Grey Hair re-visited

[Citizen_Soldier]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Greetings,
Gray hair is something that can happen at any age and is largely based on genetics or can be related to other health concerns such as thyroid disorders, vitilgo, vitamin B12 deficiency, and anemia. The concept of someone going gray overnight, while common in stories world-wide, is impossibly as the hair above the scalp has already been pigmented. Although colored hairs can be shed over a very short period of time resulting in remaining gray/white hairs surviving on the scalp, giving the appearence of someone turning gray overnight.

Darrek Orwig

[BrianHicks]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Yeah... I'm gray. Probably have been for numerous years... but it wasn't until I retired from the Corps and could let my hair grow, that it became so obvious.

Authentic? As mentioned in previous posts, yes... there were soldiers in the ranks with gray hair. Where they at the numbers proportionately represented by the gray hairs in todays reenacting events? I seriously doubt it. We do have a greater number of older (or at least more gray haired) men in the ranks, than I think is historically correct, proportionately speaking.

Solutions?

Get younger men into the hobby. Dye our hair, or simply live with it.

I choose to try and encourage younger recruits, and just live with gray hair.

[26NCT]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

I have never thought that the color of my hair would increase or decrease my authenticity. I'm not totally gray, but being 37 years young I'm well on my way. But with this just being a hobby, I agree with what Mr. Hicks stated at the end of his post, this is something that should just be lived with in my opinion also. This would be my opinion also if I had a full head of nice naturally dark hair.

[Greg Barnett]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

I think the greater issue is the weight of most reenactors. I don't think folks notice a little gray hair as much as, let's say, an extra 100 pounds.

I would think that the hairstyle and length could affect the amount of gray hair. A man just off a long campaign would be quick to get a haircut and thus reduce the amount of obvious gray hair. Most enlisted men would have a shorter cut when possible. These are my thoughts, based on my own readings and research.

[Secesh]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

If we are going to scrutinize the amount of gray hair in the ranks, then perhaps we should also scrutinize the amount of people reenacting who have straight white teeth (thanks to orthodontics), modern tatoos, educations, literacy, and lack of body lice.....?

[Danny]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

T...too much grey hair in the ranks, privates, non-coms up to Captain where it should hardly appear at all...Dan Wykes

A lot of personal impression comments, justifications for leaving hair grey so far, but not many that care to address the stated issue above.

To whit: An $800-$1000 de-farbed Springfield cannot be verified from 50 yards away while rows of "boys" with grey beards and hair certainly can. To put it another way, hair dye costs but $24 over a season but could improve the unit impression way better, at least from 50 yards away and for units with mostly older members.

I realize that Belly-over-the-belt and bad hats are a bigger farb tip-off -- but let's hope that's more of a mainstream problem that goes without saying here.

- Dan Wykes

[Danny]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

If we are going to scrutinize the amount of gray hair in the ranks, then perhaps we should also scrutinize the amount of people reenacting who have straight white teeth (thanks to orthodontics), modern tatoos, educations, literacy, and lack of body lice.....?

Tom -

I hear ya, but scrutinizing the amount of gray hair in the ranks is legitimate. There's no reason at all to put it in the same category as those extremes. That's a waste of bandwidth.

If on the other hand you were serious about your comment, it doesn't mean we'd be discussing removing a few teeth, having tattoos surgically removed, eating lead to nullify education and literacy, and picking up a case of head lice from the poorest school in town. Not at all. It means we'd be discussing staining a tooth or two, covering a tatoo with a wound bandage, acting more ignorant and illiterate, and picking at non-existent lice.

- Dan Wykes

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Good interpretters are hard to come by. The "stuff" one carries is easy to fix, one's physical appearance is not quite as easy. One's attitude and knowledge is probably the toughest to "correct". You can't "defarb" a bad attitude; you have to change it altogether. I'd hate to NOT see a good interpretter at an event because of a little gray.

