<p>Wait - WHO is Christian Bale’s mother? I thought he was Welsh - so does Google!</p>
<p>It seems like Gloria Steinem is Bale’s stepmother (per Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Minor orthography point for this discussion: In the US your hair turns gray as you age. “Grey,” with an e, is the British spelling of the name of that color (or for the British again: that “colour”).</p>
<p>I plan on coloring my hair until it doesn’t look good on me anymore.</p>
<p>I think of women who look great with gray hair – Jamie Lee Curtis; Meryl Streep’s character in Devil Wears Prada. But I know a friend of ours whose hair went white in her 30s and she wears it very long and straggly – there’s something kind of witchy about it. </p>
<p>Then there’s Nancy Pelosi, whose hair is always natural looking with strategic highlights, and she’s 73.</p>
<p>I am also one who thinks of hair color as a fun accessory or something to make me happy about how I look. When I have my hair foiled I am not thinking I am kidding any one that that is my natural hair color! It is fun to change my hair just like changing my hairstyle or clothes. Gosh, I didn’t even think someone might think I was less authentic. I have a very eclectic group of friends. If everyone was just like me I think I would be pretty bored! ;)</p>
<p>They each have stuff in common with you, while it’s not the same. My group of close friends is very eclectic too, and I think that’s why we like each other, we enjoy diversity :-)</p>
<p>Every single decision we make will be judged by others, so IMHO, the best strategy is not to care too much about what others will think and do what makes us happy.</p>
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Same here. I went gray in my mid-20s and was absolutely not leaving it. Over the years I’ve had lots of fun with the color. I’ve beeen everything from platinum blond to the brightest auburn. My haircolor is never authentic, but it authentically reflects my personality and spirit of adventure.</p>
<p>I don’t agree with hair coloring or not making someone look more or less authentic.</p>
<p>I WAS offended by the comment saying someone with gray hair looked like a witch and needed a mirror.</p>
<p>I am resigned to all the looks older, looks washed out, not as professional comments, but the “does she realize how bad she looks?” implication was a bit much.</p>
<p>Does anyone else have salt and pepper dreds? Well, just a few shakes of salt, and they are actually shoulder length two stranded twists. </p>
<p>I used to have a blond “twa” (teeny weeny afro), clearly a dye job for an African American woman, but as “natural hair” grew more popular, and I had more options, I let both my hair and the dye grow out. I wouldn’t mind a little dye, but it is hard enough just finding someone around here willing to deal with “natural hair”, and chemicals are really hard on some of my hair. Not all of it, but a lot of it. </p>
<p>I wear make up about 5 times a year.</p>
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<p>Yeah, I really think in those instances it is a bad straggly haircut which gives that impression rather than the hair color. Long straggly hair looks bad on any woman, particularly those of a certain age. Not a good look, and yes, a little reminiscent of the witch image.</p>
<p>I figure I’ll stop when I can physically no longer color it, or when I turn 80, whichever comes first!</p>
<p>Some people have a fantastic gray color, like my SIL. She went gray in her early 20s and looks fabulous. I just look washed out.</p>
<p>Re politicians and dying hair: the most powerful female politician in the world, Angela Merkel, dyes her hair and it looks great. In fact, running down the list of other female heads of state–Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Dilma Rousseff–they all color their hair. Hilary Clinton also dyes (sometimes grey, sometimes blond–definitely not natural, though).</p>
<p>NJSue definitely not all of them do, as I said. And thinking it further it seems like gray hair is more common for American politicians. Fascinating, really.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t have thought it was much of a big issue, but I have learned through this thread some people have very strong feelings about it. I’m finding this very interesting, I wonder if some anthropologist has looked into this topic (grey hair in women).</p>
<p>Body modification has been an object of anthropological inquiry for a long time.</p>
<p>I have long straggly hair, salt and pepper, and I have never dyed it and never will. Toxic chemicals near my scalp- no thanks. I guess I’l look like a witch to some of you, but others have complimented me on my hair. I don’t really care what anyone else thinks of it!</p>
<p>^^^^It’s probably not all that straggly if you are getting compliments. </p>
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<p>In any case, I say more power to you!</p>
<p>Perhaps it’s because I’ve never dyed my hair, but I agree with salander and Garland. It’s a bit much to complain when someone says something like women who don’t dye their hair are more authentic after lots of posts saying women who don’t dye their hair look like witches, look washed out, have “let themselves go,” automatically look older, hurt themselves professionally, etc. </p>
<p>I find it absolutely hilarious that anyone would say Nancy Pelosi’s hair looks natural. Hey, she’s always immaculately groomed, but her hair color does not look the LEAST bit natural. I don’t care in the least that she dyes it–it’s a personal choice–and I think she looks professional. But I can’t see how anyone would think that her hair looks natural.</p>
<p>Jonri- Do you not see a distinction between talking about what gray hair LOOKS like and saying that coloring one’s hair says something negative about their CHARACTER (i.e they are less “authentic”)? To me this is quite a distinction. </p>
<p>It is no secret that a youthful appearance helps an older person professionally. So does being fit and healthy. A professional, classy appearance can certainly be attained with gray hair, but for many of us, eliminating the gray goes a long way to leveling the playing field in interviews, etc.</p>
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I didn’t take it as a general comment, but rather a specific comment about a particular woman who has let her hair grow gray and doesn’t otherwise groom it. I know a woman like that. It isn’t because she doesn’t color her hair that I say she has let herself go. It’s because she has let herself go in all aspects of grooming, the ratty looking gray hair is just the most obvious manifestation. But it’s the unshaven legs and pits that skeeve me out.</p>
<p>MOWC,</p>
<p>I understand the distinction you are trying to make, but IMO, it just plain doesn’t fly when you post things like:</p>
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<p>In context “some people” are those with gray hair. </p>
<p>Now, you can claim that your own remarks about those gray -haired folks aren’t about their “character,” but personally I think your remarks are every bit as tactless as those made by salander. </p>
<p>And, zoosermom, the only person I personally know who has unshaven legs and pits at age 60+ dyes her hair. IIRC, there is nothing in the original post about one particular gray haired woman that suggested she was ungroomed in any other way.</p>