First thoughts on new hair and a question - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

First thoughts on new hair and a question

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thank you all again for the supportive comments about the new hair. It's liberating and feels right to have done this. I was ready for a big change.

True, I am feeling a tiny bit over-shorn, but I know in two weeks it will feel fine, and if I get two more trims back to this length over the summer (a good time to wear it super short!) then all the remaining bits of gold will be gone and I can adjust the length to whatever is most flattering or fun.

So far, it appears to be charcoal at the roots, full of silvery highlights, and there are a few bright white patches. The overall impression is light, bright -- almost white. There is more value contrast between my eyes and my hair now. But I have less colour going on, overall.

Onwards. I have been playing in my closet. No photos, alas, because DD still has the camera, but I'll try to get her to bring it home from school one day next week.

In the meantime, suffice it to say that I'm going to have to let a few things go (no longer flattering) and I will also need to do a bit of shopping to fill some resulting wardrobe holes.

I'll go into that in more detail when I'm able to post a few pics (because visuals are so helpful!). In the meantime, I do have a specific question. I will be in Montreal this weekend for a combined work/ mini-holiday and Mr. Suz and I are going out for a few nice meals -- which means I get to dress up. Yay!

However, there is the issue of footwear. My dressiest shoes are probably my champagne Okalas. They are almost a nude on me, with a tiny bit of shine. You can see how well they worked with the old hair.

But...um...with the new hair? Not so much. They are not dreadful but they're not the best, either. (Unlike my gold-toned jewellery, which used to work but which looks hideous on me now, sob...).

Options are the silver Jolenes (more cohesive but somehow not as flattering with the hem length of this particular dress, or as dressy). I also have the pony hair (black and white) Okalas but those are a bit too much pattern with Dress #1.

I may end up taking two different dresses (pics 2 and 3) which work with the pony Okalas, but just in case, do you think the champagne shoe will work okay with my new silvery head?

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Sam Edelman Women's Okala Dress Pump

View Info

Top Pick

9

Topshop Jolene Leather Buckled Shoes

View Info

Top Pick

13

Norra Silk Dress

View Info

Top Pick

15

Nicole Miller Lauren Stretch Linen Dress

View Info

Top Pick

9

General

35 replies

Latest reply was from Echo

Tanya

Veteran

I think that the champagne Okalas will still work with the first dress because, while they won't bookend your new pretty hair, they will still be fairly close to your skin tone and thus function as nude. Nude heels go with everything. For the second and third dress, I like both the silver Jolenes and pony hair Okalas, so I would bring them all. Have a lot of fun at your trip and am looking forward to future, coloring-analyzing posts.

dashielle (Ann)

(website)

Veteran

I don't know what you're seeing Suz, the champagne Okalas just make you look like you have legs for miles! You may have to recalibrate your eyes for the new hair, especially if you've become used to bookending. It's amazing how a little change to hair color can rock your wardrobe...I went true red back in the 'beginning of the century' and it wreaked havoc with my closet. Anyway, all three of these looks are good, but I love the circle print shift for the pattern interest it brings to your look with the cow print Okalas. I'm having shift-envy!

Bijou

Veteran

I missed your haircut post - but I have to say that you look beautiful with the new cut. I also have to echo Tanya that the champagne Okalas work as a nude shoe and given they are well away from your hair, can be worn now. However, if wearing them makes you feel less than fab, then my vote is for dress #3 which I think would look amazing with the new hair.

JAileen

Veteran

My hair is more silver than your new fab 'do, but beige doesn't work for me at all. I agree with Tanya re skin tone, but I will say that in the last three years I've bought at least 15 pairs of grey/silver/pewter shoes, boots and sandals. I have added exactly zero beige shoes. I also started wearing silver jewelry almost exclusively.

I want to get the Dansko Maisie sandals in beige, but I'm planning on dyeing them dark blue.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I would not fret the champagne shoe color -- don't worry about bookending. It works like a nude and looks fantastic.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Ok, I have opinions on this one! First off, obviously our coloring including hair is different. But I will say silver is one of my most flattering colors so I think the silver Jolene's make a lot of sense here.

