If Hollywood's biggest stars are any indication, gray hair has transcended its sole association with aging to become a celebrated trend in the beauty community. Whether you've "earned" your silver strands over time or need a little bleach and toner to achieve the color you're after, going gray may be the chic style swap your hair is looking for.
There's truly a chic gray hairstyle idea for every texture, length, and intended vibe out there. Need proof? We've rounded up the best gray hairstyle ideas that prove, once and for all, that silver is gold. Plus, get tips from pro hairstylists on how to make silver hair shine.
Keep scrolling for 67 grey hairstyles and colors to try at your next salon visit.
Meet the Experts
- Nikki Lee is a celebrity colorist and co-owner of Los Angeles-based Nine Zero One salon.
- Denis De Souza is a celebrity colorist at Mare Salon in Los Angeles.
- Krista Depeyrot is a master colorist and the co-founder of Salon Bisoux in Virginia.
Steel Gray Bob
The contrast of steel gray and black hair on supermodel Jourdan Dunn creates a rich and versatile look. It's such a youthful way to go gray. But be warned: A look like this can be very high-maintenance. You'll have to bleach the hair first before dying it, notes celebrity colorist Nikki Lee.
Mullet With Gray Streaks
Here, Jodie Foster gives a masterclass on blending gray streaks with her face-framing strands and mullet cut. This is an easy way to transition out of gray coverage and allow the hair to grow out in its natural color.
Gray Streak
Stacy London has proudly sported her classic gray streak since she was a child. The fact that gray often comes in streaky is something that you can work into your style—almost like highlights. Whether the gray is natural or added with dyes, the subtle touch of color (or lack thereof) can frame your face and enhance your everyday look.
Face-Framing Gray Highlights
If you dye your hair and are looking to make the transition to gray, Lee suggests ditching the single process bases and opting for highlights only. Kelly Hu's natural grays work to highlight and frame her face while adding a certain playfulness to her long, dark locks.
Platinum-Gray Pixie
Leave it to hair chameleon Sibley Scoles to bring us not one but two hair trends with her gorgeous platinum-gray pixie and wet look. This color can require a lot of upkeep but it doesn't have to. Scoles lets her dark roots show, and the result is effortlessly cool.
Voluminous Gray
Silver hair advocate and influencer Sausan Machari makes a strong case for going gray. With long locks and a hair flip to pump up the volume, we are convinced that the more gray hair, the better.
Grown-In Gray
Hints of gray can be very flattering, as Kate Moss effortlessly illustrates. While the rest of her hair may be a buttery blonde, she chooses to leave some natural gray streaks. It's unexpected, yet it completely works.
Gray Box Braids
A smattering of gray streaks incorporated into protective box braids creates a shiny, sleek finish that is undeniably eye-catching.
Platinum-Silver Crop
Gray color on a close crop is another beautiful look, especially when it's accompanied by natural texture. Although Cynthia Erivo's hair is enhanced with platinum dye, natural gray would look just as stunning.
Byrdie Tip
When it comes to maintaining platinum hues, the golden rule is to shampoo less often than you normally would—and with the right products, of course.
Lavender Gray
If you want to lean towards a lighter gray, similar to Saweetie, consider enhancing your color with subtle lavender hues. The combination of icy gray with soft lavender undertones is simply stunning.
Glossy Gray
Kim Kardashian's lengthy gray strands get a boost of body and volume thanks to a little help from a curling wand. To bring out and enhance hair's shine, work an oil from the mid-lengths to the ends.
Old Hollywood Bob
With voluminous, flipped-out ends, Mo’Nique's bob is the epitome of glamorous. Every swirl beautifully showcases the natural variation of grays.
Voluminous Curled Pixie
As seen on Emma Thompson, subtle layers and a curled style add dimension to this short pixie haircut. Use a holding paste or texturing spray to keep the volume pumped.
Ash Blonde
For blondes, going gray can be a more subtle endeavor. If you're almost all gray, you might want to consider coloring your hair blonde or getting blonde highlights. Blonde blends in better with gray as the crown and roots grow in, as demonstrated here on actress Blythe Danner.
Silver Shag
This silvery shag is everything we could want and more. After all, from short to long, shag haircuts never go out of style. If you've got straight strands, layering can help add movement and create volume. Still, work in a texturizing product for optimal results.
