15 Celebrities Who Prove Just How Chic Gray Hair Can Be
15 Celebrities Who Prove Just How Chic Gray Hair Can Be
Ariel WodarcykSat, October 10, 2026 at 1:35 PM UTC
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Andie MacDowell wears her gray hair in a sultry, voluminous blowout.Credit: Kristy Sparow/Getty ImagesThe Gist -
Gray hair is the focal point of many celebrities’ looks, from Helen Mirren’s sleek bob to Kelly Hu’s striking silver hairline.
See 15 examples of stars who have fully embraced their grays, ahead.
For too long, gray hair has been left out of the conversation on what it means to have beautiful, healthy hair. And while things aren’t perfect now, strides are being made, with more haircare lines designed specifically to enhance (not cover!) gray hair, more gray-haired women as the faces of beauty campaigns, and more stars wearing their grays on the red carpet.
Hair coloring techniques have also evolved to work with, rather than against, gray hair. Christine Mc Inerney, a New York City-based hairstylist, previously told InStylethat many of her clients are opting to enhance their grays with “blonde or platinum baby lights for added dimension.” Those who are looking to blend their grays seamlessly are opting for a French blending technique or highlights on a dark base, “allowing for a softer, more natural transition without fully concealing their silver,” says Mc Inerney.
Ahead, see 15 celebrities who prove just how chic gray hair can be, with silver bobs, braids, curls, and more.
01 of 15
Sarah Jessica Parker
Credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images
SJP’s waist-length braid at the New York City Ballet Fall Fashion Gala took my breath away. The romance of it all was so striking, from the pink ribbon looped through the plait to the volume at her crown.
02 of 15
Mo’Nique
Credit: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Mo’Nique’s salt-and-pepper updo radiates elegance. Because black and silver hair both have cool undertones, they make for an especially seamless blend.
03 of 15
Debbie Harry
Credit: John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images
Debbie Harry’s traded her signature bleached blonde shag for gray, and the effect is remarkably similar. Undone volume and texture retain the Blondie frontwoman’s signature edge.
04 of 15
Meryl Streep
Credit: Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images
This is a signature Meryl Streep look: sunglasses and hair swept back into a loose chignon. The silver strands at her hairline melt gradually into her honey blonde base color.
05 of 15
Phylicia Rashad
Credit: John Nacion/Getty Images
Phylicia Rashad wears her long, flowing boho braids swept up into a high ponytail. The mix of braids and curls catches the light and adds dimension to her silver.
06 of 15
Andie MacDowell
Credit: Maya Dehlin Spach/FilmMagic
Whether she wears her natural curls or a sleek blowout, Andie MacDowell has made her grays a part of her signature look. Pro tip: If you’re growing out your grays, try a slightly irregular part like MacDowell’s to blur the line between your roots and your base color.
07 of 15
Helen Mirren
Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage
There are two products that belong in your gray hair routine: a gloss treatment and purple shampoo. The latter will give your hair a soft, mirror-like shine, and the former will give you a bright white, frosted effect, similar to Helen Mirren’s color.
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08 of 15
Lily Tomlin
Credit: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
A sprinkling of babylights and lowlights can help mesh gray hairs with a dark base. Lily Tomlin’s grays look intentionally painted on in a face-framing formation.
09 of 15
Olivia Colman
Credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI
Olivia Colman’s hairstylist, Inanch Emir, shared her color formula for Colman’s grays in an Elle U.K. interview. “Natural gray hair is never just one color, so I blended four different gray shades to create depth and dimension and to work harmoniously with Olivia’s own hair.” She also used curly extensions to match the Elsinore star’s natural texture.
10 of 15
Jane Fonda
Credit: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
Jane Fonda gives her curls a lift with a layered, shoulder-length lob. Her color is lightest around her face, a common technique used to brighten up gray and blonde hair colors alike.
11 of 15
Hilarie Burton
Credit: John Nacion/WireImage
One Tree Hill star Hilarie Burton’s hair has a natural ombré effect. It transitions from white at her roots to a steely gray, ash blonde, and a rich chestnut at her ends.
12 of 15
Stacy London
Credit: Taylor Hill/Getty Images
Stacy London’s face-framing gray streaks are instantly recognizable as a part of her signature style. She wears them with a center part and jet-black base color for cool, intentional contrast.
13 of 15
Rita Moreno
Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Gray hair can be dark and stormy, bright white, or a soft pearl, as seen here on Rita Moreno. For a similar look, consider asking your stylist to blend ash blonde highlights with your grays.
14 of 15
Kelly Hu
Credit: Robin L Marshall/WireImage
Kelly Hu’s elegant, slicked-back style shows off the grays along her hairline and crown. Notice how, rather than matching her eyebrows to her black base color or to her grays, she instead pencils them in with a medium ash tone.
15 of 15
Emma Thompson
Credit: Taylor Hill/Getty Images
A layered pixie plays up the natural dimension in Emma Thompson’s hair, which is white on top and a cooler, darker gray on the sides.
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