I’ve been struggling with the desire to dye my hair pink since 2015, but I’ve never done it because I am a coward. First, there was a high school dress code to contend with. Then there was a job market I thought I had to look “serious” for. Then, when I finally felt like there was no social pressure against doing it, I just felt like I was too darn old to pull it off. Pink hair seems like it is just for young people in their early 20s or earlier, doesn’t it? By the time I was 26, I was looking wistfully at 23-year-olds with lavender hair and thinking, “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.”
Well, it turns out I was wrong. Very wrong. Today 51-year-old Kelly Ripa dyed her hair hot pink, and she looked spectacular. And she is far from the first woman to dye her hair a funky color even though she’s past my imaginary “cool hair cut-off date” of 25. Here are 10 badass celebrities who prove brightly colored hair does not have a cut-off age.
1. Kelly Ripa
Kelly Ripa is 51 years old, and she just swapped her blonde bob for a bright pink version. It is brilliant. I could just smack my 26-year-old self for saying she was too old for this.
2. Madonna
Go, Madonna! If you told Madonna she was too old for pink hair, she would probably hit you, and you would deserve it. Well, that’s not true. Violence is never the answer. But she would crush your soul with a withering gaze, and that would definitely be deserved.
3. Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren is actually the queen.
4. Goldie Hawn
76-year-old Goldie Hawn and 43-year-old Kate Hudson both went pink earlier this year for breast cancer awareness. Also, for just being fabulous ladies with pink hair.
5. Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani has had blue hair and pink hair, but usually, she’s platinum blonde. Now, however, she’s added graphic black chunks to the bottom of her hair for a look that makes her look like a live-action anime character.
6. Cyndi Lauper
Girls just want to have fun, so they are going to dye their hair WTF, ever color they want.
7. Betsey Johnson
My main goal in life is to always have as much fun as it looks like Betsey Johnson is having.
8. Bjork
Every time Bjork wears a “don’t” on the red carpet, it turns out she was wearing a “do,” and it just took the rest of the world five years to catch up to her. (That swan dress was one of the best Oscars looks of all time.)
9. Vivienne Westwood
Since the 1960s, the most reliable way to be cool has been to ask yourself, “What would Vivienne Westwood do?” And then just do that. That applies to hair color as well.
10. Patricia Field
The woman responsible for Carrie Bradshaw’s look has hair so bright you can spot her at Fashion Week even when you’re sitting in the cheap seats. If Sex and the City comes back for another movie, here’s hoping she will give everyone pink hair.