Secondly, when I first chopped I rejected every single brown toned thing from my closet. Going from a dyed warm brown to a definitely cold salt and pepper made me reconsider everything. But, after a while, I came back round to neutral tans, warm cognac and even gold hardware and earrings. It took me a while to recalibrate my eye. or something. So don't give up the champagne Okalas yet.

On the other hand, other strong colors that were once no brainers are now not so clearly good - certain blues both light and dark. Finally pearl grey is my new best friend. Hope that helps - have a wonderful holiday!

Cococat

Veteran

Interesting about your gold jewelry no longer working Suz. Do you think that it might be a matter of time for adjustment or just no good anymore? I'm interested because my mum has hair that is lots of lovely shades of grey (although permed and set like the Queen's do) and she wears exclusively gold. She has very fair skin.

Anyway...I agree with Janet that your shoes look like a neutral and will do fine with your lovely dresses.

Joy

Veteran

Keep and wear the champagne Okalas. They are light like your hair and a nude on you. You will be able to wear shades that you have not worn before and some old favorites may not work as well, but take your time with it. It is probably more important that the shoe looks nice with your skin than with your hair.

deb

Veteran

I think the champagne shoes look good with your hair. Wear them.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I agree with everyone--the champagne Okalas look fantastic with your skin; no need to bookend with your hair.
I finally got some nude pumps, and they definitely don't bookend with my hair. I've gotten used to bookending, with all my taupe and pewter shoes. But I like the change with the nude ones. I bet your eye will adjust.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

rachylou

Veteran

Well, some of it I think is how short your hair is right now. I'm guessing you've got a tougher, more RATE look at the moment with the short and silver...

Lyn D.

Veteran

Don't get rid of your gold accessories just yet Suz!

Style Fan

Veteran

I would agree with others that it takes time for your eye to adjust to your new hair. The nude shoes seem to match your skin tone and work great with the dress. I love pic #3. The blue dress with the pony hair shoes is amazing.
FWIW I use to only wear gold jewellery because silver looked awful on me. My hair was so strongly golden/strawberry blonde that it bossed my wardrobe around. Now that I have silver running through my hair and my skin is also less golden I can wear both silver and gold as long as the silver has some warm to it. (eg with Amber). You may find a way to wear your gold jewellery.

Anonymous

Also weighing in on letting the eye adjust, Suz. I own exactly one pair of silver earrings, and they got a big workout after I cut away all but the grey. I had *exactly* the same, 'oh no!' reaction you did. I think part of it is the sudden change versus a gradual grow in. Luckily, my gold jewellery has heirloom or sentimental value, so I didn't part with it. I now wear it just as much as I always did. I didn't notice the footwear issue because, as others have said, nude footwear reads like a leg extension, not a bookend to me. In fact, 4 years after I went grey, I still don't own any silver footwear.

What I *did* part with: dresses and tops that didn't work on my neckline with my shorter hair. That came with some later regret when I grew my hair again. Interestingly, I kept wearing a lot of my taupe clothing, and still love warm taupe, despite my cooler colouring. I just pair it with silver tones -- I've acquired some mixed-metal jewelry and a silver and taupe scarf has become a wardrobe workhorse. Though maybe theres more gronde in my hair than in yours.

And I can't say enough how stunning you look with your new cut --I got mine done yesterday (also following an Angie inspo pic) and love the comfort for summer. You look beautiful.

Traci

Veteran

I see what you mean. I think the nude shoe is probably "fine", but you are used to looking more pulled together than just "fine" and they were that with the blonder hair.

I think my vote is for the Jolene, but I'm also wondering if it's possible to bookend the nude shoes with a necklace or scarf to bring more cohesion? Maybe they are asking for a spot of the gold jewelry you've pushed aside? I feel like they are calling for a spot of warmth somewhere else in the outfit? Before you rule them out, try a bold red lipstick or something else bold and warm.

