Beauty Talk: Pastel shades of pale

Beauty Talk: Pastel shades of pale 

Opening Ceremony's Kate Foley and cat Weenie seen @ Refinery 29

The pastel hair trend has now filtered down to the girl on the streets, with every lady and her cat adding a pink or lilac streak. Spare a thought for your nan, says Emma Plant.

It has been a gradual acceptance from our feet and most currently to our hair. What started with dipping our toes into mere puddles of nanna-ish fashion, has led to neo-conservatism of every outfit kind.

Brogues appeared on the catwalk, then on the soles of the fashion opinion leaders; now they step even toddlers and babes. Cardigans of old mixed with leather, sexy pullovers with tweed elbow patches and stockings with ‘Pat’ or ‘Gertrude’ written all over them. This is the cycle: everything old is new, repeat.

Heralding the rebirth of this sweet, Great Gatsby style, the rebelliousness of our current age brings a need to emulate the fashion with an anti-establishment, rock-and-roll edge. Mission accomplished: leather and knit are new BFFs. But now there is much ado with our hair: the ‘cherry on the cake’ of our outfits.

The conservative hair boundary lines were teetered on with balayage (heavens above, grandma cannot believe regrowth is in style!), bright fluro screams kitsch 80s, block colour is bland, perms are a big no-no and achieving big Dolly Parton hair pollutes the air (here's looking at you, SJP), so the new frontier is a mix of Tinkerbell, cupcakes, grandma’s wardrobe and a whole piece of nonchalant, Gen-Y attitude.

Edna, Australia's Grand Dame of the Purple Rinse

Groundbreaking? Not really. My own grandmother has been dying her hair the palest shade of lilac for quite some time now (admittedly, she does believe it is "walnut"). If you think of a punk rocker that has just been told by her authoritarian mother to wash her hair out, after about 100 washes, that exact faded colour is the new cool. Graduated nanna-ness: who-da-thunk?

For the most part, this hairstyle is whimsical and reminiscent of soft, feminine things. Against hard tailored, conservative clothing, it is panache without being out of reach for quadrilaterals like myself.

Final judgement: go for it if you naturally lean towards soft, pastel colours in your wardrobe and makeup (blondes with ivory skin are most suited... vigilant coverage of said skin recommended during the application process to avoid Care Bear markings).

However, fashion's latest play thing may lead to inflationary pressures at the pharmacy where nan gets her rinse, so spare a thought while contemplating beauty's new look for the pensioners.

See also: Pastel Hair @ Who What Wear

Emma @ Girl With a Satchel