silver lining

I was about 15 when I received a post card in the mail from my aunt who was living in San Francisco at the time with almost the exact image of Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick (and, I should mention, Chuck Klein sitting there in the background) teetering over a New York City manhole. The difference between the images was that my postcard was a black and white print. And even through the absence of color I could understand that these two icons were sporting hair the shade and style the likes of which my teenage eyes had not yet seen. It was then and there my fascination for these two pop-art superstars began. And their hair. I always wanted to sport a silvery, cropped, side-swept 'do. The closest I ever came was a Flobee chop job managed by an ex-boyfriend and his dad's vacuum cleaner followed by a bleaching with Ultra Blue that turned my hair the most wonderful and unwanted shades of sherbet. Needless to say I quickly returned to brunette and within a few years came upon my first grey hair. Fast forward to now, many years later. Years filled with box dye jobs, cuts, highlights, perms and unspoken abuses. In between salon visits I'd see the ever multiplying steely strands peeking through and cringe slightly, keeping focus on that moment when I am bouncing out of the salon, like an Herbal Essences commercial, sun shining, hair swinging, roots as fresh as daisy. In all honesty, it's all very tiresome. And expensive. And let's be honest, damaging.

Just recently my early enchantment with Andy & Edie has been renewed. It has a lot to do with the fact that silver, grey and white locks are very, very hot right now. Understandably a youthful face framed by such an unusual hue creates a bizarrely beautiful combination. I am curious to find out, after all this time posing as anything but natural, what my real color is like. I'd like to give myself a full year to stop messing with my hair and see what transpires but I know myself and the power of that salon fresh feeling. I am going to attempt it and in the meantime keep looking at these soft and splendid argentine inspirations.

UPDATE: I finally have let the grey in! You can see here!