Ronna Benjamin
When I think of the color gray, I think of fog- dense, moist, miserable, and impenetrable. Gray is dull, conservative, drab. Gray reminds me of mice, sharks, and old style garbage cans. Gray, my friends, is depressing. Is there anything good that is gray? I can’t think of one. Ok, maybe dolphins.
Silver is another story altogether. Silver is glamorous and exciting. It is shiny, bright, modern, high tech. It is the color of jewelry and the chrome on our boat, which reflects the water and sun and makes me happy. Silver lights the way to the future.
And so, I choose to see my new hair color as silver, never gray. It’s all how you frame it. Had I not been forced into this change by a few rounds of chemotherapy, I would no doubt still be blond. I had been dyeing my hair blond for as long as I could remember, and I never would have been bold, brave or confident enough to stop dyeing it. But now that I have silver hair, I’m beginning to like it, and it’s not just because it is better than having no hair at all.
Here’s why:
- My daughter told me it actually makes me look younger. Her exact words were, “it’s not so bleached out and stringy.” There’s a lot of my mother in that girl.
- People smile at me more. I have no idea why this is, but I swear, it is true.
- The last time I went to the salon (for just a little trim) it cost me $25.00! HA!
- The last time I went to the salon (for a little trim) I was out in 20 minutes! HA!
- Silver is green. I am quite happy not to be putting toxic chemicals on my head or into the world.
- Silver is sophisticated, and with an edgy haircut, it can be funky.
- Silver is powerful- silver haired people definitely get more respect (young people assume I did something to earn that color.)
- Silver goes with most of my jewelry.
- Going silver is a great way to challenge beauty standards—I feel like such a rebel.
- With silver hair, I don’t look like most of my other friends. I stand out in a crowd.
- My hair and my eyebrows coordinate for the first time in decades.
- My hair feels better without all the chemicals, and I know it is happier.
- I don’t worry about swimming in chlorine or in salt water…I’m free!
- Special silver shampoo is blue (how cool is that?)
- Not one of my friends has suggested that I dye it again. That must mean something…
- I don’t have to plan my life around my color appointment.
- I get more compliments on my hair than I ever did.
- ‘Cause it makes me feel… like a na-tu-ral woman (thanks, Aretha.)
Are you rocking the silver? Let’s see it! Tweet your look with the hashtag #BA50srockinthesilver, or if you’re not tweeting (get with it, grandma) upload it to the comment section below (right below where it says, “Post Comment”)
P.S. Here’s a great look for summer…wear multiples (3-5) of these funky, handmade silver beaded bracelets– Fair Trade, made my women in Nepal, and available (of course) on shopBA50.