Straight and Silver
Long, silvery gray hair, when worn right, can be some of the most striking hair you will encounter. It imparts a certain elegance but can be fun and youthful at the same time. Case in point: JoAni Johnson's long, stick-straight tresses.
Dusty Blue
Lucy Boynton wore a dusty blue bob at the 2019 Met Gala and gave us serious ice-queen vibes—in a good way. She achieved the color through a color rinse, which is a fancy way of saying a hair tint, which is really just a non-permanent way to color hair. Easy peasy.
White-Gray Pixie
Jamie Lee Curtis has sported short hair for some time, and we have loved watching its color evolve over the years. Her white-gray pixie is not only low-maintenance but sophisticated. Consider it one of our favorite styles for women over 60—or any age, for that matter.
Silver-Gray Lob
Actor Javicia Leslie absolutely rocks this shade of silver-gray with dark roots. As for her brows, rather than dyeing them—which might look too matchy-matchy—she opts to paint them brown. Use an eyebrow pomade to fill in sparse areas and define your brows.
Natural Gray Highlights
Thanks to natural gray highlights, these long, brushed-out waves get added dimension. The monochrome palette looks especially flattering on a lengthy mane that's medium to thick in density. Those with thinner tresses might want to wear this color and style at shoulder length or shorter.
Silver Ribbons
Rihanna's highlights blend seamlessly with her natural color, allowing her to experiment with gray rather than going full-on. According to celebrity colorist Denis De Souza. "To achieve the silver ribbons all over her hair, I would use a natural level four. Her colorist likely highlighted her with bleach and toned her with a fashion teal tone."
Subtle Gray
Diane Keaton's long bob is flattering on blonde-gray hair, which lends it dimension. "Her hair is shiny and looks perfect with her fun style," comments De Souza. For this look, ask your colorist to add a few different shades to your natural hair.
Byrdie Tip
A great trick for straight, thin hair is traditional foil highlights, as well as highlights and lowlights. They will add gorgeous streaks of color and the illusion of more volume.
Titanium Gray
Replete with glistening grays and camouflaged hairpins, Ciara's 2016 Met Gala look is stunning—not to mention, it even matches her dazzling outfit. Achieving this hue is high maintenance, which is probably why Ciara opted to wear a wig. Truth be told, it's one of our favorite (read: non-committal) ways to experiment with new cuts and colors.
Lilac Gray
One way to funk up gray hair is to add a tinge of purple. A lilac overlay both softens Kelly Osbourne's structured chin-length bob and complements her fair complexion. If hair color upkeep is not your strong suit, no biggie. This lighter hue will fade more naturally than a deeper shade.
Gray Topknot
From its natural gray color to its topknot styling, everything about Linda Rodin's hair oozes effortless beauty. "This fashion/beauty icon looks amazing with her hair styled up and back away from her beautiful face," notes De Souza. To mimic this look's casual appeal, leave your topknot loose and pull out some wispy baby hairs for good measure.
Beige-Gray
"Helen Mirren looks soft and youthful with this beautiful shade of beigey gray and swoop bangs with her short bob," says De Souza. If your hair is naturally straight, a wavy bob like Mirren's can change up your look and is easily achieved with hot rollers.
Silver Lob
This metallic-gray bob on Nafessa Williams is fierce. The silver color works beautifully with her warm skin tone, and we love how it brings out the texture of her wavy hair. To keep silver strands healthy and shiny, choose hair products that aim to reduce brassiness.
True Salt and Pepper
Natural brunettes, such as Andy MacDowell, often develop a salt-and-pepper appearance as their hair grays. Her naturally dark gray hair showcases that gradual blend, with deeper tones at the tips and lighter gray strands near the hairline.
Silver Pompadour-Pixie
From cut to color, P!nk's cool-toned pompadour-pixie hits all the right notes. "P!nk looks beautiful with this cut and gray hair that shows off her beautiful face," says De Souza. To get her silver tone right, head to your colorist rather than attempt a DIY solution from home.
Gray "Rachel"
We deem this look the "Modern Rachel"—and it's not up for debate. Lovely layers and volume combine with gorgeous gray color to brighten the complexion and highlight the hair's dimension.
Gunmetal
Perhaps the youngest celeb to sport gray hair (albeit intentionally), Amandla Stenberg proves that this versatile color wears well at any age. To replicate her style, try using a crimper, which works on hair of all types and textures.
