passing by, these happy golden years." Laura Ingalls Wilder

Friday, March 21, 2008

Going, Going, Gray


Some of you will think I'm nuts ... but I'm about to embark on a journey that will find out what the true color of my hair is. Of course, I know it's got a lot of gray in it ... but I'm curious as to HOW much gray there be! I'm a bit tired of keeping up with the continuous touch ups ... not to mention the drain in my wallet. Hollywood has been knocking at the doors of the everyday housewife and career woman young and old for the past fifty years ... youth has run amuck and I'm crying foul. Slavery was defeated years ago and I'm going to put down the box of Lady Clairol in preference for my natural state of age. This does not mean that Mrs. Mac is going to "let herself go." I've seen plenty of stylish gray haired women that can pull off the graceful aging gig. I don't plan on sporting pink or blue hair ... nor shall I cut it short and have a perm. Just wait and see ... along with me. If I never post a picture of myself again ... well, you will know that this experiment has failed! ... stay tuned, maybe not, eh?


22 comments:

Amrita said...

U 've got a dew strands of grey which I disguise with henna or color.

Waiting for a picture.

Maria Stahl said...

Okay, how exactly are you going to do this? Just bite the bullet and let it all grow out? I'm contemplating the same thing but I'm not brave enough to commit to the months and months of three-toned hair (overdyed dark brown ends, fading dyed red-brown middle, muddy grey roots still with a little brown in there somewhere). Plus my hair is finally long again, so there's a LOT to grow out!

what's your strategy?

Jim said...

Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Don't do it!

My old song, "Don't do it!"

Mrs. Jim did, I didn't say much, but it wasn't pretty!
Some people have pretty white hair, she didn't. If mine was nice and white, I would be glad. I would even use a Blue Rinse to make it show off. But,it isn't pretty!

Any way, she will remain like she is, for her. Not for me, but I sure am glad too.

'Just tellin' you.
..

Terry said...

Ha!!
It sure ain't a pretty sight for sure Jimmie!!!
On ME that is but I have always been a tight wad!
Anyways...I earned every one of these whire hairs that I got. Seems to me about a year later after I married Bernie that is when they started! And when the job was finished it was when Bernie drove me to the BC mountians by motorcycle.!!
I was COMPLETELY white after that episode!!!


Mrs. Mac, you would look nice whatever you did with your hair...just don't go bald!!Love Terry

MarmiteToasty said...

:) its when ya grow ya hair out and ya have this line around ya head, where ya half grey and half coloured LMFAO.....

Do whatever tickles ya fancy.....

You will still be you whatever you decide...

x

JeanC said...

I've been contemplating coloring my hair again as the gray is getting lot's more noticeable. I think I will leave my hair it's natural color and just get it cut.

I've also requested that book via interlibrary loan as it looks like a good read.

Louise said...

I decided a long time ago to let nature take its course with my hair and right now I'm salt & peppered pretty good.

Years ago I had it colored but didn't like the upkeep that was involved. Too much time & money trying to hide what God meant me to have. My husband likes me this way and I enjoy the ease of caring for it. I have short hair as longer hair makes me look way older than I am. I talked with a friend just last night who's also letting her hair go natural. She's colored her hair for 30 years!

Pantene makes a shampoo that makes grey/greying hair look nice ... Silver Expressions is the name.

If you don't like it, you can also go back to coloring your hair. Ya won't know if you don't try. Have fun with it. I do.

gramma_s said...

The dictionary meaning of hoary is; gray or white, with or as if, with age.

"The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of rightousness." Proverbs 16:31

O, I forgot..... the second meaning of hoary is................
very old: ancient. :-)

It's a good thing I have hid or I might be afraid if you found me.

Bay Views said...

This story reminds me of one of the roasts that was done a few years ago.They were roasting Lucille Ball at the time. The speaker,I can't remember who, said,"Lucy is planning to die her hair back to it's original color ... If she could only remember what it was." It made her spit out her drink and brought down the house. Now I remember, It was Dean Martin.

Anonymous said...

