When your hair starts turning grey, it can feel like your wardrobe no longer makes sense. The colours you once loved may suddenly feel too harsh or too dark. You might find yourself wondering, “Do I need a whole new wardrobe?” or “Why don’t my favourite colours suit me anymore?”
If you’re in this in-between space, you’re not alone. This is a conversation I have with women all the time, thoughtful, intelligent women who’ve may have a good eye but are now second-guessing what works. And it’s not vanity. It’s about alignment. You’re evolving, and your style should evolve with you.
Let’s look at what actually changes with your colouring, and how to adapt with clarity and confidence.
Why Going Grey Isn’t Just About Your Hair
As your hair loses pigment (there is no such thing as grey hair, it’s just white hair mixed in with your existing coloured hair that makes it appear grey), it subtly shifts the balance of your whole colouring. And while your undertone often remains the same, warm or cool, the intensity and value of your colours usually change.
Think of it this way:
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If you had dark, cool hair and are now going silver, your colouring has softened. You may find that colours you once wore beautifully now feel overpowering. You might move from needing bright, high-contrast colours to softer, more muted tones, still cool, just gentler.
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If you had warm, golden tones and are now greying, your overall warmth may lessen. That doesn’t mean you suddenly become cool-toned, but ultra-warm colours might now feel too heavy or yellow. You might shift to slightly cooler or closer to neutral versions of your best shades.
And if you’re wondering about value, that’s just a fancy word for how light or dark your colours are. Going from dark hair to grey or white naturally lifts your overall value, so lighter colours will now feel more harmonious.
Neutrals Are the First to Shift
One of the biggest changes I notice when someone goes grey? Their best neutrals change.
Our most flattering neutrals are always drawn from our natural colouring – hair, skin, and eyes. So if you once had dark brown hair, rich chocolate or espresso might have felt like a second skin. But now, with silver or white strands, those colours may no longer reflect who you are.
Instead, cooler greys, or even soft navy, mushroom, or pewter, might become your new signature. For warmer greys, think taupe, warm stone, or greige. It all depends on your unique undertone and where you’re transitioning from. Check out my blog post here about grey neutrals for grey hair.
This doesn’t mean throwing everything out. You can get creative. I’ve repainted boots with shoe paint and dyed garments to align better with my new palette. Sustainability and style can absolutely coexist.
What If Your Colours Feel “Off”?
If you’re putting on a blouse you used to love and it just feels wrong, that’s your intuitive colour intelligence speaking. Trust it. Your skin, like your hair, can shift subtly with age, too. What once brought glow may now drain you. We not only lose pigment from our hair, but also from eyes, and skin changes too, which is why when you try to dye your hair back to your “natural” colour (well that colour you had as a child or in your 20s) it looks harsh and doesn’t work so well.
This doesn’t mean your whole palette needs to change, but it does need updating. A professional colour analysis that takes your current colouring into account (not just the one you had ten years ago) is an empowering place to start.
You’re Not Losing Your Style – You’re Gaining Clarity
There’s a real sense of grief some women experience when they no longer feel like “themselves” in colours they’ve worn for decades. But here’s what I want you to know:
This isn’t a loss, it’s an evolution.
You’re not less vibrant because you’ve gone grey. You’re just working with a different canvas now. And with the right tools, you can rediscover the colours that make you feel like you again, calm, confident, visible.
Practical Tips for Updating Your Colours Post-Grey
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Reassess your neutrals: Pull out the jackets, scarves, or lipsticks that once felt great. Do they still feel harmonious? If not, look to your current hair colour for guidance.
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Soften your value contrast: If your hair used to be dark and is now light, your colouring has likely softened and value contrast lessened. High-contrast outfits may feel too harsh. Try pairing light with light or medium with dark for a more balanced look.
- Lighten your look – wear more light to medium-value colours rather than dark ones. Even your dark colours don’t need to be as dark as they may have been when you were younger (particularly if you were a dark brunette like me). Think about choosing light background prints rather than dark ones too.
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Test before you toss: Hold colours up to your face in natural light. Do they enliven your skin or cast shadows? Use this as a filter before donating or altering.
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Consider dye or paint: You don’t need to replace everything. Dyes and shoe paints can extend the life of items you love that just need a little tweak.
Change Is as Good as a Holiday
My mother always said, “Change is as good as a holiday,” and I’ve found that to be true, especially when it comes to style. Your grey hair is not something to hide. It’s an invitation to reassess, realign, and realign with who you are now.
Style isn’t static. It’s a living reflection of your evolution. And with the right knowledge and tools, this next chapter can be your most aligned and authentic yet.
If your colours are feeling off, or you’re curious about what now works best for you, book in for an updated colour analysis. You deserve to feel confident in every shade you wear.
From Overwhelmed to Outstanding: Navigating the Maze of Choosing Prints in Your Best Value Contrast
