Stop Coloring Your Hair?

Sitting outside and collecting my thoughts at a local restaurant last summer, I was upset with myself for chickening out! My intent on this Friday night was to head straight to my hair salon, get a pixie cut,  preempting the struggle of growing my hair color out to its oh-natural roots. Instead, I was eating a cheeseburger and drinking a beer.

Six months later, I finally stopped coloring my hair. It’s not even gray underneath. It is almost white. I feel so free.

As I was sitting stuffing my face with french fries, I watched women pass by my table. I started conducting NYC street research. My question, why did some women look great with their natural gray/white hair, either long or short. and of course, what was going wrong when it is not working?

So, two beer later and darkness setting in, I came up with my answer.

I noticed many women with short uncolored hair looking matronly, yet others in the same age bracket looked full spirited and modern.

I noticed some women with long gray/white hair. Personally, I have long hair and one of my fears was to end up looking like a witch character as I age. Some of these women were not pulling it off, yet some were. Why?

Style!!!

From my point of view, it is all about how these women dressed. I am not talking expensive designer brand outfits, over quaffed and over polished anything. I am talking about the art of throwing on a few pieces that work for her figure, add maybe a scarf or a stylish pair of sun glasses.

Specifically, when women were pulling this natural look off, they had confidence and style executed, with what looks like, just a little effort. It seemed to me, these women know their bodies and how to style their specific shape.

The bottom line is “Style”. If you don’t have it, how do you catch it? Can you find it? Does it rub off from other women? Can you hug perfect stylish strangers and be transformed? Is it expensive to buy or is someone giving it away?

Well, style, to me is an artistic expression of who you are. Some people have a more creative side and it is easy for them to whip that scarf around their neck and run out the door like the entire female population of France. Others look at magazines, get their colors charted and stand in front of their mirror staring in confusion and uncertainty.

Even though I own my own women’s clothing boutique in New York City, I must admit I am a lazy dresser. I am a busy business owner. My day can be very physical and I cannot be constrained by my clothing. I am getting older. My hair is growing out white. I hide my aging skin like everyone else and I am coming to terms with the aging process.

Honestly, I believe the simpler the better. The right shape of clothing for your figure is so important, a touch of color and wear nothing so tight it is straining your body. As we age our skin become looser and even if you are in great shape, skimming your body with fabric generally is a good idea.

Color can be a good idea around your face. Gray/whited hair can wash out face color, so use a touch of makeup if you wear it, a colorful scarf or necklace around your neck and a dash of women attitude will pull it all together.

Open a magazine. follow a few middle age women blogs and discover your new body. Keep checking on it. It will not stop changing, so keep up with your body instead of ignoring it and you will be ahead of the game.

I don’t know if I will love my white hair. If I hate it, I can always color it again, but right now it is like a science experiment. Every morning, I look in the mirror to see how my white skunk line is growing. For me, It is kind of fun!

So, all said and done, I want to look like one of those stylish older women on the streets of New York who seems to just throw on a few things, run their hands through their hair and dash out the door. I think maybe you do too!