Real Gone (GREY) Girl

This is my final blog post as I have finally achieved my GREYT goal!

I lopped off my remaining old colour this week and updated my long hair with long layers. My hairdresser styled the cut by curling the ends. Voile^, transformation complete!

I was surprised by how emotional I became in the salon chair. The old colour was really a symbol for the old me. "Old" ironically pertaining to the colour that was supposedly "youthenising" my appearance. Seeing the remnants of my past lying scattered beneath my feet, waiting to be swept away forever, felt like a long earned achievement. The emotional and psychological process of this journey went deeper than the vanity aspect, that I had presumed ,would be the only issue.

It encompassed both the personal AND the societal aspect of a woman's appearance, most notably at a more "mature" age. My journey showed me that I do have natural self confidence through owning my choice & seeing through my goal no matter the pressures (both perceived, insinuated & direct)  friends, family, professionals, strangers, media & the fashion industry exerted at times.

I've embraced my grey hair. I've embraced my age. I'm actually flaunting it lol. I don't mind anyone knowing how old I am. The mythical "they" can get over it, I did.

The compliments I am now receiving are the icing on the cake. Who doesn't love sincere compliments? But even with none, I am at a place of deep acceptance of me & a really deep place of "don't care" lol.

I love my hair!! It is healthy, swishy, bouncy & long. The colour is all mine and no one else has it. It suits my skin tone perfectly. It is so much easier to maintain and so much cheaper as well. It's GREYT!

Everything Old Is New Again. Or Grey Hair Don't Care.

Winter is here in Oz. Snow caps & silver frost. See where I'm going with this lol.

After updated calculations, there are only 5 inches or 10 months of outgrowth to go.

I am not too fussed about trimming the distant dyed ends during the cold months. I will reward myself & celebrate the return of Spring with a freshen up then. Another 2 inches be gone!

What I am enjoying during the cold weather is discovering that natural coloured long hair on older ladies, looks on trend with mousse and finger tousled waves. It keeps the back of the neck warm also lol. You can top it with a beanie in Winter or Sun hat or cap in Summer. Add some statement earrings and presto you're one fashionable supposedly oldie. Don't forget lashings of very dark mascara to highlight your peepers or fashionable glasses frames. See, aging has its own beauty secrets :)

By this stage of growing out my own silver frosted hair, I have come to like the word "bromage."
That look of the ends dyed a different colour. Ok so my seemingly colour choice is daggy brown but it could still pass as the current hip, cool, style look going off at present lol. Also it has inspired my unorthodox slant on age appropriate style. I mean a few inches of border ends in turquoise or lilac could become the domain of the  long haired grey gang of rebels. We could make it our own sig. Like an ironic twist on the permed and blue rinse set of times gone past. Ah yes fashion. Everything old is new again. Homage to bromage by the older arged...I mean aged.

Compliments have been flowing in line with the flowing locks I unashamedly sport these days. From ladies in their 70s to women in their 30s & 40s. Older men double take & whilst visiting the USA in April a taxi driver became quite attracted toward me and not for tips lol. But back in Oz one young guy was overheard asking his partner waiting at the bus stop as I walked past, would she let her hair grow out grey when the time came? She declined and I didn't take any offence as really I just didn't care. Such is the confidence and freedom that I have achieved for myself through this process. Not sure if the guy was having a go or not, but the fact was he felt drawn enough to my hair colour and length to make a public comment. The other traditional grey styled older ladies received no such commentary from this self styled flannelette wearing fashionista I might add so I am going to take it as I must stand out when I let it all hang out lol. At least I haven't disappeared into that invisible abyss that our youth driven society seems to delegate to seniors. At least little children don't run screaming to their mums when they see me hahah.

As you can read I have pride in my long hair. It is a significant part of my identity. It always has been. Youthful abandon, womanly seductress and now Goddess wisdom. The double whammy of deciding to go grey as well as retain my length has shown me a lot of self truths. It wasn't just a vanity exercise. It has been about commitment, self belief, being true to myself and my values, moving into my next phase of life on my terms and loving myself through my aging process.

Oh what a silver wig we weave when we're patient & believe

It's another quarter since I've updated my blog. I have not trimmed my hair since Sept 2016 so it is due for a good 3 inches of culling, which I intend to do at the beginning of April before I fly overseas for a few weeks.

At this point of my transition to the other side of me I have reached a point of acceptance and what I believe to be an emerging sense of pride in my crowning glory. I have achieved this. Not just the appearance change, but the attitude change. The hair regrowth acceptance & the self acceptance.

My gorgeous 8 yr old Grandson quickly corrected me recently after I jokingly said I was old because I had grey hair. He told me I don't, it's silver. Which made me feel he was just as precious as the metal he described. I proclaim it to be official....I have silver hair.

By this time next year I will have a totally waist length, silver head of hair. Oh how there will be rejoicing in the streets (well in front of my bathroom mirror anyway). How the masses will swoon at my crowning brilliance (well my partner may notice if I hint off enough). Social awareness will be forever uplifted (well my hairdresser will forever give up the notion of getting me to recolour). I shall swish and flick with gay abandon, looking tres chic and confident to all (at least in 1 selfie after many attempts, where the angle & light are just so).

But until then I'll keep spinning & sprouting silver threads at a rate of 1inch per 2 months like a little silk worm.