RobinF

Veteran

I agree that the champagne shoes work as nude on you but maybe you should wait a little for your eyes to adjust before wearing them? I love all three dresses and think the silver shoes would work also. I guess it never occurred to me that I match clothes and shoes to my hair but I probably do it without realizing. Very interesting.

Sihaya

Veteran

Suz, I don't know that you need to bookend your hair each time and the Okala color is so neutral that it would work great with your skin and just about any outfit. I guess I'm just adding another vote to what others have said

Momo

Veteran

You look beautiful and the I think the shoes look excellent. I agree with the others that they are a lovely nude color for you.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Good morning beautiful

The nude Okala's will and do still work for you Suz. I agree that it's more important with nude shoes to work with your skin tone rather than your hair. For example, my nude Clarks kitten heel pumps don't bookend my salt and pepper hair at all but they DO work with my skin tone.

When I first stopped coloring my hair (which had been a dark auburn with hi-lights) I was quite surprised at how certain colors (I'm looking at your dark and warm chocolate brown) no longer worked. I don't think it's just the hair on its own but how the new hair color interacts with my face/skin tone. Basically my whole head looked different - lol!

But I also found colors that now worked much better for me such as black, white and red.

I also found I had to change my make up a bit and add a brighter lipstick which then brought more color and brightness to my face.

Oh and one other thing - the silver in your hair becomes shinier and more beautiful as you go along. What used to be grey on me is now platinum and shiny so you get a bit more brightness to you as the hair adjusts.

Just have fun with it and experiment

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You Fabbers are brilliant! Thanks so much. This is super helpful. Thank you!

Tanya, you were the first to comment on my hair, too -- so supportive!

Ann, thank you. I SO hear you on red. I did exactly the same back in the 90s! And with the same result. I really had to change things up.

I feel like I should have clarified that the hair in the pics is not my new hair! And even the pic below makes it look more "golden" than it is. Shot against the dove grey wall the gold tones are coming out more than they do most places.

Bijou, thank you. I think I'm going to take dress 2 and dress 3 with the pony print shoes. I can also bring the other dress with the Jolenes just in case.

JAileen, I suspect I am as cool toned as you must be. Beige of any kind has never worked on me but taupe can and I think (unless I am deluding myself!) it still does, but I'll do some experimenting to find out.

Janet, thanks. I do think it appears like a nude pretty much. There is in fact a sort of silvery pattern over the pale gold, tempering it. So that helps as well.

Jaime, thank you! Your wise advice much valued here. Yes, silver and greys were always good on me but now are amazing -- incredibly harmonious and smooth. I'm not rejecting cognac at all...it feels so much like an accent that it seems fine. I am giving leopard print (warm toned) the side eye -- it used to be a great accent for me but now I need to see it in photos to tell. I'm going to have some fun in the closet next week if I can.

Coco -- I had hoped that my gold jewellery would be maybe a nice contrast -- I'm not against mixed metals! -- but for now, it's looking rather shocking with the silver. Maybe my eye needs to adjust. I have seen women with silver hair look beautiful with gold jewellery so I won't throw anything out yet. Glad your mother still enjoys hers.

Joy, great points; thank you. Again, you are the voice of experience here and I have seen you make pale gold look amazing, so if you can do it, I should be able to!

Deb -- thank you.

Sharan, thank you. I love your new pumps -- so pretty on you. And you're right -- they just look elegant and festive; they don't scream their presence.

Rachy, that's a really good observation. The short silver is inherently tougher somehow -- partly because the charcoal undertones are more visible. Really interesting thought. I will have more to say on that next week!

Okay, Lyn -- I'll hang onto them and see if I can make them work! (Mostly I have silver anyway, so it's not that big an issue...)

Style Fan, thanks and I hope you are right!

Aliona, now I want to see your new cut!!! Exciting!! I hope you are loving it. (And thank you so much for the support. It is women like you, Joy, Shevia, JAileen, Shannon, Claire, Windchime, Elizabeth P, Firecracker and more who have given me the courage to go ahead with this big change.)

