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I've always been fascinated by older women who fully embrace their gray hair. I think it stems from spending so much time with my grandmothers and their friends when I was little, soaking up the wisdom and beauty that radiated from them. That's why seeing women in Hollywood who rocking their gray hair reinforces how glamorous it really is.
From Jane Fonda to Stacy London, these women have accomplished so much in their lives so it's inspiring to see them enjoy getting older. Here's what these beautiful women have said about aging and owning their gray hair.
Jane Fonda
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When I think about women who are embracing their gray hair, Jane Fonda is the first person who comes to mind. It feels like she's been effortlessly slaying any look she's ever worn since before I was born so I'm not surprised she looks amazing with gray hair.
One of the things she's said about getting older is that she's truly enjoying it. Prevention reported that the star opened up about her gray hair during an interview with Ellen Degeneres. "I tell you, I’m so happy I let it go gray,” Fonda said. “Enough already with so much time wasted, so much money spent, so many chemicals — I’m through with that.”
Glenn Close
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Ah, if it isn't our generation's OG Cruella de Vil. No one does glamorous villain quite like Glenn Close, and I'm pretty sure she knows it. She hasn't said much about allowing her hair to go gray either, but she did open up to Glamour about aging in 2022.
"Well, I’m growing into it [aging]...We are so brainwashed about skin. Certainly about women’s skin," she said.
Helen Mirren
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One of things I love about Helen Mirren — besides her gray hair — is her vitality for life. It seems like she's getting better with time and I love how most of the women with gray hair truly feel that way. Whether she's standing up to ghosts in Winchester or being a cunning criminal in the latter Fast & Furious movies, Helen knows how to command attention.
She told Women's Health, "I think without a doubt as you get older your confidence increases."
Emma Thompson
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Emma Thompson is known for movies like Nanny McPhee, Johnny English, and more, but I absolutely think her personality and gray hair are the real stars.
In a personal essay she wrote for The Guardian, the actress bore witness to the way our bodies change the older we get as evidenced by being close to her daughter and mother during the pandemic. She wrote, "So instead of grieving my mother’s ageing, instead of envying my daughter’s youth, I find I am buoyed up and calmed down by turn."
Diane Keaton
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Diane Keaton worked her way into my heart when my mom introduced me to Annie Hall and, later, The First Wives Club. I've always been drawn to the structured looks she seems to effortlessly pulled off and channeled it when I used to work at a law firm.
She was one of the few women I remember seeing truly embrace not only their style, but her gray hair. She told People in 2017, "My hair is now white. It’s better to have light around your face — I think it looks better on older people."
Jamie Lee Curtis
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Jamie Lee Curtis not only stole our hearts with her long acting history, but she always made short hairstyles look chic. Now that she has grey hair, it makes her signature pixie cut stand out even more.
She appeared on Today earlier this year to promote her children's book Just One More Sleep and shared how she feels about getting older. "I’m very much in acceptance of what I look like and I own what I think and feel. And that, to me, is what maturity is. You own what you think and feel. I say what I mean. I mean what I say. I try not to say it mean. And that’s a way then to grow into my old age.”
Meryl Streep
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How can we not love Meryl Streep? From Death Becomes Her to The Devil Wears Prada, we'd spot those iconic cheekbones anywhere.
She hasn't said anything about her grey hair yet, but she has mentioned how she feels about getting older. "You have to embrace getting older. Life is precious..." she once told Good Housekeeping.
Andie MacDowell
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Known for her roles in St. Elmo's Fire, Groundhog Day, and the 2011 version of Footloose, Andie MacDowell has been acting for quite a while.
In terms of her grey hair, she's another celebrity who's chosen not to hide it. She told People last year, "I'm just appreciative that people let me be the individual that I am without question. I think people also agree that silver hair probably suits me."
Allison Janney
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Allison Janney has the kind of dry humor that always has a bit of truth hidden in it. From Juno to Palm Royale, you know it's going to be a great time whenever she's onscreen.
She appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show in 2021 and had this to say about embracing getting older. "I cannot tell you how amazing it is to feel free...Free from hair color and hair extensions and hair tapes and blah blah blah."
Stacy London
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Stacy London hosted What Not to Wearalongside Clinton Kelly for a decade and helped changed the way we approach style so it's obvious that she'd make having grey hair look ultra glamorous. She opened up to Cup of Jo about the streak of grey hair that used to garner a lot of attention.
She said, "People used to tell me to dye my hair because it made me look old, but I’ve had the streak since I was 11! I’ve never felt uncomfortable about it. I think it puts me in the same category as Cruella de Vil or Rogue from X-Men. That’s pretty iconic."
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