Reality Check

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Recently, I passed by a nearby bus stop. There was the familiar two-sided kiosk sign on the side wall of the shelter. It stopped me in my tracks because I noticed both sides of the sign featured a gray-haired lovely. A gym, once the provenance of lithe 20-somethings, used a silvering woman to express fitness, health and vitality. The flip-side of the sign featured a Chanel sunglass ad. And yes, there was a fantastic crop of white hair. Okay, the model was probably 20-something, but who cares. It still said this is a fashion color for hair. Do you think this is trying to tell us something?

SILVER AND THE CITY?

Although the Sex and the City gals are now admitting to 40-something, nothing stops them from hitting the bottle. And I don't mean their Cosmopolitans. Wouldn't it have been fun, modern, current, if just one of them had turned into a silver fox? Sexy Samantha, maybe, as her hair grew back in after chemo. But no, wasn't to be. The only sexy silver seems to be actress Lynn Cohen, playing Magda. And in "real" life, she's quite glam!

IS FRIZZ IN?

Remember what we said about gray hair and frizz – it just makes you look old?

Apparently not. Leave it to Vogue to make it look, well, interesting. But unless you’re willing to pile on all that eye makeup, stick a few sparkly things in your hair to give it some life, and waft off to work like this, I’d skip this look. Still, it’s all part of the fantasy fashion’s having with gray hair lately. Wouldn’t it be nice if they’d admit gray hair exists in the real world?

Photo credit: Vogue photograph by Irving Penn

CURLS OF ANOTHER COLOR

A recent Vera Wang ad campaign fares better on the gray front. Here the waves are nicely scrunched and defined, and the hair has some life. You don’t need the crown jewels at all. Or the black eyes. Or the snow, for that matter. (Unless you’re feeling very Anna Karenina.) This is hair that is good to go.

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON

Although I hate to use the word blue around gray hair, here’s a shot from a recent H&M campaign. No dramatics. No dark eyes. Just showing a great-looking woman who happens to have white hair. I feel better already.

MODERN MUSE

Supermodel Daria Werbowy turned gray on the pages of December Vogue (well, for one or two shots, anyway.) What I like about this is that Vogue used it as a tribute to modernity in artist George Condo’s work. Come to your own conclusions about the hair style, but do note the details. A celadon green dress (remember what we said about grayed-pastels? See Fashion Finds, the colors to wear with gray hair). Celadon is a green with some gray to it. And note the necklace. Certainly a focal point – but see how it plays to the gray?

Photo credit: Vogue photograph by Mario Testino

WHAT WAS HE THINKING?

For his Spring 2008 collection, John Galliano sent a bevy of faux gray-hairs down the runway. Although his looks channeled the 40’s, with a bit of Little Bo Peep thrown in for good measure, the hair and makeup was channeling the Wicked Witch of the West. Even on bad hair days, we all can do better than this!

I know what I said about eyebrows being important, but this isn’t it. What’s fun for the runway doesn’t do it for everyday.

Photos by Don Ashby & Olivier Copyright © CondeNet 2007

HAS CARMEN EVER LOOKED COOLER?

Carmen, the white-haired model who really started it all, has become a classic icon of sophisticated silver-ness. But look at her now in a new Rolex campaign. Sexy, glam, and over seventy!

FUTURE SHOCK

OK, we know white hair has come to stand for something far out in the future. In a galaxy far, far, away, probably. We all know it’s here and now, but apparently Motorola and Verizon want us to think otherwise. Girls, get on your leather wristbands!

YA GOTTA LOVE DOVE

As part of its Campaign for Real Beauty, Dove scores high points with this ad. A gorgeous shade of charcoal hair, a real looking woman (wrinkes and all), and a super natural look. Proving that gray hair doesn’t have to be witchy, bitchy or frumpy.