As for necklines -- you are so right. I almost always wear short hair but when I briefly wore my hair long many of my favourite go-tos did not work on me.

Traci, my feeling was like yours -- I wanted something else gold to tie them together, but my gold earrings felt like they clashed. Hmmm.

Robin, thank you. I never thought about "bookending" as we call it here until I joined YLF and pretty much only wore black shoes (practicality) or sometimes brown sandals -- until I learned the magic of tying footwear to hair or some other major element of the outfit.

All great thoughts. I appreciate the support.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, thank you so much -- your observations are spot on, and of course nude should still work -- it works brilliantly on you. How many times have I commented on what workhorses your Clarks are for you?!

I am taking note of some major colour and pattern changes that I'll post about next week. This part is fun -- learning what works and what doesn't anymore! I see a lot more "pops of colour" in my future.

Momo, Sihaya -- thank you both!

Anonymous

Nude shoes are about more about extending the leg than matching hair color, as Olivia in Angie's post of today demonstrates in her leather skirt outfit.
You may find that you move away from the whole bookending concept altogether and find other ways to look as finished as you like.
Not coloring your hair might be a decision with a wider impact than previously expected.
You look beautiful and I was particularly struck by how lovely your skin looks.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I agree with everyone that it will take some time to adjust to the new color - and it will likely still be changing some over the next several months. There are other ways to bookend your hair - accessories like bracelets, earrings, belt, handbag - the shoes are only one option and as others said a nude that works with your skin tone is very useful.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Darling Suz, I can understand how you're feeling a little "over-shorn", but as you said, in 2 to 4 weeks, you're going to feel VERY comfortable.

My vote is silver Topshop pumps all the way. I can't imagine them not working with these gorgeous frocks because I have those pumps (just duplicated them actually), and they work with everything. Trust me. Wear those with your favourite frock here.

YES. You'll be looking at the palette of your wardrobe with a beady eye over the next year or so. Fun style evolution. Lots of silvery blues, greys and jewel tones in your future.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Okay -- it is the Jolenes then, but I'm also bringing the pony pumps because they're a bit more comfy. The Jolenes are also fab (I walked in them about 5 km the first time I wore them!) but it is supposed to be killer hot and I have blisters on my heels from my new sneakers so I need to take care!

Luckily, I love and already wear silvery blues, greys, and softened jewel tones. But this is a great excuse for more style evolution!!

Anonymous

I can't contribute much about shoe colour without seeing photos , but I will say this: the weekend is all about getting away, having fun, eating wonderful food, and enjoying some summer weather - and all in Montreal! Don't let your shoes take over your headspace - use a little more makeup and define your face more, go for the silver shoes,wear some silver jewellery and have a lovely time. You'll figure it out as you go along I know, I know, this is a fashion forum and all, and maybe I'm feeling a little cranky today or something - but you look beautiful and fresh, and will look so pretty in any or all three of those dresses. How about adding in some sneakers and a denim jacket to completely change the look of a dress - not for dinner, obviously , but for other events? I can see that working with all three of those dresses !

Joyce B

Veteran

I also agree that the champagne shoes will be very nice.
Your new hairstyle looks very pretty.

Sara L.

Veteran

Hee, my hair isn't nearly as short as yours and I always feel a little "over-shorn" after a hair appointment. It takes a couple weeks to hit that sweet spot. I think the nude Okalas are fine but like many others here, I try to match my skin tone with nude shoes, not my hair. I love those Topshop pumps and have been lusting after them all spring. I think they'll go great with your dresses and if you would feel more comfortable in them than the nudes, I say wear the silver.

Marilyn

Veteran

Lots of great advice here. I'm just chiming in to say I think the nude shoe is great. Nude shoes are my absolute favourite and I'm a brunette. I'm not concerned about bookending. I just like that they blend in to my skin and elongate. I'm a happy girl whenever I find a nude shoe that is close to my skin tone.

Have a great time in Montreal!

12