Grey hair: men=hot women=old???????

I agree with packrat. Too much makeup or any sort of plastic surgery is a turnoff for me. And for me, too much makeup = if I can tell you're wearing makeup, it's too much.

citrine, I think there is a ton of pressure on girls with respect to their appearance, and it really makes me sad and concerned for my 5 year old daughter. She is beautiful and I tell her that regularly, but I also try to make sure to complement her on her positive inner qualities as well - she is smart, friendly, nice, funny, etc. But I think it is a losing battle between her peers, TV, magazines, etc. that she will be exposed to more and more as she gets older.

2Cor521
 
Meadbh said:
Cheer up girls, hair colour for men is now the norm, or at least acceptable. I see it all the time. For example, septuagenarian Rupert Murdoch, who just bought Dow Jones, colours his hair brown.
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Trump, Murdoch, & Branson could hypothetically attract the world's most skilled & experienced hair-support specialists. The results speak for themselves.

If someone (man or woman) is unattractive then gray hair (or lack thereof) won't make a bit of difference. All that money devoted to hair color could probably be more profitably spent on personality modification, proper nutrition, & exercise.

Gray hair makes an attractive woman even more attractive-- it's a signal of someone who's learned stuff and could teach me a thing or two. Someone who actually remembers [-]Nixon & Ford, let alone the name of the fifth Beatle[/-] [insert your age-appropriate cultural references here], and who could hold up their end of the post-whatever conversation.

I wouldn't waste the time on hair color even if Heather Locklear showed up on my doorstep with free samples. I can't tell if my hair's going gray or just getting bleached out by the sun & surf... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
 
Sandy said:
part of the same phenomena: men get distinguished and women get old.

To quote my kids "It's not fair!!!"
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It is much worse than that.
To your kids, 40 year old is ancient regardless of your hair color or gender.
 
Could be worse...

Anyone worried about graying hair has clearly never undergone the joyous experience of premature balding. When your hair starts to desert you in droves, you'll gladly take any color hair you can get.
 
You people are terrific! On any other website, even those geared towards baby boomers, I don't think you'd find that many women and men who find gray hair acceptable. Is it that some of us never completely lost our inner hippie (and Citrine, you count as an honorary member in this category, even though you weren't around during the Summer of Love!)? That we still are somewhat counter culture? Better values? Too cheap for the $100+ good salon color costs?:D

And I'm not completely convinced that a lack of gray makes anyone look young. There is a type of red (I know this doesn't include you, Moemg) that is seen only on older women (and very often in Florida). And even good color jobs seem to lack the different tones of naturally colored hair, although this is especially prevalent in men, with that black shoe polish look. Just like plastic surgery can make people less wrinkled, but they still don't look young.

Happy2BeRetired and Sue J, I'm in the same category. I was actually looking to a full head of glorious (I hoped!) gray and instead it's just some white strands mixed in with mostly brown. This is not what I expected with my genetics!

Thanks for starting this thread, OrchidFlower.
 
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[
And I'm not completely convinced that a lack of gray looks anyone look young. There is a type of red (I know this doesn't include you, Moemg) that is seen only on older women (and very often in Florida). ]

I know that color red and it's not on my head .I'm an auburn red .That's more a lucy red .
 
tangomonster said:
You people are terrific! On any other website, even those geared towards baby boomers, I don't think you'd find that many women and men who find gray hair acceptable. Is it that some of us never completely lost our inner hippie (and Citrine, you count as an honorary member in this category, even though you weren't around during the Summer of Love!)? That we still are somewhat counter culture? Better values? Too cheap for the $100+ good salon color costs?:D

..
Thanks for starting this thread, OrchidFlower.
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Sorry to be the shallow one but I think grey hair = grandmother = not sexy.

Now of course there are exceptions, Sophie Loren at 73 looks fantastic even with grey hair (although she did dye her hair to pose for the Pirelli calendar.)

I have no clue why woman find grey hair sexy, I am just thankful having had salt pepper (more salt) since 40 that they do.

I think part of the blame has to be with woman. Most woman dye their hair until sometime in there 50s or even later, while most men don't dye their hair ever. I think men are conditioned to see grey hair on woman and think really old, where as you see the ocassional young male star with grey hair. For example Taylor Hicks.
 
clifp said:
Sorry to be the shallow one but I think grey hair = grandmother = not sexy.
I have no clue why woman find grey hair sexy, I am just thankful having had salt pepper (more salt) since 40 that they do.
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It's because you remind them of their grandfathers... or else it's because of the size of your, uhm, portfolio.
 
tangomonster said:
That we still are somewhat counter culture? Better values? Too cheap for the $100+ good salon color costs?:D

At $7/haircut at the base; 2.5 months/haircut - $100 is about 3years of haircuts for me.



There is a type of red (I know this doesn't include you, Moemg) that is seen only on older women (and very often in Florida).

I was shopping at the commissary 2 hours ago and I saw what must have been the red you were talking about. It was an orangy-red with streaks on a woman about 55-60 yo with a large tattoo on her left shoulder. It was not a pretty sight.
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Interesting discussion! As an aging boomer who just turned 61 I am just about all gray. My hair started turning prematurely in my early 30's.

Yes, I guess we guys look more distinguished as we become gray but if you look like a silver fox and have air between your ears and the personality of a houseplant what good will the hair do?

I'm just hoping my gray hair dosesn't fall out during these chemo treatments. If it does then bald is beautiful
baby.