I've been losing my hair for about 10 years and I have no plans to wear a toupee to an event. When it goes gray, it'll stay that way. I yam what I yam.

"Authenticity" is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the trip cuz you're never going to get to the destination... and you wouldn't like it if you did!

[Danny]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

...(changing) one's physical appearance is not quite as easy...

John -

Surely your point does not apply to dying hair, a quite easy way to change one's physical appearance, and not too much to ask of a serious interpeter. It's 10 minutes and $5 every month or so.

Still, in the big view this hair dye thing is trivial point and what you state is pretty much spot on.

- Dan Wykes

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Yes it *can* be easy to dye your hair, but not necessarily to do so convincingly (sp?) or an a way that will not run on a hot day or when performing one's "morning constitutional". I've never dyed my hair or had a need to, so I'm not up to speed on current products. However, dripping hair dye would be a concern for me. I put a lot of effort into making my clothing and would hate to have it stained in such a manner (dirt/sweat/grime/mud - OK... Hair dye - No way!).

Also, I think there is a line between improving one's physical appearance (historically speaking) for the purpose of a living history and "theatrical make-up". IMHO, hair dye is darned close to, if not over that line. My goal is "Me, as I am, but dressed, equipped, armed, accoutred, and fed as was done at that time/place". For me, hair dye does not meet these criteria.

I'd rather see a discussion on getting in shape for a long march or trimming inches from our waistlines. ...but that's just one guy's perspective and is not intended as a "slam".

[Secesh]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

I am a modern man, reenacting a historical period...The amount of time I actually spend in a Civil War uniform, versus the amount of time I spend at work, at kid's soccer games, out ans about, etc. is miniscule, usually totalling less than 30 days a year. I am not going to go about everyday life looking like an older man trying to pass himself off as younger with a dye job, nor by the same token am I going to do events looking like an older guy trying to pass himself off as a younger soldier. Hey, I've done my time "in the ranks". I "jined up" with my unit in 1990 when I was much younger and my hair much darker, but I am older now, and if God wills my hair be grayer then so be it. I very seriously doubt that older Civil War soldiers went about dying their hair to look younger, and where would they get the dye anyway, especially on active campign??? On the one hand we talk about trying to be as authentic as possible, on the other about farbing out and dying hair. The fact that I have some gray hair doesn't detract from my reenacting experience and adventure one iota, and I can hang on a march just as well as the younger guys. I really don't care if John Q. Public looks at me and thinks I look like an older vet. You all who want to dye hair and pretend you're much younger and much more robust go ahead. But as for me, "To thine ownself be true..." My 2 cents.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

Seems this question goes back to one's philosophy on the whole question of a PEC (plain, everyday, common) portrayal. Individual gray-haired soldiers can be documented, just like individual obese soldiers, individual female-in-disguise soldiers, and so forth. Judged alone, they can be just as accurate as any other impression.

But there's no doubt that an entire regiment of gray-haired soldiers, or fat soldiers, or female-in-disguise soldiers, would not be PEC for the vast majority of regiments. So how do we (as in the "us" in EBUFU) deal with the issue of having many individually accurate impressions which nonetheless don't create an accurate impression of the particular regiment being portrayed, when they're combined?

Assuming there aren't enough PEC-aged reenactors to fill out the ranks, I covered the options as I see them, in this post from a thread last year: http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...80&postcount=6 It includes my favorite option--portraying someone doing what I'd actually be most apt to do at my age, be a civilian. And second-favorite, portraying an older soldier, either real or fictional, as if he were surrounded by an army of mostly younger men, even if all those younger men don't seem to be present at the time.

There's also trying to appear as young as possible, which of course includes dyeing hair, etc.

