The real secret to ageing gracefully is a dye job...or is it?

I have been going grey since I was twenty four. I chose not to colour my hair after years of dying when I was forty because it felt unnatural and my hair was falling off in handfuls. My hair has always been very thick and luxuriant, so after I got used to my new natural colour I thought that the rules about not having long hair after 'a certain age' were mere bullshit  and let my hair grow. And it did grow, thick and luxuriant, only grey in colour. I happen to be a model and my long silver hair has helped me to get a distinctive look - some love it,  some hate it, that's normal, but my hair makes a statement.

I don't go round preaching that grey IS the look. I don't think that women who dye their hair let anyone down or that dying one's hair is wrong. It's a choice. But I hate the self righteous tone of those who claim that colouring one's hair is a passport to young looks, because it is not. I meet many women of my age with coloured hair who simply look like middle aged women with coloured hair. Looking young is not a point. Looking good is. I mean, at my age, why would I want to look twenty? What for? I want to look good but I have no wish whatsoever to compete with women who are younger than me.

Photographer: Nagib El-Desouky

I am taking exception to an article published by Harper's and Bazaar and signed by Julia Reed. Girl, you really need some help!

I shared the article with some of my friends from the Gray and Proud group on Facebook,  to which I belong. They did tear the article apart. 

Here are some of the comments: 

'I seriously suspect it is a commercial but even if not I choose my sources for advice, her view is as far from mine as can be'

'Im fuming! Ive looked up the dates for Charles Lamb ( 1775-1834) and Edward G Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873), and even Downton Abbey since Dame Maggie Smith gets a mention also ( post Edwardian  1910). How in hells name are comments made from these dates relevant today ??? Poor poor journalism and thrown in to try and add weight to a feeble argument. We might as well have a chat about smallpox and the invention of the motorcar while we are at it!'

'Here are a couple of dates for Ms Reed. 1829 American W. A .Burt invents the typewriter. 1837 Rowland Hill invents the first postage stamp. Now put those two together and re-write a sensible article!! Now im counting to 10 and getting on with my day'

'She misues the quote by E. G. Bulwer-Lytton. She cites him as say'ng that 'it is NOT by the graying of the hair that one knows the age of the heart'. This, she uses as a reason to dye? He was saying the opposite, the color of hair does not matter, your heart does!!! You CAN have gray hair and be young at heart. Is she that dumb or am I missing something?'

Photographer: Nagib El-Desouky

I invite you to read this piece and comment further. We are planning a joint reply to Harper's and Bazaar. We think grey is beautiful!

(Photos modelled by Alex B)