4.28.2009

The Hair's the Thing

The hair is the richest ornament of women.
~ Martin Luther

2009 will go down in the annals of Janey Time as a very significant period – it’s going to be the year during which…

... I ran a half-marathon (I figure if I verbalize this at every point possible, then it will be more likely to become reality) and will be in the best physical shape of my life. November, y’all. Mark your calendars.

...I write and create like a fiend. I’ve been working on my book, started last year during NaNoWriMo, but have been keeping it to myself. For the moment.

… I went au natural.

I’m stopping coloring my hair and going grey. (What did you think I meant? Heh.)

That’s right. No longer a slave to the dye am I.

And What Lies Beneath the decades of color is a mystery for the ages.

My hairstylist estimates I’m probably 70 percent grey. If my roots are any indication, that’s probably pretty close to accurate. I've been coloring my hair since I was 19 years old, which is when I saw my first grey appear. That's 25 years of dye. Of all sorts of shades and hues. Wow.

I’m ready for it.

Premature greyness runs in my family. My mother, aka the original Laura Petrie, has a head of gorgeous platinum hair which she’s sported since her late 30s/early 40s. And I suspect my maternal granddaddy, who passed when he was in his early 40s, is the root of this genetic trait. Pun intended. (Please. Have we just met?)

Took some piccies over the weekend of myself that I actually liked. Didn’t delete or run away screaming. A big part of that is the fact that I’m feeling good about ME (yay!) But I noticed (as did a couple of other people near and dear to me) that my untinted roots made me look not-half-bad. Which got me to thinking… which in itself can be a scary thing. But this time, I used my powers for good instead of mischief...

As is my want, I’ve been doing some internet browsing about this subject. The terms “liberating” and “unconventional” kept popping up in articles with comments from women who had gone grey.

Both terms I embrace and welcome.

If it’s good enough for Helen Mirren (between her grey hair and rockin’ bikini body, she is my idol for all time and who I want to be when I grown up) and Emmylou Harris, it’s good enough for me.


And because you know I use music to celebrate the moments of my life (International Coffees be damned), I pulled together a mini- playlist for the occasion.

Touch of Grey


You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman



Hair


Stage One: Grass Roots


Hair brings one's self-image into focus; it is vanity's proving ground. Hair is terribly personal, a tangle of mysterious prejudices.
~ Shana Alexander

7 comments:

bronsont said...

I applaud your courage, mrs bronsont frosted hers, till the grey took care of it and I'm thinking there is a little reverse frosting going on now.

Maybe the money you save not coloring could go to a worthy cause, like maybe **March of Dimes** :)

Marissa said...

I have often stated that if I could rock the JAmie Lee Curtis cropped 'do I would go au naturale. Since my uber fluffy body isn't complemented by such a skull hugging hairstyle, I am keeping the coloring .. at least for now. I, too, applaud your courage to just say to hell with it. I was so excited to see current photos of you posted. You are a beautiful woman. period.

Anonymous said...

Loving the look so far!

perpstu said...

I think you are going to be beautiful! I can't wait to see the results!

TopSurf said...

This is excellent. YOU have to do what makes you feel good. Judging from the photo up there, you are going to look fabulous (as usual)! I can't wait to see it when it's all grown out!

Mitchypoo said...

I have done the going to gray thing and I'm so glad I did. But my hairstylist helped me go from a dyed auburn/red head with roots to a platinum blond/gray. She was able to make the transition much less painful. It is possible. Now I go in for highlights but I never have roots.

hotfish said...

Ahh you brave soul you! I will be wearing a wig when my hair start to fall out due to excessive covering up of gray. (Any day now really)