Growing Pains

This is a question I've wondered about lately..... How am I going to stand growing this pixie short hair back out to a bob and if I make it, will I even like it in that style with this new color? Also, I can't help asking myself, "Does this hair color/style age me and if so, do I really mind since I am not 25 anymore, or 35, or 45 either for that matter?" When I get to feeling doubtful or frustrated, I find the best thing I can do for myself is go back to the "Going Gray Looking Great" website and peruse the photos of all those gals who have gone before me. There I find the support and encouragement I need to boost my spirit and eradicate my doubts about the choice I have made to quit coloring my hair. It will be what it will be. Short or long. Drab or dazzling. I remind myself it's more about who I am on the inside that shines through on the outside and less about my physical appearance. I've heard many quips like "you're as young as you feel" and "you'll always be young at heart" and I believe them to be true for the most part. So on I grow. The journey continues. Wish me luck.

Transitions

Whew!!!

In May of this year I had a notion to embrace my natural hair color. I realize I have gone from having had one sort of look to an extremely different look in just a very short (no pun intended!) time!

Looking back, it's been an interesting journey. My intention was to keep that long hair that I had worked so hard at growing out in the first place! But after one haircut that ended up not working for me functionally (I needed pony tail-able hair in this heat and when I work out!) and that wasn't happening anymore, plus the skunk line (though not all that perceptible to others) was to me, so off I went to the salon again with a photo of Jamie Lee in my purse. Now it's back to waiting for this hair, with its new color, to grow long again. This could be a journey all its own of weird styles on the way down to my bob. But once again I am determined to see it through. But seriously, it's just hair, right?

Compliments

My husband and I recently attended his 40th High School reunion and I received the best compliment there from a couple that really made me feel great about my hair cut and color. The fact that I am now mostly silver and extremely short has taken me some getting used to. I still do a double take when I catch myself in a mirror or window reflection. When I went to the salon to have it lopped off I took this photo of Jamie Lee Curtis,

the intention being to get that style cut and because she looks so great in her silvery hair I was inspired. So, I am at the reunion meeting people and chatting it up and this husband says to me, "my wife figured out who you remind us of" and of course I said "oh, who is it?" and

he said, "Jamie Lee Curtis". Needless to say, that made my night. I told them it was her photo I took with me when I had my hair cut and thanked them profusely for commenting. Of course I took that as a compliment and later paid it forward when I met another classmate of my husband's who had gorgeous, long, softly curled, Emmy Lou Harris hair. It was beautiful and I told her how I was inspired by her natural hair. Compliments all around.

Jamie Lee Style

As you can see from my photos I have cut my hair. This made for a quick transition to mostly natural color hair for me. I can honestly say that I have patience issues. Once that silver started really coming in I was ready to have it be there completely and cutting was the solution. I had good intentions of going through this while keeping my hair in a bob but....oh well. Here I am now. Short. VERY short. I like it but look forward to a couple month's growth. It still has a smidge of color on the tips but that will be a matter of one more hair cut in a month or so. Now that my hair is short and silver it's time to get serious about a long and lean body!! Wish me luck!

Hair Cut

I had a strong urge to get my hair cut this week so I gave in to it and called for an appointment. I think that my desire for this transition period to hurry up prompted that urge in a big way. Change is happening with my hair, but very slowly and since I am no longer coloring, which was always a way to get a quick change, the only thing I can do now is get a hair cut and change the style. Originally I had the plan to have a half inch a month cut off the bottom and keep the same one length bob. When I went to the salon I asked for a half inch off the bottom plus maybe some light layers. Well, I think about an inch plus came off the bottom and I wouldn't exactly call it light layers. I am not sure if I'm happy with my decision but thankfully, hair grows and right now I am in the growing groove. My gray hair is coming in and the heavy highlights that were done back in May have lightened substantially so the line of demarcation is not too heinous yet. But I have a feeling it's going to be pretty soon. I fight the urge to just cave and cut my hair super short to hasten my transition to "au nateurel", and that may still happen eventually, but my vanity is still strong enough, for now anyway, to keep some length to it. So on I shall grow!!

Three Months

It has now been 3 months since my last overall color job.

Here I am with my hair pulled back in a ponytail, my usual hairdo of late during the hot summer days, and my silvers are slowly but surely making their presence known. I recently had the opportunity to be around most all of my family and many friends at a Fourth of July gathering and the feedback I received was fairly positive and encouraging. I am still a little nervous about the end result but more so about if I will be able to keep my hair this length and style. I am not interested at all in coloring it again as I am resolute in my decision to go natural, but forging through the transition without going real short and cutting off the old colored parts once my natural hair is a few inches long still remains to be seen. I will be back soon with more photos of the progress.

I Wonder

This is my sister in law and me a couple of months ago when my brother and she visited. When I look at the two of us I can't help but project out a year or more from now and wonder how much older I will look when my color grows all the way out. I think about myself in photos with friends and wonder, "Will I look a lot older than my friends who are actually a few years older than I am and will it bother me?" I suppose only time will tell. But it deters me not. I am firm in my resolve.

I mentioned in my first post a web site I had found that is a sort of online support site for women who have made the choice to quit coloring and "go gray." I registered and posted some photos and have been "accepted" in the "Newbie Class '10 Summer Semester 2". I really get a kick out of browsing the site and seeing all the before, during, and after shots. Find my story here.

Until next time I am,
AlmostSilverSue