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Saturday, May 15, 2010

The Old Gray Mane, She Ain't What She Used To Be

Yes, you read it right.  Not mare--mane--hair, locks, crowning glory! 
 I must make a confession:
My name is Connie and I have gray hair!  There, I said it.

I started going gray a few months after I got married! hmmmm...
At the age of 30, I was sitting in church with my 5 kids; another hmmmm...when the man behind me leaned up and asked, "How could someone so young have so much gray hair?"  I thought it was a joke so I said, "I don't know, how?"  Of course, the butt of the joke was me and I started coloring my hair.  I colored the heck out of it!

If I wasn't using Nice 'n Easy, I was sitting in a chair at the beauty college for most of the day or spending beaucoup money to let a professional color it.   However, the thought of going gray definitely was not appealing;  especially when I was told by a friend that if I was gray, I'd look "a hundred years old"!

The gray roots became more prevalent.  When I was outside with the wind blowing, I'd feel self-conscious about my roots being revealed (as if they weren't noticeable before the wind tousled my hair).  Covering the gray became a bane to my existence.

 I talked about it with my friend and co-worker, Miss Karen, and she encouraged me to go au natural!  One day, when I arrived at school, I noticed she had plastered magazine pictures of gray haired women in the room. 




Me--"Karen, what's this?"

Karen--"Celebrities who have gray hair!"


Me--"Jessica Tandy?" "Bea Arthur?" "They're 30 years older than me! Of course they have gray hair!"


Alas, I decided to take the plunge. With great trepidation, I went to my beautician for a hair cut. After telling her what I had decided to do; she stripped the color out of my hair. I was blonde with gray roots! I arrived home, toting my new do. After 3 hours, with nothing being said by my husband, I asked him if he noticed my hair. He replied, "Yes, but I didn't know what you wanted me to say!" (smart man)

It took a few months to grow out completely.  I've had days when I've come this close to re-coloring; then the feeling of freedom takes over and makes me realize that I don't want to be tied to the bottle again!

Looking 100 years old never felt so liberating! 




Karen may have been the added shove needed to take the plunge,
but I think this was really my inspiration!


If you know the movie, I'll send some leftover hair color your way!

33 comments:

Kristina P. said...

You wear it well. I have seen women with really mousy gray hair, and it looks horrible. But yours is pure. Not mousy at all.

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

I think you are beautiful!
My hubs started going gray on his mission. By the time he was 30 there wasn't much black left. He's now pure white without a single wrinkle!
I'm still coloring mine. I have taken some courage from you however!

Alexandra said...

Yes, but you can pull it off.

Others really can't.

I've heard it's liberating, but you've got to be able to work it.

You are one of those...that's why It think your beautician suggested it.

On some people, it just looks old and frumpy and unkempt.

Cheeseboy said...

Ah yes. the gray. I am starting to go a little gray... at 34. I have lots of hair though so you win some and you lose some.

I think a little gray can be quite attractive on a lady.

Jenny said...

Here I am trying to decided if I should take the plunge and start coloring my hair. You have given me reason to rethink that idea!

Love Grey, it is beautiful.

Christine Jensen said...

Why color it when you have such great Gray? Your hair looks awesome (I too have been going gray since I was about 21!)

Brenda said...

Your hair is beautiful! I think you look better than some of those "celebraties" too! I must confess...my beautician daughter helps me out with my color job. So how old were you when you decided to quit dyeing your hair?

Anonymous said...

Oh, Connie, it looks GOOD on you! You don't look near 100!! I don't have human kids (except my students) and I swear that's why I am staring down 40 in a few years without much gray to speak of. I always ask my mom when she went gray and she will never answer, since she didn't go gray. She went blond. I hope someday soon she will do what you have done. There is such beauty and dignity in owning your wisdom like that! Plus, I have such fond memories of how beautiful my grandmother was before she passed away much too young... I've inherited her beautiful curls and have a fondness for the natural look because of it.

gigi said...

It's really hard for me to imagine you any other color! I think it is so beautiful. Everyone should be so lucky ;) You go gurllll!

Julie Harward said...

I am getting some this year! And I don't mind, it just mixes in with the rest...and you look just as smashing as they do! Come say hi :D

Connie said...

Brenda,
It's been less than 3 years since I stopped coloring my hair. Still a shock when I see my reflection.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

you are a brave woman. My husband starting grey in his 20s. For the last 10 years or so, I have to dye his hair. It is quite a hassle, what to do? the world worships youth,

Kimmie said...

You are just beautiful Connie, you just radiate beauty and have the more gorgeous eyes and smile. Beauty is so much more than hair color!!

