By Nell Geraets
No one serves the salt-and-pepper look quite like George Clooney. Since he started going grey in the 1990s, the actor quickly became one of the world’s favourite “silver foxes”. But after dyeing his hair black recently for a role on Broadway, no one seemed more put off by it than he.
“My wife is going to hate it because nothing makes you look older than when an older guy dyes his hair,” the Good Night, and Good Luck star told The New York Times in February.
George Clooney hates his dyed hair. Should more men embrace their grey locks too?Credit: AP/Supplied
Other Hollywood celebrities are similarly smitten with their silver fox status, including Steve Carell, Patrick Dempsey and Hugh Grant. Locally, there’s Eric Bana, NRL coach Ivan Cleary and Ben Mendelsohn, who’s currently showing off his salt-and-pepper mane in season two of Andor.
If the likes of Clooney and Mendelsohn are championing their naturally greying hair, should other men follow suit and ditch the dye?
The silver fox allure
The term silver fox has been used to describe attractive, grey-haired men since the 1920s, when American baseball player Jesse Petty earned the moniker “The Silver Fox”.
However, it goes beyond having grey hair. Dr Sarah Bonell, a body image researcher at the Bolton Clarke Research Institute, says the term is usually reserved for men with greater power and status, including actors, politicians and chief executives.
“Usually, they’re men who were sought after when they were younger, and now they’re pivoting to this older phase of conventional attractiveness,” she says. “The silver fox is revered because it’s generally assumed that with age comes more power and money.”
So, not every grey-haired man is a silver fox, says national president of the Hair and Beauty Australian Industry Association Maureen Harding. But does this exclusivity make the label even more appealing?
Dyeing hair: frivolous or fair?
Men are more likely to face judgment for dyeing their hair than women. Bonell says this is because any beautification practice is still largely considered “women’s work”.
“We’re subsumed by the misogynistic view that anything women do for beauty is inherently inferior, silly or frivolous,” she says. “So, it’s looked down on when men do it – it disrupts the status quo. It suggests that men are beginning to recognise the value in their own beauty, which in a way validates women’s choices.”
In an episode of comedy series The Studio, Seth Rogen’s character is mocked for having dyed part of his greying hair black. “With a grey beard and black hair, you look nuts,” his colleague tells him.
Clooney’s comments appear to reinforce these gendered norms. “It’s almost like he doesn’t want to be perceived as one of those men going against the status quo. From a PR perspective, he’s probably trying to maintain his male fan-base,” Bonell says.
However, Harding says this seems to be shifting, as more male clients reject gendered norms and express interest in colouring their hair.
“We have many different options for men who want to change their hair – low-lights, highlights, comb-through balayage [dyeing that produces a sun-kissed effect] and the textured technique, where you put foils in to make it look like they’ve just been to the beach,” she says.
Ben Mendelsohn is currently embracing his grey hair in the second season of Andor.
What to consider before dyeing
Chelcey Salinger, director of The International Association of Trichologists, says the biggest mistake men make is going for “blanket cover”, which comes out looking unnaturally dark.
“As people age, their skin ages too. Grey or white hair softens your look. So, an older person with tinted dark hair can look extremely harsh,” she says. “Try not to colour your hair to its original colour, but choose a softer tone that enhances your skin colour.”
Salinger suggests fine-coloured highlights and foils, which involves separately colouring smaller sections of hair. “That way a regrowth isn’t as obvious and the look is softer and more subtle.”
Notably, certain comb-through colours can eventually fade, leaving a yellow tinge. Other tints and highlights can also fade, resulting in a gold reflection. However, Salinger says this is usually avoided by using the right combination of quality colours and highlights.
Consultation with a professional hairstylist is a good idea, Harding says. They can advise which pigments will achieve the most natural-looking results, such as a cool violet as opposed to warmer pigments.
So, should men bother?
If quality products are used, Harding says there’s no reason to avoid colouring. However, it depends on the maintenance you’re prepared to carry out and the money you’re willing to spend. After all, hair grows approximately 1.25 centimetres per month, so regrowth appears relatively quickly.
“If you only go to the hairdresser when you feel like it, a lower maintenance colour is probably better,” she says. “You can’t get results from a box dye. Trust the professionals to guide you to what you need.”
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