What I Want to Look Like When I Grow Up

For several reasons I've decided to let my hair go grey. First, though I have little grey at this point, I have enough to know "my" grey is a light, cool silver. This will work with the colors I live in anyway, jewel tones, light clear colors, black, various shades of denim - and my Mom's diamond wedding band. Second, nearly every time I've spent considerable time or money on my hair, I've been disappointed. Styling products from high end to low fry my hair or dull it. Ditto curling irons. Most perms I've had were history 3 days later, regardless of what I paid for them - and I did wait to wash my hair. Third, I know if the grey looks frumpy, my posse will tell me starting with my 5 year old who does not mince words. Ever. But fourth and maybe the most important of all - my Mom, who faithfully went to the salon each month for color and touched it up at home in between salon visits lost her life to lymphoma when she was 85. It's true the older you get the likelier you are to develop lymphoma and not survive. But I have great aunts who lived into their 90s and one who lived to 103. I will always wonder if toxins in hair color took her life. Especially when each time I was pregnant my doc told me not to color my hair. If I end up needing to color my grey it will be with henna or something safe.

I hope that won't be necessary. And more and more, there are great muses for those of us who don't want to cover our grey. Consider Kathleen Sebelius (I am since she's being picked on by Sarah Palin, and since she is having to wait and wait to be confirmed HHS Secretary).



The Obama handbag might look wrong on someone else but on her, it works. It picks up the colors in her hair and she keeps the rest of the outfit vibrant red. Of course wearing a big smile helps the overall look too.



Another red outfit - what I love here is no brass buttons, hers are black and shaped like flowers. I wanted a full head to toe shot of this outfit and alas, couldn't find one but this is another look that's just a bit different from the usual red jacketed female politico.



Here she is at the Governors' dinner in January. January. And looking great in a sleeveless and daringly low cut for DC, evening gown. Her hair is done without looking helmet-ish and the gold jewelry is just right for the forest green of the gown. Did I mention she's a grandmother?



Finally, we see Ms. Sebelius in a blue violet suit the day President Obama nominated her to be HHS Secretary. I think this is the perfect female equivalent of the men's power suit. It's blue, but a more vivid color. It stands out but looks strong too. Her jacket is fitted, a nice change from the overly boxy suits many women in DC have worn up until very recently and a nod to fashion. She keeps the jewelry understated - a wise move with a vivid color like cobalt, and at a press conference that's announcing her nomination for a cabinet level position.

No frumpy here, anywhere. I had a tough time limiting it to just four outfits of hers because when I looked around the internet, she is wearing clothes that are alive with color, and she isn't shy about accessorizing but doesn't overdo it either. I hope those Obama handbags don't go away anytime soon. I might want one of my own one day.