Tracy and I had a good laugh at one of Jade's track meets. We were sitting behind a bunch of "Trendy moms" (moms in their 40's who are trying to look like teenagers with all the newest hip and in style clothes and jewelry and hairstyles). Anywho, it was a windy day and the wind was blowing all of our hair all over the place and everyone of those women's bottom roots were showing off their grey hair underneath so nicely. It was funny and we kept chuckling to ourselves.

I agree that when I start going grey, I don't want to be tied to a bottle either and so I will just be "au-natural" as well.

BTW...Tracy's mom is 70 and refuses to give up the hair-dye and she has to deal with it every 2-3 weeks. We just roll our eyes and say "if you want to go to all that work, go for it, but we, want to LIVE LIFE with as much "non-stress" as possible".

It's wonderful to celebrate what you HAVE, not what you don't have!!

Happy Sunday and hope your week is WONDERFUL!! I'm sure it's countdown time for you only a little bit longer until schools out and summer vacation begins!

Kelly said...

Brave and bold of you! Think how much healthier your hair will be without all that coloring. I think it looks great!

The Jones Fam said...

Congratulations for staying off the bottle. Maybe there's even a 12-step program for recovering root-dyers you could join... or start your own! You're so wonderful. I feel liberated just reading your blog!

Jake

Brenda said...

You look BEAUTIFUL! Way to go!

Tracy said...

I really LOVE it!! It seems to fit your cute personality.

Something Special said...

I am sure I will have to do something someday. I am getting really tired of coloring my hair too. I have had Dk Brown hair all my life and have been coloring my hair for about 18 years already. My roots are all gray so I color often.

Amy said...

You do pull off gray well! Way to go!

I've been coloring my hair now for several years. My hubby (Andy) colors it for me. My kids find this comical...me too. However, when Andy found out how much I spent at the salon doing it, he volunteered. I sometimes I do it myself, but watching him put on those rubber gloves really makes my day.

Camille said...

You're gorgeous! And look at that flawless skin!

I'm going to go out on a limb and say "House on Haunted Hill"?

Yvonne said...

I think you are beautiful.

LOL at your hubby's comment--and yes, a VERY smart man ; )

Barbaloot said...

I like the gray---and I like that it's natural. I used to color my hair all the time in high school and one day I got sick of it and just decided to quit. It took about 3 years, but the blond finally all grew out and now it's been 7 years since I've touched my hair with color. It's great!

vanessa said...

Oh you should not worry you wear gray very very beautifully! You are a beautiful woman you!

Darla said...

Connie I keep telling you it is sliver not gray and you look stunning! Not a day over 50 :-D

Kerin said...

You are beautiful!
I think you would look terrific if your hair were pink with purple spots!! :)
Have a terrific day!

Mike and Marianne Grant said...

I keep threatening to stop the Nice and Easy but my third grader (9) told me that it wouldn't be fair to him to have a mom who looked old. So I am 46 and have been hiding those roots for 18 years. I guess I will keep it up for another 9 years.

wendy said...

Connie, I think your grey hair is beautiful. seriously, IF I thought for one minute I could be a gorgeous grey --I'd do it.
It would be so nice to not have to fuss/color your hair ---NOT THAT I DO, JUST SAYING, tee, hee

So wear it proudly, you look great.
My sister is letting her hair just go grey too and I think she will look just fine.

I can't seem to take that plunge yet though. I don't think my color would be a lovely grey like YOURS

Melissa Miller said...

Connie! That is just wonderful! You should embrace your classic and elegant gray hair. Bravo for you! I think you look gorgeous and your eyes are beautiful too. It has always appeared to be sophisticated to me. Loved Meryl Streep with it The Devil Wears Prada.

Thank you for your sweet compliment on my weight loss! You made my night my friend.

*Blessings & Smiles* ~Melissa :)

The Pettit Family said...

I laugh out loud every time I read your blog. Thanks for sharing your great stories.

Valerie said...

Ahhh... Gray is Gorgeous! It looks gorgeous on you!!

Lindsey Whiting said...

Connie I love it! I was just looking at Jill face's blog and saw your link...you probably don't remember me, from Remedez, Lindy, Lindsey. I was an esthetician there and I always called you, "Corinne." anyway, I love your hair, you are absolutely gorgeous!

CB said...

I to think you are beautiful Connie - And I know you in the real life!! Yahoooo!!

Seriously though, your gray is beautiful and you definately wear it well.
Not everyone has pretty gray hair. Does that make sense. Some looks stringy, or yellowed, but you are a beauty my friend.

Great post!

Heather said...

I think you look great with your natural hair color! I use to dye mine but I don't any more. People are used to seeing me as a blonde. But I don't have the time or the money for it anymore. Plus like you said, I love the freedom!