Salted Curls
Tamera Mowry lets her gray hair grow in for a chic salt-and-pepper look. By leaving your roots gray, you won't have to worry about frequent touch-ups.
Textured Pixie
No, you're not experiencing déjà vu; this is Tia Mowry, not her twin, Tamera. Both sisters are embracing their natural grays, and we are inspired. This pixie highlights contrasts in both texture and color. Slicked-back sides complement curly length up top, while gray strands speckled among dark curls emphasize natural highlights.
Silver Toner
Cara Delevingne's traditional bob gets a modern twist thanks to a side braid and white-silver color. "Cara was bleached all the way from roots to ends and toned with a silver toner to cut through any brassy tones," De Souza tells us. "I would start at a level six or seven to achieve this look," he adds.
Natural Gray Bob
There's more than one way to wear a bob, and this voluminous gray edition is one of our faves. Interestingly, when you go gray, your eyebrows can, too, which can make them look a little thin. However, you can dye your brows to match your former base color or use an eyebrow gel to fill in sparse areas and darken a light brow.
Silver Pearl
Cardi B's mid-length mane is glistening thanks to its silver pearl hue. Brunettes will have to work harder to achieve the color by first pre-lightening hair and then toning it. Still, it's worth it.
Blue-Tinged Gray
Back in her Girls days, actor Zosia Mamet was known for rocking a bluish shade of gray. It just goes to show that there's no one way to go gray, whether you're dying your locks or letting your natural color grow.
Cool-Toned Silver
Jane Fonda's cool-toned silver hair transformation is fresh and modern at any age. Meanwhile, her bangs add extra impact to her bixie. If you're looking to replicate her look on your own, consider using a paintbrush or professional brush rather than a nozzle to apply color. The latter isn't going to have the same force or breadth.
Gray-Pink
Hair chameleon Dascha Polanco has gone gray quite a few times. But one of our favorite iterations is this multi-hued ponytail with long, fringy bangs. Dark roots filter down to gray with a twinge of pink at the ends.
Gray Braid
Simple, yet stunning, a traditional braid highlights the texture and dimension of natural gray hair. And in case you're looking for some more ways to style your long hair, we've got you covered.
Gray-Blonde
Low-maintenance and lovely, Judi Dench's signature pixie fits her like a glove. "Judi Dench is just so awesome; she truly rocks this short and piecey hair and super-short bang that frame her face beautifully," says De Souza. To get her texture, work in a small amount of pomade.
Byrdie Tip
Gray hairs can sometimes grow in with a wiry texture and fewer natural oils. To strengthen weakened strands, try using a color shampoo or rinsing hair with apple cider vinegar once a week.
Scattered Grays
Lily Tomlin's scattered grays naturally highlight her dark strands. Coupled with her soft curls, the gray color works well in texturizing her hair. A shorter cut keeps this look fresh.
Silver Ombré
Winnie Harlow's long gray mane is simply stunning. The contrast of her dark roots makes the gray color even more impactful. To get her glossy finish, you'll need to keep strands hydrated and healthy. A hair mask will help with that.
Blonde-Gray
Carmen Dell'Orefice is the epitome of chic with her short groomed 'do. And that pose? "She is a fashion model icon that never stopped working," says De Souza. Plus, "Hair off her face shows her stunning bone structure." If you're looking to replicate her blonde-gray color with a dye, opt for a natural-looking platinum blonde.
Blue-Gray
Sevyn Streeter achieved this lovely gray 'do with the help of a wig. Its cool blue-gray color really complements her deep-brown eyes. To complete your look, opt for silver eye makeup like Streeter.
Peek-a-Boo Grays
Sharon Stone's grown-in grays are subtle yet effective in naturally highlighting her complexion. Dirty blonde hair is the perfect base color for transitioning to gray, as it doesn't create a stark contrast in color.
Asymmetrical Silver Crop
Former Spice Girl Mel B nails the glam-rock look here. Playing with color and texture is a great way to achieve a contemporary spin on the pixie. Maintaining this color can be high maintenance, especially if your natural hair has a darker hue. However, less upkeep can also come off as effortlessly cool, as seen by Mel's dark roots.