Dearest Little Daughter,

No matter what color your hair is, you will still be the beautiful, loving little girl I gave birth to.
You have been a constant source of joy and happiness to your dad and I. I was just about your age when I went from blonde to grey. I have never been sorry. I love the color of my hair (almost silver) and hopefully yours will be similar. Find yourself a good style that frames your pretty face and enjoy your freedom!!

Love, hugs, and kisses,
Mom

Felisol said...

Dear Mrs.Mac,
I guess each person should have the freedom to do what she (!)likes in the matter of hair and clothing.
Men never seem to care anyway, at least about their own look.
I have made no secret of me coloring my hair for fourteen years now.
My hair turned gray in a week when my daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy.
I chose a sparkling red color for some years. Now my daughter have been free from medication for two years and my hair has landed on about the blond shade I had in my youth.
Give or take a few grades.
There are so many things I cannot alter, my poor eyesight the many wrinkles and oh, the fight against the weight.
As long as it doesn't do my body harm, I guess I'm going to bring some light into my life..
(But then I am not a stylish, classy American lady as yourself. I guess you'll keep on being a woman of sophistication whatever color, just like the woman fronting the book.)

Happy Easter
from Felisol

Jada's Gigi said...

You'll probably turn out to be one of the beautiful ones..sigh...:)

Jim said...

Felisol is pretty close, most women do their looks for other women. Is it for competition, for admiration, or just to be attractive? I like to think it is the last.
..

Jim said...

Forgot, Happy Easter!
..

Mrs. Mac said...

So Jim, how much time did your wife give to growing out her hair? You know, it takes about a whole year to 'recover' from the process. There are many 'ugly duckling' days before the beauty of the swan appears ;)

Keep an eye out for some of the silver beauties that are popping up in more and more advertisements! We have to change the perception of gray as an 'old age ugly color' to a reality that with gray most times comes wisdom, freedom from slavery, all things old are new again, etc;) Now what's wrong with that, I ask you?

Pat said...

You go girl! At least give it a try, you never know how much you will like it (or dislike it!) till you try.
As the daughter of a woman who was still dying her hair at 85, I can't see myself going gray right now - like mother like daughter, at least where hair color is concerned!
As for not getting a perm...now that would be freedom to me....just curl it up and pick it out, no more curling iron and blow dryer!

Anonymous said...

My hair is its natural colour right now... two shades from black, with auburn highlights. Grey hairs show up more in dark hair... to me at least. Mine looks sparkly with silver to me, and I inherited my father's narrow tuft of grey above one eye. But at almost 55, I have so little grey that others have to look closely to see it.

I wonder if I will be like my maternal grandmother, who never went completely grey, but whose dark hair simply faded over time to a light brown laced with silver.

Maggie Ann said...

I think you'll like it. Grey hair with a stylish cut is beautiful in my opinion. Mine is chin length and will be natural forever I do believe. Mom had wonderful grey/silver hair. I hope I will too. Oh dear, that sounds vain but you know what I mean. And like you said, a good cut is really important. I look so much better with a little layers around my face than pulled back tightly. It took me all these years to learn that and a great beautician. Love that pic on the book by the way...oh thats classy. I admire you for setting your course full steam ahead...ala natural...=)

Anonymous said...

DO IT!! You will look fabulous!!

Here is some inspiration:

www.goinggrayblog.com

Keep us posted!!!

IamTheXanaxQueen said...

Go for it!-- but a tip ......to avoid those ugly duckling stages u referred to to jim..try this...let it grow out about an in or so( uuuggh the thought) and lQqk at the color real good and color ur whole head the closest to that color- then from there just let it grow out

Bailey said...

If my salt and pepper were attractive I'd let it stay. But right now it just looks so blah and really ages me. Maybe when I'm more gray.....much more.

My Mom's hair is black so the silver looks amazing. I didn't get lucky e she has.

Even my gray looks washed out.

Until then I think I'll try a weave.

I'd love to see pictures as you progress though. :)

Tammy and Parker
www.prayingforparker.com

Corvus Fluff said...

I started the process in January after 30 years of hair dye. I think you will appreciate this website: http://goinggraylookinggreat.com/