Tuesday, April 22, 2014

So I Haven't Quite Gone Yet..............But..........Changes..........

I have been thinking about.  There's so much to talk about.

Anybody here???  Tap, Tap???  This thing on???  Oh, hi there.  You are here, those few readers who were reading this blog.

I am still thinking I will work up another blog, but haven't decided on a name.  Here's why I am thinking this, and feel free to weigh in (PLEASE???) and let me know what you think.

Back in January, my stylist had to be out for a hysterectomy op.  That meant that I was not going to be able to get my hair dyed till maybe March. I could  (A) go to a new stylist for a couple of months, or (B) grow my hair out to (drum roll here!!!)  GREY OR WHITE, whichever it is my hair has on this here head.  So, you know what I chose right?  I chose grey/white.  So from January 9th to March 12th, I left my hair alone.  No cut, no dye, zip.  I bought hats.  Seriously, I bought hats.  I have colored my hair since I was 18.  Highlights because I had a white streak (yes, a bit similar but not as noticeable as Stacey London's from WNTW). Then at 29 I was told that my hair was past the stage of highlights so it was time to go to PERMANENT color.  I didn't want to take that commitment (every 5 or 6 weeks) so I let it go grey/silver, at 29.  I couldn't hack it and I hated the color it was.  Granted I was a bit on the heavier side weight wise and I didn't feel pretty about my hair at all.  So permanent hair color and I began a relationship that was to last until I turned 50.  A 21 yr relationship with hair color.

This year or maybe sometime last year, my hair began to resist hair dye.  It would be 2 weeks past hair color and I'd see a half an inch of white roots show up.  My hair began to itch and burn from the color (I have heard this happens).  I began to get tired of trying to cover up the 1/2 inch white roots from my double crown in the back.  I began to get irritated that at 2 weeks I had roots.

I began looking at pictures of Helen Mirren on Pinterest.  YES, I did.  Here's one.

Now my husband, who has gone grey/white himself, likes this picture and this style of hair cut.  He told me that it's just hair and I could go back to coloring if I didn't like it, but it was up to me if I wanted to color or go grey.  You know what the choice was, what it had to be.

So hats and I (mainly newsboy caps because they seemed to look ok on me) and I got to know each other very well till I could get in to see my stylist.  We talked via text about what to do so she could plan to get me in and take time to do my hair.  I couldn't get in till March 12, 9 weeks after my last color. I was dying, I tell you.  I hated the 'skunk' look that I saw appearing as white along with the light brown I had.  But come March 12, I saw my stylist and we agreed to highlight and low light my hair from past the white roots to the end of my hair.  I thought this will help it blend till the grey/white grows out.   Here's what my hair looked like post blonde highlights.  Excuse the blotchiness and tired eyes.  I was having an allergic reaction to something, not sure what it is but I am thinking some sort of artificial dyes.  Anyway, here are the pics from the first highlight/low light session.



And if you want to see a shot of what I looked like before the highlights, here's from last Sept, LGA and I at my cousin's wedding.

Brown and quite a bit shorter.

Some more weight has come off as well. I am not trying to lose it, it's just been watching what I eat, etc.  I need to incorporate more exercise in my routine as well.  The batteries died on my scale so I have no clue what I weigh or how much I have lost all I know is I am almost down one pants size and top size.

So here's what my hair is looking like now.

Sorry I don't have a better one, it's hard to take selfies when you are on your own.  There is quite a bit more white in it now.  

How did my family react???  Well, let's just say the girls were less than thrilled with my going grey.  LGA in particular, pointed to pics of my long brown hair (when the girls first came home) and said, "MOMMY!!!  Please go back to brown!!!"  Evidently one of her more snarky classmates was teasing her.  I know she was because as LGA got off the bus I could hear K (I don't know what issues K has mostly learning I believe, but she and LGA lock horns quite a bit) saying, "I like your hair"  then giggles of laughter from the bus. I just played it off and shouted, "K thanks!"  And ignored her.  Hubby hates blonde hair.  He has NEVER been a fan and has told me never to go blonde.  When I explained that I had to, to go grey (even though from the blogs I read - and there are blogs and even a grey hair forum out there - it's a no-no to do it this way.  You are supposed to get through the 'skunk' stage, but I can't do it.  Just can't.  So I am choosing to blend) he was ok with it.  BGA didn't say much but looked dismayed when I pointed out an older woman with grey/white hair and said that is what my hair would look like.  

Fast forward 6 weeks and even I am used to it. I felt at first it was too much and I didn't like it.  But now I am used to it.  I have changed clothing, jewelry colors to reflect (and luckily I had most of the colors in my wardrobe just had to donate the 'warmer' colors and stick with the 'jewel' tones) it.  Make up had to be changed as well.  Everything changed.  Even shampoo (did you know there is shampoo out there that brightens grey or even blonde highlighted hair??? I didn't till I found some). I asked Dave what he thought of it on Sun night and he said he liked it.  When I told the girls I'd be going in this week to get it changed up a bit (it's a bit yellow, which I expected) they said "NO!  We like it as it is."  I don't know if that's true or not but I told them, "sometimes you have to be open to new styles and changing your hair.  Dye is bugging me and I want to change it.  It's only hair and it can be changed back."  Now they are asking me to get colored highlights in my hair.  A friend suggested peacock blue.  Dave was not on board but the girls are.  SO maybe this summer we three girls will have colored highlighted hair.  Who knows?  Have hair, can change it up if we want.

The point of this blog post was............thinking of starting a new blog to reflect my new hair, the process and the emotional part of it (yes, it is very emotional, more so than I ever thought it would be).  Anyone interested in following along?  There are blogs out there about women (some of them in their 30's) who have gone/are going grey (Google it, seriously that's how I found it) and embracing it.  

Weigh in..............I'm curious if anyone would follow along.  If not, well, then here is a short update of what's been going on with me lately.  There are updates about the girls too, which I will post later.

Hi blogland...........if you are still checking here or reading give me a shout out.  I know some of you lurk. Just shout out that you are reading.  Would appreciate it.........

Buh-bye for now..........

5 comments:

  1. It is very strange, but just last night or the night before I was wondering how you are doing! I'm so glad to see your post, and will read along whatever form it takes. I love the new hair, too!

    Maggie S

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  2. I havn't been on your blog in forever and I just so happened to stumble on it today. Sometimes I think about going grey but my little one just has gone through the trauma of me donating my long hair. She thinks I look like Ellen Degeneras because of the shortness. Ask your stylist if she knows the trick to keeping the itchy scalp at bay. It's either sweet n low or Splenda mixed in with the dye. It works for me.

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  3. Molly,
    I Love, love, love your new hair color! LOVE it. The cut is adorable too. Be sure and clue me in on where you will be writing so I can follow along.
    xoxoxox

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  4. Ok will do Leigh. Probably here till I figure out what I want to do. But I'll announce it here. I'll post a couple of update pics in a sec. I am loving the blonde/white and going grey.

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  5. Jacqui, I love love your new hair cut. I know going grey would probably create stress for your daughter. LGA didn't like it much either. I didn't know there was a trick for the scalp. I will pass that along.

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