2soon2tell
 
I read the OP's referenced article.
Which is like reading the instructions before assembly, not recommeded.
The loosely interpreted conclusion was based on a survey by Match.com.
Firstly, young handsome guys don't need Match.com and they don't have time to find out what the other side is looking for.
Duh, older single guys can be goaded into thinking young babes find them attractive and immediately sign up at Match.com and check the box for partners half their age.

"1. They accumulate power and status in the form of money and position"

But if she is attracted to his appreciating assets.
And he is appreciates her attractive assets also.
Then all is good.
I don't regret my shallow years.
 
My family is contrary: my mother didn't dye her hair but my father did.

I've heard that strange red dye color referred to as "change of life red".
 
yakers said:
whitestick dude, what'a pick up line:cool:
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To remove all doubt, my DW knows this, as I express this constantly to her, as an affirmation of my feelings toward her. Now, if the discussion turns to length of hair, that's when I lose all my points. I prefer a woman's hair to either be shoulder bone length, or waist length. Preferably the latter. I've heard all the arguments of the time and trouble it takes to care for it at that length, but heck, I'll help brush it, after all, I'm the one enjoying it.>:D
Not that I've had much luck in convincing her of going to that length.
 
Martha said:
Come here Cliffy, kiss grandma. :-*
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Your wish is my command mistress. Who knows plenty of sexy grandmothers in their 40s, but none with grey hair!
 
citrine, I think there is a ton of pressure on girls with respect to their appearance, and it really makes me sad and concerned for my 5 year old daughter. She is beautiful and I tell her that regularly, but I also try to make sure to complement her on her positive inner qualities as well - she is smart, friendly, nice, funny, etc. But I think it is a losing battle between her peers, TV, magazines, etc. that she will be exposed to more and more as she gets older.
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2Cor521: It is very sad to see little girls worrying about their weight. It is even sadder seeing a 50 year old depriving herself of chocolate in case she adds a half an inch to her waist. Exercise is wonderful, but this obsession with inches and looking at food as your enemy is just plain sad. I spend a decent amount of money on my hair with the haircuts and straightening....but I also don't wear much makeup and refuse to give up ice-cream and chocolate for anyone!


it that some of us never completely lost our inner hippie (and Citrine, you count as an honorary member in this category, even though you weren't around during the Summer of Love!)
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Tango:

You made my day! I wish that I was a Hippie.....there is definitely a flower child living inside of me!
 
For me, it isn't that older women (45+) don't look great; they do. It's more that for her to excite me physically I have to establish some sort of communication. This then becomes the nexus of my attraction.

A pretty young woman on the other hand just does it by virtue of existing.

Ha
 
Personally, I think within the next 5 years or so, if they start showing hot looking older babes in magazines as models, it will change the image people have of older, gray headed women. Well, a girl can dream, can't she?
 
haha said:
For me, it isn't that older women (45+) don't look great; they do. It's more that for her to excite me physically I have to establish some sort of communication. This then becomes the nexus of my attraction.

A pretty young woman on the other hand just does it by virtue of existing.

Ha
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Ha, do you really feel this way?
I couldn't tell by your avatar. ;)
 
Orchidflower said:
Personally, I think within the next 5 years or so, if they start showing hot looking older babes in magazines as models, it will change the image people have of older, gray headed women. Well, a girl can dream, can't she?
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I think we have been seeing this a lot. Now I could be wrong, but I really don't recall seeing covers of People, Vogue, Cosmo etc featuring list of the fabulous 40 year olds and fantastic 50 year olds, 20 years ago.
Now you see sexy pictures of the Michelle Pfeiffer, Meg Ryan, Catherine Bell, Demi Moore etc on TV and in the gossip and glamour mags a lot.

Of course for the most part they don't have grey hair. :cool:
 
I've been asking around and it seems that men do associate gray hair with grandma = unsexy babe. Sigh....do I have to start dying my hair again...crap...
I guess living longer than you guys is our only revenge, eh? You get to be gray and sexy, and we gals just get to look old with gray hair. Life isn't fair.
 
Screw 'em, Orchidflower. I have gone mostly gray. I now cut my hair very short. I often wear silver glasses. Blue and silver looks nice with gray. Accentuate it.
 
Orchidflower said:
I've been asking around and it seems that men do associate gray hair with grandma = unsexy babe. Sigh....do I have to start dying my hair again...crap...
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Really, I think only some men do OK with gray. It depends on how physically oriented the women he wants to impress are. (Leaving aside guys who could look dead but are so rich or powerful that they will attract women anyway.)

Steve Martin gets my vote for the best gray hair on a man. Next are any number of youngish colonels and generals who look as if they could whip a tiger in hand to hand combat. What woman is going to quibble about gray hair when the guy looks so virile?

Ha
 
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Martha said:
Screw 'em, Orchidflower. I have gone mostly gray. I now cut my hair very short. I often wear silver glasses. Blue and silver looks nice with gray. Accentuate it.
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Easy for you to say! Aren't you married, Martha? Men our age are really not very interested in us mature single women. If we want any male company at all we've got to keep up the facade. Being single in your 50s is not for wussies.:rolleyes:

That said, there are multiple beautiful women with gray hair in my town. They are fit, healthy, and gorgeous. Any man of similar age who would not be physically attracted because of the gray hair is really a pathetic slave to cultural conditioning, IMHO. But, as a woman, I admit to being an equally pathetic cultural slave. So what to do? Dye my hair.
 
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