Gray Hair Isn't a Sign You've Given Up

It's all kinds of wrong that when a man has gray hair, he can sometimes be catapulted to sexy and seasoned status. Salt and pepper makes him look distinguished. George Clooney is the perfect example. But if a woman has gray hair, she's labeled as not caring about herself anymore. Dye it! people shout! Pluck them out! others scream! It makes you look old, many think.

No wonder women have so many beauty aisles of products dedicated to changing the natural way we look. There is this standard that we perpetuate -- myself included -- on looking just so. High heels so we are taller. Push-up bras so our breasts look bigger. Makeup so our features are more pronounced. Shape-wear so we are skinny. And hair dye so we look younger.

I've stopped caring what people think about my grays, but I haven't given up on myself at all.

Most of my gray hair is at my temples. I have long hair and if I wear my hair up, you can see a lot of them. They seem to multiply by the day. If I did want to dye my hair to keep them hidden, it would become an expensive quest. I'd rather spend that money on face wash -- clear skin is the key to looking young in my opinion. I almost want my silver locks to continue growing in this way -- the chunks would look really neat against my dark hair. Like tinsel. Who doesn't love tinsel? Kind of like Stacy London of TLC's What Not to Wear -- love her gray streak!

Then there is the all-over gray seen on the incredibly talented Emmylou Harris. What a beautiful lady. You can't say this woman "let herself go."

And then check out this photo I found. Gray on purpose. With blonde and dark low lights. Love the look!

Of course if you want to hide the silver, then go for it. But for those of us with gray who don't want to, we should embrace it. Salt and pepper is sexy on a woman but we have to own it. Like Lady Gaga did. Like Katie Holmes. I'm letting my grays loose for the world to see! It feels very rock and roll, very carefree and one with nature, very I am woman, my grays will roar at you if you scoff at them.

Do you embrace your grays? Or do you hate the way they look on you? Do you feel it makes you look older?

Image via ultrakickgirl/Flickr; TLC; weeklydig/Flickr; CMYKcolours/Flickr