SHANE WATSON PEOPLE WAT C H I N G

Paul McCartney has given in and gone grey – but it’s not always a simple case of natural hair, there and everywhere

You probably saw that Paul McCartney has gone grey. As in, stopped dyeing his hair the colour of burnt cocoa. In reality it will be a lot more complicated than this. Going grey is a tricky business which you can’t entirely leave to nature, at least not if you’re in the public eye and quite vain.

Macca’s grey will be 60 per cent natural, with a spritz of mink, some ash highlights around the face, something creamy in there to dull the gunmetal, and low lights to mask the fluffy granny white. Going youthful grey is a delicate business and just one of the ageing gracefully hair rules which shall henceforth be known as “Macca’s Midlife Hair Rules”. They apply to both sexes, and we’d do well to pay close attention.

Just the right length. As important as the right colour is the length of “Midlife Hair” (Macca is 76 but if you abide by his rules you can look 59ish forever. That’s the idea anyway). Stay longish on top, go shorter elsewhere is the first rule. Macca, you will see, has trimmed the mullet and now it’s roughly bottom-of-the-collar length. Same principle applies to the ladies. Those who wear it long should raise the bar to collarbone level (even

Jerry Hall has got there). Obviously there are those odd exceptions who can carry off long grey hair and leather trousers into their 80s, but there are approximately 11 of them, worldwide. Too-long hair on both sexes makes you look like you have done a lot of drugs and can’t quite get over yourself.

Tidy up. Just-got-out-of-bed hair does you about as many favours as a mobility scooter. Same with beaten-up shoes, holey jumpers, distressed leather – all the stuff you may still think is cool, in reality looks seedy. Everyone needs to stop and apply some mousse in the morning, or at least hunt down the hairbrush.

Never experiment. Yes we all look amazing for our age and all that, but if you weren’t able to carry it off before, you’re not in a better place to try it now.

Condition, condition, condition. Same applies all over. No point being lean as an athlete if you have the skin of a crocodile.

Roots. Roots are arguably the worst mistake of all. Dye a lot, all the time, or not at all. (Note: that said, a wild streak of grey is dashing and glamorous. It’s the gloomy grey gutter that is the opposite of Macca Rules).

Resist the over-coif. It is easier these days to go into a hairdresser looking 50 and come out looking 60 than the other way around. You want a hairdresser who says: “So, lots of movement, natural and glossy, not too done?” without you even having to ask. Though now, of course you can just say, “Macca Rules please” and everyone will know what you are talking about.

LET IT BE? If you follow Macca Rules, you can look like you’re approaching 60 forever, and all your troubles will be far away