Gray Ombré
One way to embrace the transition to gray is with an ombré look, which looks amazing on long tresses. Caroline Labouchere's natural grays at the root blend into colored strands for a beautiful color melt of sorts.
Beachy Grays
Salma Hayek ditches the dye and instead embraces her natural grays with a beachy, wavy down-do.
Bullet Gray
Does anything say cool girl more than cool gray? Hailey Bieber debuted her long, wavy gray hair before heading to Coachella (where else?). If you're not looking for anything permanent, use a temporary dye to get this shade.
Light Gray Pixie
Ginnifer Goodwin is one of our favorite short-haired muses. While we typically love the contrast of her natural dark hair and fair complexion (so Snow White), the cool-toned pairing of this light gray pixie with her skin's cool undertones is screenshot-worthy. Style with a little pomade and pair with pink liner for a post-punk finish.
Chunky Gray
Keke Palmer looks stunning in this androgynous bowl cut."It lends a natural sophistication and harmony to her look," says De Souza. We're left wondering: Are chunky highlights back?
Silver-Blonde
Lady Gaga's white-gray hair with retro waves evokes old Hollywood glamour. If your skin's undertones fall under the olive, yellow, or orange category, consider opting for more neutral gray hair colors rather than white or silver tones.
Glistening Gray
Tracee Ellis Ross's braided updo not only allows her to show off her gorgeous face but also works to protect her natural hair. We love how the interplay of gray color among her dark strands serves as subtle natural highlights.
White-Gray Bob
"Linda Fargo is another fashion Icon. Her beautiful white hair cut and styled perfectly in an asymmetrical bob doesn’t show a single flyaway," says De Souza. Although it would look great curled, too, by styling her bob straight, she brings attention to the asymmetry of her cut.
"Ice Queen"
Leave it to Ariana Grande to make gray hair look youthful. Her long, thick tresses provide the ideal canvas to show off her light gray color. Meanwhile, pigtails add a fun and flirty flair.
Two-Toned Gray
When you can't decide between two colors, like gray and red, take a page from Lizzo's book and opt for both, as she did with this vivid holiday look.
Blonde-Gray Bangs
Ariana Debose attended the BAFTA Film Awards with grayish blonde side bangs that are a perfect entry-level hue if you've wanted to try a subtle silver color.
Silver Finger Waves
Saweetie styled her silver-gray strands in classic finger waves, a great option if your hair is on the shorter side.
Gray Bouffant
Laverne Cox's light-gray curtain bangs looked extra chic, with the rest of her hair tied up into a pinned updo.
Ash Gray Curls
Curls are equally gorgeous when colored in taupe-gray. The free-flowing, voluminous cut is the cherry on top of this look.
Windswept Curls
Andy MacDowell's buoyant curls swirl around her face. They have a wild, windswept look, and yet — somehow—not one strand is out of place.
Baby Bouffant
Meryl Streep's mini bouffant is a more casual take on the full-volume version of the look. It pairs beautifully with her minimalistic makeup and dainty silver glasses.
Sleek, Layered Bob
Glenn Close's sleek, layered bob has a side part that brings it body and bounce. The silvery-blonde hue of her 'do pairs beautifully with her glittering earrings and frosted-pink lip.
Wet-Look Bob
Model Maye Musk took a traditionally masculine look—a slicked-down, quiff-like bob—and made it soft and romantic. With a frilled, floral collar and blushing pink cheeks, the silver-haired muse looks poetic and chic.
Ringlet Bob
Rita Moreno's gray ringlets have an ombré effect. The short, billowy hairstyle has dimension and whimsy. To keep your silver strands as amazingly shiny as this, consider a hair glaze treatment.
Longer on Top
Vivica A. Fox's highlighted pixie, which is long on top and short on the sides, has hints of blonde, beige, and gray. Plus, it's versatile — the look can be casually touseled or slicked back for a more soignee effect.
Byrdie Tip
Want some help finding the shade of gray that's right for you? Here's what master colorist Krista Depeyrot has to say:
- Think softness for fair complexions when embracing the gray hair trend. Pale white and shimmery bright silver or silvery ashy blonde look fantastic on fair to medium skin tones.
- Darker smokey gray with violet or blue tones provides contrast to medium or olive complexions to prevent them from looking washed out.
- A deep silvery salt and pepper look is fantastic on dark complexions.