It's time to leave the idea that grey hair is 'ageing' in the past. Today, more and more women are choosing to embrace their natural silver strands, proving grey can look every bit as chic and flattering as a salon shade.
This shift to silver has been spotted all over glitzy red carpet events, with some of our favourite stars over 50 demonstrating exactly how stylish grey is. Take, for example, Helen Mirren and Andie MacDowell, who have embraced their natural grey with confidence for years. Or look to Salma Hayek, who shows that even a few stray silver strands can look effortlessly elegant.
We're all for it. From short crops to chic updos and styles that celebrate natural texture, grey hair is more versatile than you might think. Here, we've rounded up some of the most flattering celeb-approved hairstyles for silver strands.
Helen Mirren’s bixie
If you've ever found yourself torn between the polish of a bob and the effortless ease of a pixie cut, take a cue from Helen Mirren. As the name suggests, the 'bixie' is a hybrid of the two, and has become one of the season's most sought-after hairstyles.
The style works particularly well with Helen's gleaming silver strands. Parted to the side, her locks fall softly around her face, framing her features beautifully. The face-framing cut puts the light-reflecting tones to hard work, instantly boosting her complexion and bringing a soft glow.
Andie Macdowell’s silver curls
Consider Andie MacDowell your sign to go back to your roots (literally). The actress proves that your natural hair can be your best and most flattering look.
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Not only has Andie been championing her silver tresses for years, but she also embraces her neutral texture. Her look is proof that grey pairs beautifully with curls, with the multidimensional tones creating depth, defining each and every curl.
Meryl Streep’s silver twist
Silver strands aren't the only sign of time passing. As we get older, our hair can also become finer and lose density, making volume feel harder to achieve.
That's where clever styling comes in, and one of our favourite ways to create the illusion of fuller hair is with a well-placed updo.
Take a cue from Meryl Streep. Not only does her silver twist look incredibly polished, but the added lift at the roots also creates the appearance of fuller locks. Best of all, it's a style that's surprisingly easy to recreate, requiring little more than a clever twist and some handy hair grips.
Jamie Lee Curtis’s boyish crop
We could go on and on about the benefits of going grey, but one of the biggest is fewer colour appointments. No more emergency root cover-ups or last-minute dye jobs.
To make life even easier, why not pair your silver strands with an equally low-maintenance cut? Jamie Lee Curtis's signature boyish crop is a perfect example. Timeless, easy to style and effortlessly chic. It’s easy to see why it’s become part of her signature look.
Salma Hayek’s silver sweep
Embracing the grey is a process, and Salma Hayek proves that even the transition can look incredibly chic.
Rather than covering up her natural silver, she incorporates it into her elegant updo, turning those lighter pieces into a beauty feature in their own right. Swooped over and up, it creates a beautiful ‘shooting-star’ effect.
Glenn Close’s relaxed pixie
When it comes to a flattering pixie cut, Glenn Close is hard to beat. Her icy silver shade pairs beautifully with a softly textured crop.
The gentle, choppy cut requires very little styling to look its best. Face-framing layers sweep softly across the forehead to create a flattering fringe, while her luminous colour works to brighten the skin and her blue eyes.
Emma Thompson’s ‘greige’ pixie
Embracing grey doesn't have to mean abandoning colour altogether. Emma Thompson subtly enhances her natural silver with 'greige lights', weaving buttery blonde tones through her grey strands.
The result is a beautifully multidimensional finish that gives her hair a luminous glow. Paired with her swept-back pixie, the lighter tones catch the light beautifully, making her silver look even more radiant.
Elizabeth McGovern’s ballerina bun
When you want to look polished, a ballerina bun never fails. Take a page from Elizabeth McGovern's beauty playbook.
This sleek style is a favourite of the silver-haired Downton Abbey star. Here, her grey lengths have been smoothed back before being twisted into a neat bun. For an extra flattering finish, leave a face-framing strand out, just as Elizabeth does.
Judi Dench’s ruffled crop
If there's one silver hairstyle that's earned icon status, it's Judi Dench's ruffled pixie. The actress has made the softly textured crop her signature for decades.
Her short, layered cut is effortlessly easy to style, and it shows off the beautiful tones and shine of her silver hair. Flattering, timeless and effortlessly chic, it's a look we'd happily put in the hair hall of fame.
Kristin Scott Thomas’s silver ‘halo’
A flattering haircut can work wonders, but so can clever colour. Need proof? Look no further than Kristin Scott Thomas's silver 'halo' trick.
The actress looks effortlessly elegant with her sweeping crop. Brushed back from the face, the style creates subtle lift through the crown while revealing the lighter silver around her hairline. Those brighter pieces create a soft 'halo' effect that completely lifts her entire look.
