2007 was a big year for me in my personal life. I married my wonderful husband, Jeff on a beautiful beach in Jamaica on January 23rd. It was a perfect day, except that we didn't have any family and friends present to witness our happiness. This was when we decided to do it again on May 5, 2007 here in Evansville. Shortly after that, I decided to let my hair go gray. My older sister Louise, has let her hair return to it's natural color and her courage really inspired me to do the same. You see, I started going gray when I was about 20 years old and I've been coloring it ever since. The problem was, I kept having to go lighter and lighter as the gray came in more and more. It was just getting to be so expensive, let alone a pain in the butt to go to the salon EVERY four weeks to get my roots touched up! Little did I know, I would stumble on the most wonderful book on letting your hair go gray. It's called "Going Gray--What I learned about beauty, sex, motherhood, authenticity, and everything else that really matters," by Anne Kreamer. What a great read this was and I can't recommend it enough! We were lucky enough to chat with Anne and she's just a hoot! For more information on the book, check out Anne's website HERE! Anne's book has even spawned a website! Check out Gray Girls HERE!
Here are some photos of my journey to share with you. I hope you enjoy!!
This is my natural color.....I had to go all the way back to first grade to find it!
**Update** **Fall 2009**
This picture of me was taken on Halloween at our Destin, Diamonds or Disney giveaway. As you can see, the transformation is now finally complete! Yippee!
Oh, by the way.....this is Anne Kreamer's transformation to her natural color. I think she looks great! What an inspiration for all of us!
I'd love to hear from you on this subject. Do you have a story to share about your experience with this? Let me know! Also, keep checking back for updates to my journal.
"Gray is beautiful and it looks good on you. Too many people worry about gray--it is just a color. it does not change who we are . Even having gray hair, there are a lot of us that don't look the age we are and just think of all the money we can save and use for something that we want."
~Mary Evans~
"Diane, I have never had the pleasure of seeing you in person, only pictures on the wiky website. I must say i really like the shorter hair cut on you. i have very short brown hair with very few gray hairs at the glorious age of 50 so i really can't relate to what your going through with letting it all grow out your natural color. I think after it's all said and done you will look back and say it was worth it and just think of all the money you will be saving! i Love your morning radio show with djb, keep up the good work.
from Doris rutledge, one of your loyal listeners!"
"HI DIANE, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU! i THOUGHT BY THIS POINT YOU WOULD HAVE GIVEN UP. I SPOKE WITH YOU WHEN YOU WHERE FIRST THINKING ABOUT IT AND TOLD YOU MY STORY. TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, i TOO WAS TIRED OF GOING FOR THE MONTHLY TOUCH UPS AND HAD SPOKEN WITH MY BEAUTICIAN ABOUT 'LETTING IT GO'. I DIDN'T HAVE THE NERVE AT THAT TIME. A FEW MONTHS LATER I FOUND OUT I HAD BREAST CANCER AND THAT IS WHERE IT BEGAN. AFTER LOSING MY HAIR THROUGH CHEMO ALL OF MY THOUGHTS CHANGED. hAIR WAS NOT IMPORTANT ANYMORE. IT HAS BEEN 3 YEARS (YIPPEE) AND ALL IS GOOD. REMEMBER IT IS ABOUT YOU AND WHAT IS INSIDEOF YOU. I'M SURE JEFF WILL LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT COLOR YOUR HAIR IS. MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN AWESOME THROUGH IT ALL. 3 YEARS LATTER DOING GREAT, GRAY HAIR AND ALL!"--Ginger
" I just checked out anne kreamers book and am going to decide after I read it if I want to go gray. I hate coloring my hair but I do not want to look old either. I am 54 years old and have colored my hair for years. I think you look good and will look even better when it is all one color."--Deloris
This is from my sister, Louise:
"It took me about a year and a half to grow my hair out and it is definitely a tough time! Now that I have done it I have been amazed at the number of women who tell me that they wish they had the guts to do it too! I don't miss having to go into the salon every 4 weeks and I love the fact that I am saving so much money not coloring my hair. This summer my husband and I were looking at a dvd from our daughter's kindergarten year. It had all of the programs and in one of them the camera was right behind our heads--both Todd and I complained about how bad the back of our heads looked--mine looked like a grey yarmulke! I am glad that I didn't see this dvd until 6 months after the fact! I am going to check out the book about going grey--sounds good. Good luck with the process--stay strong!" LOL, Louise
"Well, it looks like I am about the same age. I have thought about this growing out stage, but can't committ to it just yet. Keep us updated on the pictures. I have thought about this since the movie "The Devil Wears Prada". Meryl Streep looks great with her gray hair."--Kristi
"Diane!!!
Gray is great on you!!!
I have to join the glory train to gray myself. I'm tired of the severe, highlights, not to mention the expense and stress on my hair. Okay...I'm game...
My trouble is that I still have the "black roots...the spaghetti with the black roots! Well, if I could let go of those "acrylic nails I can do the gray thing. Thanks for the inspiration.
Love you girl
Lillian"
"I am almost 64 years old, when I go to the beauty shop to get my hair cut no matter which one I go to thy all say the same thing I have beautiful hair. My hair is very thick. My hair is salt and pepper color. my hair when I was young was coal black. we just had our 45 class reunion and I notice a lot of the girls colored there hair, but there hair was so thin you could see skin. so the only thing I can say is "AT LEAST YOU HAVE HAIR"
PS I love your hair style and I think it looks great."--Jeannie
"Okay... I just wanted to say: first of all, congrats to you for going gray. It's brave! And... your hair is going to rock!! You have the awesome silver tone that will just make your eyes pop! It's going to be a great look for you."--Bronwyn
"DIANE - YOU'RE DOING GREAT! i HAVE BEEN IN THE GROWOUT STAGE SINCE 11/30/06 AFTER A REALLY NASTY ALLERGY REACTION. i WAS REALLY DISMAYED TO HEAR i CAN NEVER COLOR AGAIN. iT'S COMING IN MOSTLY SILVER WITH SOME PEPPER. aNNE'S 6/06 ARTICLE ABOUT HER OWN EXPERIENCE IN MORE MAGAZINE GAVE ME SOME SOLACE. sHE'S RIGHT THOUGH...THE GROW OUT SUCK! bUT 10 MONTHS LATER i AM OVER THE HURDLE WITH THE WORST BEHIND ME. 6 MORE MONTHS (i WOULDN'T CUT IT VERY SHORT THOUGH i HAVE LOBBED SOME LENGTH OFF AND FEEL BETTER). hER BOOK IS GEAT - i HAD PRE-ORDERED IT FROM aMAZON. GOOD LUCK AND KEEP POSITIVE...IT DOES GROW OUT EVENTUALLY:-) iF i HAVE LEARNED ONE THING THROUGH OUT THIS IT IS "i AM MORE THAN MY HAIR"--Dawn
"Honey I am proud of you....I am 51 and make the girl at Imagine at Newburgh use the lightest blonde she has to cover it. I just can't stand the thought of having gray hair to me it means litle old lady!!! You are very cute and I can relae, my hustband is 57 and well I told you I am 51, been married 3 years met when I was 47 in 03 on don't tell no joke, Match.com I migrated from kY!!! Your hair is beautiful and you have a wonderful show."--Diane Woodson-Wilkerson
"Diane, first of all love the cut and the silver! I went silver 10 years ago, I'm 60 now. I love it and my friends envy my look. I still have some dark brown, so really my hair looks like an expensive "frost" job. I wouldn't dye my hair again for anything or anyone. You go girl!"--Della
