Much has been made of what the media has deemed the “Granny hair” trend over the last few months. Effectively what they have attempted to do is grab a couple of stories based around a two trends, or rather one trend and a shift in cultural attitude and then blend them together. Granny hair isn’t what this is, or rather what it alludes to is misleading.
Here are the two separate ideas at play here. Firstly “no more grey shaming”, so embracing your natural white or grey hair as you age and enjoying it (some people go grey earlier than others). It’s no big deal. That is a cultural shift, that grey is okay. A funny thing for a colour company to be endorsing ? Well perhaps but at IT&LY we know that women will always want to have fun with colour. And whether your client is naturally one thing i.e blond, brunette, red. There is a good chance one day they will want to be another thing, grey or not!
The second is the trend for silver as a colour, choosing to have your hair coloured silver. Arguably this trend has punctuated the idea of “grey is okay” and bought it to the attention of the world.
Silver, steel, blue-steel, ombré grey hair are all looks that the young (this is key and this is ironic part) are embracing. Shades vary from palest silver, to black roots with charcoal tips and everything in between. They could choose red, pink, blue or any hue and now seeing grey as just another colour. It is an image that teamed with a strong makeup look. I.e vamp red lips and perfectly arched brows can look stunning.
Are real women not just alternative types and models really doing this? Yes, in fact only the other day I was sat on the platform at Shepherds Bush tube station and next to me was a gorgeous looking girl in modern black clothes (I’m guessing an Urban Outfitter’s ensemble) and her hair styled in a high pony tale the mid lengths of which were silver grey and the rest of her hair black. She looked very cool. This is also the hair colour recently worn by Kylie Kardashian and Rhianna amongst others.
The team at The Coach House salon have enjoyed using the IT&LY colour range to have some fun with this hair trend and have had some stunning results. I am pleased to say that in the spirit of sharing with the IT&LY hair community they have divulged their colour formulas and the lovely Allyson Clewlow has even done a few stage by stage pictures.
Allyson created her models look for the Pro Hair Live Exhibition in Manchester, calling the colour blue steel. A grungy blue/grey colour. Another spin off trend “murky pastels” . This is the same colour Jourdan Dunn model of the moment opted for the Coachella festival in California.
Blue Steel hair by Allyson Clewlow
Click here for the step by step for that.
Steve has used the steel grey to create a cool toned blond look on his client. On the layered long haired client it gives a delicate pretty and unusual pastel effect while on short hair lifts an edgy style to another level.
Steel grey by Steve Clewlow
blond and steel by Steve Clewlow
Thirdly, not to leave the men out Steve created this look for his recent demonstration at the Birmingham heat of hair Club Live.
High Fashion men’s look by Steve Clewlow. Again using blondly and shade 8c and a bit of AB accent colour from the colorly range of permanent colour.
Whether the trend is fleeting or here for a little longer why not have a play at your salon and let us know how you have interpreted it for your clients.