Anne Kreamer

This book should be required reading for everyone over the age of 40. Maybe 30. When the author decides to stop coloring her hair at age 49, she decides to chronicle the transition. She shares her story and those of many others, along with the results of loads of interviews and some fascinating research (she explores online dating as a gray haired woman, and meets with several hot-shot, Manhattan image consultants to see what they think of her hair).

In the process she becomes aware that being gray is a matter of embracing your age, not fighting it. True beauty and attractiveness are based more on our inner spirit than outer shell. This begs the question - how can we let our real selves shine through when we do everything we can, from hair color to plastic surgery, to try to look youthful?

Thought provoking and encouraging. Aging is a reality that can't be denied. Why not relax and enjoy the ride?… (más)

Looking at herself in a picture, standing beside her teenage daughter Ms. Kreamer decided that she did not like the artificial look she had perpetuated for so many years and made the decision to stop coloring her hair. She was 49 years old. In this memoir about following through on that decision Ms. Kreamer tells of all the avenues she explored while “going gray”. Often funny and always insightful she takes us through the experience of gathering opinions on her new “old” look from friends, professional personal style consultants and family members. She takes a hard look on how much time and money her hair coloring has cost her over the years (scary!) and how she felt the gray hair would affect her feelings about her age, her sexuality and of being a vibrant, feminine woman. The results were often not what you would expect … such as when she put herself on a dating site, once as a brunette and once with the gray hair, or when she went bar-hopping with friends, again once as a brunette and then again with gray hair. She pulls no punches when she writes about the white “skunk” stripe which has to be endured and how she eventually made the decision to cut her trademark long locks to expedite the process.

At the risk of TMI, I read this book because I have been toying with the same decision for many years. Becoming a victim of the dreaded gray hair when I was barely into my 20’s, I too am sick of the time and expense required to maintain the façade. When the title of this book popped onto my radar I knew it was one I had to read. I am glad I did.
… (más)