Grey hair, rising visibility and the cost women may face at work
Olivia Colman’s silver look has drawn praise, but women seeking work still describe pressure to look younger. UK research cited by The Guardian suggests that hiring bias can start earlier for women than men.
Olivia Colman arrived at the Zurich Film Festival with grey curls, a departure from her familiar dark pixie cut. The Guardian reports that extensions in four shades of grey matched her natural colour while adding length and volume. Online, the look was praised; Vogue called her a “silver hair muse”.
Colman joins actors including Andie MacDowell and Lisa Bonet in wearing grey or silver hair. But visibility on the red carpet does not erase the pressure some women feel when looking for work. “Being able to embrace your grey hair proudly is a privilege,” says Stacey Duguid, 52, who describes struggling to find a job despite years of experience.
Duguid says that, while unemployed and under financial pressure, going grey did not feel like an option. She has also heard from older women who use filters during video interviews to mask their age. Grey hair, she says, is harder to hide.
The Guardian cites UK research from the Centre for Ageing Better that puts the average age at which recruiters see applicants as undesirable at 55. Research by University of Liverpool economist Ian Burn, also cited in the feature, found women’s chances of being called for interview begin to decline from 40, compared with men’s in their 50s.
For those who do decide to stop dyeing, the transition can take time. London hair specialist Sarah Bower says blending natural and dyed colour can take up to three years. The choice to go grey may be increasingly visible in public life, but for women weighing appearance against employment prospects, it remains a personal calculation.