Another possibility, which is the option at some events that need to assign real names to a large number of reenactors, is expecting participants to portray younger men in everything but physical appearance, so wrinkles and gray hair are simply ignored.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Barry Smithson]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

I have been reading this thread for a few days with amusement since I bought it up a few years ago. Herr Schmidt may remember. I was concerned since I went grey very young in life and noticed that the number of grey haired and bearded men seemed to be way out of proportion to the numbers that would be PEC. Since then I have tried a few different things. Some worked better than others.

I noticed that there seems to be a nerve that has been struck with some in the responses. I have seen posters get blasted by members of the board for trying to justify something that was not PEC just because they wanted to include something in their impression. Sure, most things could be justified but would not be be properly represented based on the numbers we field. On this matter, which could be corrected easily, the justifications come out or the answer is simply "no!"

I am sure that I am not winning friends with this post and I am not making a value judgment, I am just amused by the inconsistency when it hits home.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

If I may offer a few comments...

As one who has been graying since age 14, and who is completely silver at 49, I know a bit about hair dye and its many incarnations. To sum it up, temporary dye is possible and useful. Permanent dye is not for me (I wear my hair long and would have to wait quite a while for it to grow out.)

To dye or not to dye: is that the question? Both points of view are certainly valid. However, those who do not wish to dye might be operating under some misinformation, perhaps gathered when we were very young and hair dye was as obvious as a digital wristwatch on General Lee.

There are several kinds of dye on the market today. Permanent dyes are just what they sound like, dyes that permanently stain the deep part of the hair shaft. Metallic dyes, like Grecian Formula, accumulate gradually for a less shocking and more adjustable change, but they, too, are pretty near permanent. Semi-permanent dyes last on the orderof 24 shampoos; how long that translates to depends on your habits and hair.

The two most useful options for a weekend or so would be truly temporary color. There are theatrical hairsprays. I would strongly advise against them. Not only do they show, but I once sprayed my gray hair red for Halloween and had the dickens of a time getting it out (and that was AFTER I found out the red was glow in the dark!)
That leaves temporaries like Roux Rinse, some of the new "party color" glazes, or the old standby, Loving Care. Roux is supposed to wash right out, and it does. I've never had it come off on my clothing. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover gray very well. I don't have a lot of experience with the short-term glazes. They amount to deeply tinted styling gel.

Loving Care original formula (if you try this, make SURE it is the original!) is rated for six shampoos. That can be shortened a great deal if need be. Here's how:
1. First, pick a shade lighter than your hair used to be. Skin pales with time and too dark a color is obvious. DO NOT skip the allergy test.
2. Second, if you mean to make this a weekend's worth of color, load your hair, and beard if need be, with conditioner and just barely rinse it out. Apply leave-in conditioner before you apply any dye. This will keep the dye from penetrating very deeply. In fact, most of it will come out in the first good shampooing, although plain water won't lift it.
3. Third, follow the direcions very carefully. If it's only beard gray you're disposing of, use an old toothbrush and a light touch. Leave the dye on for the minimum possible time before rinsing. The effect won't be total gray coverage or dark color, but a lessening of gray and an overall blending-in. On Sunday night, shampoo your hair and/or beard a couple of times and most of the dey will leave. What little is left will come off in Monday's shower. If you have any doubt about this working, try it during a vacation when you'll have time for another day or two of shampoos before you face your normal circle of friends.

As I said--both points of view are valid, and I offer the above only as information that may be useful in such decisions.

[boreguard]

Re: Grey Hair re-visited

To dye or not to dye, that is the question, Sounds like it could be a discussion about taking hits also :).
I've been gray since I was 17 years old, am 44 now. Since I grayed early I'm gonna stay that way. Becky's tips seem to be sound for those who grayed after they passed the average age of the ACW soldier and wish to do something about their gray and its affects on their period impression.

If I'd been in uniform at 18 or 19 in 1862 or 3 I'd have been nearly as gray as I am now. I still weigh the same at 148 #s but I haven't grew a bit since then, topping out at 5' 7" This is the best I can do physically to improve my impression.

So while you make a good point I have to side with the boys who wear the gray !