Silver Sisters Strut

Silver Sisters Strut is a movement that was founded by Diana Jewell the author of a book about going grey. I discovered it from a picture on pinterest which I thought was fabulous – a group of silver haired women with arms linked strutting in Times Square. (Originally from an article by Suzanne de Chillo in The New York Times). They believe in celebrating silver hair; they want to show how grey hair is naturally beautiful, that ageing is glorious. They are the epitome of assured, dynamic women, secure in their beliefs, ageing gracefully and with strength!

Why do so many people, (usually those who have dyed their locks), think that grey hair, particularly long, grey hair makes you look like a crazy witch or a frumpy hippy? How wrong can they be? What is more attractive than showing confidence, acceptance and being comfortable with who you are?

Grey is chic! More and more women are envious of the glamour of grey hair! Think Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren, Jamie Lee Curtis, Judi Dench, even young women are now dying their hair grey to be fashionable. Nicole Richie, Rihanna and Kate Moss have sported the silver trend. Jean-Paul Gaultier, Gareth Pugh and Chanel use grey haired models on the catwalk, Sarah Harris the fashion features director of British Vogue sports long grey hair. If they all endorse grey, I think it is the death of the argument that ‘grey hair is frumpy’… It most obviously isn’t – it is chic, fashionable, glamourous and trendsetting!

They even have hair companies dedicated to grey hair now, e.g. White Hot Hair – I haven’t tried their products but it shows there is a market for it! I normally use Tresemmé moisture rich products or Body Shop ranges: Banana or Rainforest Moisture.

I went natural about 8 or 9 years ago, however, like an ex-smoker, I lapsed once! Funnily enough it was my hairdresser who encouraged me to let my grey hair shine through. I was umming and ahhing about highlights, lowlights, red or blonde, when he said why on earth was I even considering colouring my hair again when my grey was fabulous and that he had clients ready to pay hundreds of euros to have hair my colour! Talk about a jaw-dropping defining moment. Apart from the fabulous compliment, I was shocked that a hairdresser would do himself out of regular money – let’s face it the cost of dyeing and highlighting is astronomical when you add it up, not to mention how hideous we look when the roots start to show, as well as having to waste hours every couple of months having it touched up.

So now I am two-tone! A lovely silver on top and darker underneath. At the moment I am sporting a slightly layered look – to emphasise the two-tone. Well, as they say, if you’ve got it, flaunt it! 😉

Personally I think having a really good cut is preferable, but that is probably because I have incredibly thick hair which grows like a weed. When I have a short cut, it needs trimming every three weeks to keep in shape otherwise it looks like a cross between a hedge and a hedgehog – not exactly glamourous! When my hair is longer I can go 2 or 3 months between trims.

Another practical reason for joining the Silver Sisters is hair condition. Grey hair is normally much coarser and wirier so if you then add dye to it, excessive strawlike appearance is frequently difficult to avoid!

So are you going to join me? Show off your crowning glory of splendid silver grey hair? I would never go back. In fact, I feel better and more confident now, with my natural grey hair colour, than I did with all those years of dyeing and highlighting. I feel I am no longer hiding behind a painted picture. It is the real authentic me that you see and it gives me more strength to go out there and embrace new opportunities.

Become a fabulous, confident Silver Sister!