The first gray hair is a kind of canonical event that marks a before and after. Should I tear it off? Do I hide it? Do I dye it? Or maybe I wear it with pride? Any natural sign associated with aging disorients us, due to the terrible canon of beauty that has been imposed on us since we were children: youth is beauty, old age must be hidden. However, some women decide to challenge the system and wear their white hair proudly and psychology supports them: they are more authentic and their self-esteem is more internal.
Some psychology research has associated stopping dyeing gray hair with a search for authenticity and breaking with established social norms. The expert Vivian Diller states this in one of her studies:
“We fear looking older or sending the message that they are neglecting themselves, but more and more women see it as a style statement. They look for authenticity, to wear it with pride.”
Another study on gender ageism also states that stopping dyeing is a form of resistance to social conformity. Thus, women with gray hair choose to wear an appearance that they consider more authentic, despite the image that is perceived of them. They still care about the image they project, but they give greater weight to its authenticity.
In other words, it is not a question of 'letting go' or becoming careless with one's appearance, but of having a deeply rooted self-esteem that seeks the most authentic expression of oneself, and not of what society expects or thinks of us.
This doesn't mean that to be a 'powerful woman' you have to stop dyeing your gray hair. Rather, that you feel totally free to decide what to do about your hair, choosing from what makes you feel most comfortable yourself, without being determined by what others say. If you feel more comfortable with dyed hair, that will be your answer.
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