Lifestyle

What Happens When A Guy Tries The Granny Hair Trend (Photos)

by Chris Riotta
Stocksy

If you haven't noticed, the #Grannyhairtrend has taken our social media feeds by storm, and the trend just doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

Elite Daily recently covered the outbreak of stunningly silver locks on women across America (well, mostly Instagram), but we realized one thing was missing: Where are the guys who were going fifty shades of grey in the name of fashion?

Maybe it's because guys don't pay attention to trends in the #hairgame, but it seems only women flaunt their grey manes online and in hipster coffee shops.

But I think there's more to it; I think men are afraid of stepping into salons and going bold.

I was born with five grey hairs on the back of my head and my doctors told my parents it meant two things: I would never go bald, and I would go grey quite young.

I just don't think my parents had any idea I'd turn silver fox by the fresh age of 22.

I wanted to see what it would be like if I, myself, were to try on the granny hair trend for size.

Thanks to a little help from Alibi Salon in NYC, I took the plunge and blindly followed the grey.

Here's what I looked like before going grey:

This photo was taken right before I was 10 minutes late to my appointment at Alibi.

Nothing like being fashionably late to a makeover, am I right?

Just a bright-eyed, brown-haired 22-year-old living in New York City.

I wanted to capture my youth in a few shots before committing to the granny trend.

I figured it might just be the last time I look like a recent college graduate and not a geriatric patient, so I fake laughed and smiled as hard as possible.

I'll admit I was a little nervous when I met Amanda May.

The incredible Amanda May moved to New York four months ago from Mississippi, but says she's been dying women's hair grey for a while now.

However, Amanda did note the trend has been exploding online recently. When I told her I was nervous about the bleaching process, she simply shrugged and said,

Women can handle it all day, every day. Why can't you?

Challenge accepted.

Bleach is a bitch. Luckily, I was able to destress the only way I know how.

Like most men, I'm used to walking into a hole-in-the-wall barbershop and paying $12 bucks for a quick chop-up.

If I were to ever ask for water from one of those places, it would come from a dirty sink in a reused plastic red cup.

This was the first time I sat underneath the scissors and was asked to choose between red wine or mint tea. (Does anyone ever choose something other than free alcohol?)

The tinfoil on my head was giving me totally futurist George Washington vibes.

This part definitely wasn't something I've ever experienced before.

Sitting still while a weird, heated machine wraps around your skull while bleaching and frying your hair is anything but fun... or comfortable.

The process essentially requires about two bleaching applications (depending on how dark or light your hair is), followed by toning to rid your mane of any remaining color.

Then, and only then, can you dye hair silver, foxy grey.

The head massage you receive after bleaching is literally the most incredible feeling ever.

These pictures were taken after the first bleaching. Amanda decided to hold off bleaching the sides of the head until the second application, as the heat from the scalp helps the color from hair lift off more easily than the longer hair on the top of the head.

Who knew getting a haircut could also double as a science lesson?

Finally, I was ready to show the world my new do.

Before, during and after:

The coolest thing about having grey hair isn't the color, and it isn't that I've jumped on the trend-wagon either.

Honestly, the most awesome part about having bright, silver hair is knowing I don't feel forgettable anymore.

I see people glancing up as I get onto the subway or walk along the sidewalk and, to be quite candid, I love it.

There's something so cool knowing you've tried something different and broken away from the norm.

I don't even honestly mind whether anyone else thinks it looks dope or not.

I wanted to give my hair a little bit of life and was tired of my old look.

Dying my hair grey gave me a new perspective. It showed me I can step out of the box and try new things, and that I shouldn't be afraid to try something new just because it's done by guys, or girls, or whether anyone is doing it at all.

Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and decide to dye my hair green. Or wear blue contacts. Or even rock an outfit I've always thought I could never pull off.

But why repeat the same look twice?

Each day gives us another awesome opportunity to step out of our comfort zones and be bold.

Whether it means dyeing your hair, asking out a crush or starting a new project, take life by the horns and dare to be different.