Friday 26 October 2012

Silver threads

The day didn't go as planned - that is, the afternoon didn't.  The Sage and I had an appointment in L'toft in the morning, and then he was being given a lift to his afternoon engagement while I chose between lifting tender plants so that they won't be caught by frost or finishing the minutes of Wednesday's meeting.  But the friend's car gave trouble, so I drove the Sage.  And I've hardly done much work as a consequence.  Still, I keep Saturdays in hand, ostensibly to potter about and relax but actually to have free to do what wasn't finished during the week.

On the way back this morning, we called in at an antique fair.  Less furniture this time, more jewellery. And a stall selling silver that rather hit one in the eye.  Silverware of any ornateness has tarnish in the crevices but this had all been cleaned to the rafters, with the consequence that it all looked brand new.  I didn't care for it.  I like antiques that show a bit of age.

That reminds me, I saw someone I know in his 70s during the week who has always had suspiciously black hair.  The other day, it was startling to see that it was light brown.  Now, it's certainly not fair that it's okay for a woman to have her hair any colour she likes, and it's fine for a young man to dye it any which way, but for an older man to hide the grey just doesn't do it - but then, men aren't aged by grey hair in the way that women are.  The fairness in my heart says it should be all right ... but it isn't.  I refer you to the last sentence of the previous paragraph.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Quite agree Zoe. A few years ago my younger brother died his hair. Like me he has (or rather had in my case) very dark hair, but when he died it, it made him look like a Mexican brigand - almost sinister effect. No, let nature alone say I. It's something to have a decent head of hair, even if of a thoroughly silvery tint.

LẌ said...

My daughter and son-in-law both touch up their hair to hide the grey. I don't care what color my hair turns, as long as it stays in place!

Unknown said...

Sorry Z. I think I'm skidding. DYED.

Liz said...

I have a few grey hairs now but they're not that noticeable yet. I used to dye my hair blonde but stopped because maintaining it was too much like hard work.

I don't mind a bit of grey but I can understand younger women wanting to hide it. I know women who got their first grey hairs in their late 20s/early 30s and that does seem a bit unfair.

Z said...

It's a funny thing that a few grey hairs age a woman, but if she goes completely grey early then, with grey hair and a young face, she becomes quite ageless!

And I can't blame anyone for wanting to disguise grey or thinning hair, but it has to be subtle on a man or it just draws attention to it. Unless he doesn't mind that, of course.

luckyzmom said...

Surprisingly I have only a few grey hairs at my temples and in front of my ears, which aren't noticable unless I wear my hair back when it is longer. So, I do color just the grey the same color as the rest of my hair.

I think it is fine for a man to color his hair as long as it is a natural color. Alas, it is the unnatural ones that stand out. And don't get me started on comb overs!

mig said...

My ex boss from years ago was a Welsh Jew with amazingly black curly hair. Long after I left that job I met him and he was looking really quite wizened and a bit raddled (in his seventies)but his hair was still alarmingly black and curly. Sometimes, hair that doesn't go grey can be a bit of an embarrassment.

Z said...

Yes, the ones wearing ill-fitting wigs or unnaturally dyed hair give the rest, whom we don't even notice, a bad name. And there are those who don't seem to change at all, quite naturally. isn't it funny?