How to use the onset of silver hair to your advantage – like a fox .

Other than going bald, the onset of grey hair is the primary concern for most men anxious about the, shall we say, “progression” of their appearance. Whereas the battle against a slowing metabolism is quite easily won at the gym, dealing with a hair colour that seems at odds with your ever-youthful soul often results in embarrassing DIY jobs, or having a good old moan to anyone within earshot. There are few things more unbecoming than being uncomfortable in your own skin – so embrace the grey, and work it to your advantage. Here are five men who know that having a good head of grey hair need never be a bad thing.

Salt and pepper

Just one year off 50 (the age when, according to scientists, 50 per cent of the population has about five per cent grey hair), the actor and humanitarian Mr Mark Ruffalo is a fine example of how to embrace the first stages of grey hair in style. He hasn’t taken any tweezers to his scalp, nor is he reaching for the hair dye. He is simply letting things develop, with the benefit of a soft, slightly unkempt hairstyle – and allowing the theme to run seamlessly into his beard.

Shades of grey

As more grey hair develops, you may be lucky enough to pull it off as well as media personality Mr George Lamb. Although he has youth on his side (at the age of 37, he has encountered grey hair earlier than most), he is exaggerating, rather than hiding, his shades of grey by letting his hair grow longer, and keeping it healthy. Take note.

Dark grey

If a certain Beatles song is anything to go by, turning 64 might inspire anxiety in some men – but not the Oscar-winning, meme-friendly Mr Jeff Goldblum, who seems to have gained confidence after reaching this stage of his life. The fact he knows that darker shades won’t leave him and his greying hair looking washed out certainly helps. He’s also gone for a neat haircut and trim beard – an approach which undoubtedly suits a man of his age.

Silver fox

Ultra-masculine menswear designer and street style legend Mr Nick Wooster shows us here how a cutting edge Peaky Blinders-style snip, and a youthful approach to style, can marry well with a full head of grey hair. The results show that the colour of it, far from being a hindrance, can be a striking improvement on, say, boring old brown.

All white

TV personality Mr Anderson Cooper went grey a long time ago and now, a mere four months before his 50th birthday, he is well and truly on the white spectrum – an area usually reserved for the likes of OAPs, wizards and superheroes. His haircut is razor sharp, which, along with his steely gaze (and a similarly steel-blue suit), lends him a timeless, otherworldly look. Now, we don’t mean to get all morbid, but you may never get to experience such pure whiteness of hair. If you do, this is how to carry it off.