Going grey seems to be a big decision for older women. My mum died at 76 and was still dyeing her hair up to a couple of months before. In a society where youth is worshipped, the spoken and unspoken advice to try and look as young as you can for as long as you can, places a lot of pressure on women. Judith of Style Crone here has decided to let her hair go grey; she's in her 70s and found it a difficult decision to take.
I never really thought about grey hair much, until recently. I started dyeing my hair myself in my 40s, mainly to enhance my natural medium brown hair, then to cover some of the grey. I began to get it professionally coloured once a month in my 50s. I remember asking my hairdresser about letting it go grey and she said it was a horrible (her words!) grey at the back and that it takes about 10 years for hair to go white. That put me off, I can tell you. A couple of years later I decided to bite the bullet and go grey because I was sick of worrying about grey roots coming through and sick of paying for having it coloured. I also began to see more and more pictures of older women with grey hair looking fabulous; Emmy-Lou Harris and Jamie Lee Curtis being two wonderful examples. I remember telling someone (a man) I was letting my hair go grey and he said "What do you want to that for?" As if it was a really silly decision...I'm happy to say he's changed his tune now and no, it wasn't my OH!
It's been the best decision, hair wise, I've made in a long time. It was last coloured in December 2014 and it has now been almost 11 months. It's a nice sort of silvery grey at the front and the back is darker. I've worn my hair short since 2009, and, as I have Alopecia Areata I'll be keeping it short. Luckily, I have pretty thick hair, so the bald spots are relatively hidden. I wash and condition it using shampoo and conditioner for grey hair, and get it cut every month. When I wash it, I use a styling smoothing product (it's curly hair with a tendency to frizz) and when it's dry I use Moroccan Argan oil; just two or three drops, and massage it through. This gives a nice shine. I've used the Argan oil for a few years now (tip from same hairdresser who is actually pretty fabulous); I used to buy it on line for about £4.00 but then I saw it in Savers - the very same oil - for 99p! Guess where I buy it now? The instructions on the bottle say to apply it to towel dried hair but I put it on dry hair, I'm nothing if not a rebel! I nearly always wear make up and in particular I wear red lipstick which goes fabulously with grey hair and helps inject a burst of colour into my face because going grey can sap your skin tone, apparently.
If I ever had any doubts about going grey, I no longer do. I have had so many compliments on it often from complete strangers that I bump into in the street or shops or the bank or the charity shops. At a family party in Ireland in the summer a woman, I had never met before, stood beside me at the bar taking photos of my hair on her phone to show her hairdresser! Despite all the compliments, I would still have maintained my grey hair even if I didn't get one compliment because if there's one thing I can't be bothered with as I get older is colouring my hair!
Have you gone grey yet? Do you think you will? Or are you dyeing until you die? Do let me know, I'd be so interested to hear your views.
Wednesday 4 November 2015
Tuesday 3 November 2015
Changing weather!
Talking of red boots - when I went to the food bank this morning, where I volunteer in the warehouse, 3 out of 5 women volunteers were wearing red boots! Coincidence or what? Or do women of a certain age have a penchant for red boots? I know if I could afford to I'd buy the same red boots in a range of colours - I love desert boots, so comfortable....
I nearly forgot the bag.......
Monday 2 November 2015
Vronni's Style Meanderings: This is me!
Vronni's Style Meanderings: This is me!: Hello and welcome to my blog! I've been inspired by reading other blogs particularly those to do with fashion and style and though...
Some recent crochet projects
I've started crocheting again since I retired almost 2 years ago. So far, I've made 12 blanket/throws, a bag and I'm currently working on some crochet heart bunting for my daughter. Then I want to make a couple of cat caves for grandson's 2 cats and then I'll start another throw - an African flower one is what I have in mind. I'll keep you posted! |
This is me!
Hello and welcome to my blog!
I've been inspired by reading other blogs particularly those to do with fashion and style and thought I'd have a go myself. I'm a retired 60+ women with a joy for life. I love reading, art, stylish clothes, food, music, walking and crochet and of course my family!
I have shopped at charity shops more and more as I have got older. It's been about 20 years since I started shopping this way and if I want anything at all (except food!) I now head straight for the charity shops. Where I live in Bedford we have about 15 charity shops in a relatively small area, but I do so enjoy visiting other places and checking out their charity shops too. Charity shopping is exciting - you never know what you're going to find. I also love car boot sales and jumble sales, although I've noticed the jumble sales are dwindling and are pretty infrequent now.
In the photo above, taken at Magheragh Caves in Co. Donegal this summer; my tunic, necklace and gilet are from Irish charity shops. Skinny black jeans from Primarni and shoes from local shoe shop in Bedford.
My style tends to be smart casual as I no longer go to work, so I like tunics over trousers/jeans/leggings, dresses and maxi skirts and the occasional pencil skirt. I have a lot of clothes, mostly charity shopped and at present have vowed not to buy any more clothes until 2016. There are a couple of caveats though - I will buy clothes if they are on the pound rail and if I find something absolutely fabulous!
I've been inspired by reading other blogs particularly those to do with fashion and style and thought I'd have a go myself. I'm a retired 60+ women with a joy for life. I love reading, art, stylish clothes, food, music, walking and crochet and of course my family!
I have shopped at charity shops more and more as I have got older. It's been about 20 years since I started shopping this way and if I want anything at all (except food!) I now head straight for the charity shops. Where I live in Bedford we have about 15 charity shops in a relatively small area, but I do so enjoy visiting other places and checking out their charity shops too. Charity shopping is exciting - you never know what you're going to find. I also love car boot sales and jumble sales, although I've noticed the jumble sales are dwindling and are pretty infrequent now.
In the photo above, taken at Magheragh Caves in Co. Donegal this summer; my tunic, necklace and gilet are from Irish charity shops. Skinny black jeans from Primarni and shoes from local shoe shop in Bedford.
My style tends to be smart casual as I no longer go to work, so I like tunics over trousers/jeans/leggings, dresses and maxi skirts and the occasional pencil skirt. I have a lot of clothes, mostly charity shopped and at present have vowed not to buy any more clothes until 2016. There are a couple of caveats though - I will buy clothes if they are on the pound rail and if I find something absolutely fabulous!
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