Forget the Dadbod, Meet Grannyhair

Move over, Dadbod. Here comes #grannyhair.

#Grannyhair refers to the tresses that young women intentionally dye gray as a fashion statement. And it’s been found everywhere from the runways to the celebrity circuit, with Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Nicole Ritchie all giving it a try. I’m not entirely clear on why this hair color is now all the rage, but I’ve narrowed it down to a few possibilities.

1. Irony. “Guys! Isn’t this ironic that I’ve dyed my perfectly textured, luscious, not-at-all frizzy hair gray? Like an old person? Even though I’m not one?”

2. Extreme Blonderexia. It was bound to happen. You can only go so blonde (and I know of what I speak). First you begin with a few honey-colored strands, then you graduate to a golden glow. Before you know it, you’re platinum. Now, you won’t be happy until they have stripped all the color out of every last strand on your head, leaving behind a faintly grayish white set of locks and the need for several gallons of conditioner.

3. They’ve recently been in my home and they find it soothing. I unwittingly painted every room in my house gray this summer. Light gray, dark gray, blue gray, true gray. You name it, I have it on my walls. Apparently, it’s a design trend.

4. The Nail Polish Effect. Once there were four nail polish colors: red, pink, coral and beige. Now those are the only four colors no one will wear. If you look down at the toes of a group of sandal-clad women, you’ll find umpteen shades of blue, gray, green, black, purple and yellow. I noticed a similar progression with hair color. Once there was blonde, brunette, red and black hair. Now we have blue and green and pink and purple. And apparently gray hair.

Whatever the reason, this is one fashion trend (unlike skinny jeans) that I can actually get behind. I’ve already started thinking of the ways to spend the small fortune I’ll save on salon coloring services if this movement takes hold.

Long live #grannyhair!