Entertainment | 06/16/2009 5:22 pm

Gray-Haired Beauties Part II (The Silver Tsunami Ensues)

Photo Essay

Silver is in! So is charcoal, platinum, ice and pewter and it’s partially because women are no longer afraid to celebrate the ease, beauty and modern allure of aging. And here’s a book we should also mention: Diana Lewis Jewell’s Going Gray, Looking Great!: The Modern Woman’s Guide to Unfading Glory. In fact, it was brought to our attention that our article practically articulated the exact message of this book. From Carmen Dell’Orefice to Paula Dean and Kathleen Sebelius, wowOwow celebrates the glorious shades of gray-haired beauties through this photo-essay. We noticed last July an influx of graying women showing up in boardrooms and on red carpets — and coined the trend of influential gray-haired dynamos the Silver Tsunami. Click here to see the 13 women who made a statement with their gray hair in 2008 — and flip through this slideshow for another wave of grays.

19 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

I love my gray hair, I’m 48 yrs. old, since I stop using color to cover my grays (4 years ago), my hair has become more lustrous, shinny, and is nos falling any more, I always have a good hair cut and the money that I don’t use in coloring now goes to protect my healthier hair, I also realized that after make peace with that, I’m more interesting in treating my body better from inside out, and the results are great and you can see that all over me, even now that my hair looks gray, many people including men told me that I look younger and more secure of myself. I’m loving it. It’s beautiful to discover that we are more than a prefabricated picture, is time to be ourselves and embrace that power.

By Magali Merrell on 06/17/2009 12:21 pm

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Men get away with gray hair more than women, but these female examples were great!

By Laura Ward on 06/17/2009 3:17 pm

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I’ve always loved white, salt and pepper and grey hair! It’s absolutely beautiful!

All of the women featured look confident, strong and gorgeous!

By L. C. on 06/17/2009 4:20 pm

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I stopped highlighting my ash blonde hair 4 years ago. I’m skipping gray and going right to white. I call it returning to being a tow head!

By BL Lowry on 06/17/2009 7:58 pm

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Love the ‘acceptance’ factor. All of the ladies spotlighted project a ‘contentment’ with their (natural) ‘crowning’ glory. Carmen D. has always had my admiration — in the late 60’s when I modeled for JRP and first became aware of her, I admired her grace and poise. Recently saw her interview with Diane Sawyer re: being a Madoff victem and the contrast between the two was startling. She looks AMAZING!

By Sharon R. on 06/18/2009 9:26 am

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It’s about time!!! This silver revolution got it’s start in 2004 when Diana Lewis Jewell wrote the book "Going Gray, Looking Great!" This book is a one-of-a-kind beauty bible for anyone considering taking a walk on the silver side. (men included)

But there’s more. Diana also has a website (http://www.goinggraylookinggreat.com). This IS where YOU can ride the silver tsnaumi wave yourself. There’s lively talk. There’s before & after silver transformations. There’s product and fashion tips.

Funny, at Going Gray, Looking Great, the names pewter, charcoal, platinum and ice have been used since it’s inception. In fact, right now on the site there is a special feature article all about gray being a color.

You want beautiful silver celebs? Check out the Great Inspirations page on the website. Or Luncheon at the Hudson, where Diana hosted a lunch with silver models Cindy Joseph & Yasmina Rossi in attendance. Real women with silver industry insiders, learning together how to "rock the silver" for themselves!

We’ve been here all along. In the book "Going Gray, Looking Great!" and the website of the same name. Gee, we’re just so glad you could finally join Us!

By Goldie Ingersoll on 06/19/2009 11:00 am

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what are these "grey" features about? grey haired men, grey haired women…not that long ago there were features about the best cleavage, etc….

there are so many fabulous women that color their "grey" hair that did not appear here- so what are we saying here? If Anderson Cooper is 42, and Angela Lansbury is 84, what is the point exactly? that some people are attractive no matter what? WoW.

By georgia g on 06/19/2009 1:52 pm

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If you have the right face and good, thick hair, gray is beautiful. However, most women have thin wispy hair when it goes gray and, if pale, the gray washes them out.

By Judy K. on 06/19/2009 1:52 pm

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Well, Judy K., there are so many myths about going natural. That it makes you look washed out and old, that your hair gets thin, that— horrors— you have to have the right "face" for it. That’s why I started http://www.goinggraylookinggreat.com. So women could find the information they needed to combat these myths, and be the best, brightest, shiniest silvers they could be. A lot of our members have full, thick, lustrous heads of hair — and it looks fantastic. I hope you’ll come check it out. It’s time we all stood up to these myths. You can look young, vibrant, and actually better with silver, charcoal, pewter or snow white hair than you think you do with dyed.

By Diana Jewell on 06/19/2009 2:11 pm

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There are definitely some wonderful gray-haired beauties missing; Lena Horne, Nancy Wilson, Della Reese, Ruby Dee & Cicely Tyson.

By Christi S. on 06/19/2009 6:09 pm

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Well, agreed, this thread probably will not create world peace or settle nonproliferation programs, but you have to admit, it’s bipartisan. And I’m not seeing any comparison of women to men, but if you’ve watched any one of these women evolve in the public eye over the past forty years, you might consider that their embracing their natural hair color is almost spiritual and validating…’This is who I am.’ After reading ‘Newsweek’ and ‘Mother Jones’, I rather enjoyed the reflection of my ‘silver crown’ in the photos of these talented women. Refreshing.

Peace and grace

By beth willis on 06/20/2009 3:37 pm

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Where is Barbara Bush?

By Karen Brown on 06/22/2009 12:11 pm

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Grey works on some people and looks awful on others. I hate grey on me. Chemical hair dyes were frying my hair so I gave it up 4 years ago. I love what henna does for my hair and if I add ground cloves to it, I smell like a pumkin pie instead ammonia for a few days. My scalp doesn’t break out and I have no split ends. My grey becomes coppery highlights and blends in nicely with the chestnut/auburn that is the color of the rest of my hair. Grey is fine for the who want it. It’s just not for me.

By B Clark on 06/25/2009 7:25 am

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Following my Mom’s example, I have never colored my hair. And even though I am often the youngest one in a room and the only one with gray hair…I really like it. I guess it’s all in your attitude!

By Sally Owen on 06/27/2009 4:41 pm

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I’m 53 and stopped dying my hair more than a year ago. It has been a wild ride, but I have finally learned how to pull off the look by dressing stylishly and making the most of what I have. I think I look better than ever! I work in a high-profile position at a Fortune 100 company, and I’ve never felt my gray hair was holding me back. I blog about my journey at http://www.rockthesilver.com.

By Donna Pekar on 06/30/2009 6:29 am