Daniel Craig and the art of getting grey right

Daniel Craig, 58, succeeds with the sharp, silver-grey crop, one stylist says, because of ‘his strong bone structure and fairly angular head shape’ - NDPG/AKGS/Backgrid

Much like being a Blue Peter presenter or a prime minister, assuming the role of James Bond tends to define you for the rest of your life. That’s why it’s been so interesting to see Daniel Craig’s choices since his last turn as the world’s best-known spy, in 2021’s No Time To Die. That’s as true of the roles he’s taken on in Queer and the Knives Out series as it is to his style, which has become distinctly “anti-Bond”. But after a year or so embracing a more colourful, bohemian wardrobe (courtesy of becoming the face of the experimental fashion house Loewe) and lustrous haircut, Craig has been pivoting back to a look that’s a little sharper, a little more polished: relaxed minimalist suits, refined tailored separates. Perhaps most notable is his hair transformation. Gone is the length and the shade of light “brond” he was sporting, and in its place is – at the age of 58 – a sharp, silver-grey crop.

Craig has abandoned his previous ‘brond’ look - Justin Tallas/AFP/Getty

Back in 2010, one survey found that as many as one in two (51 per cent) British men worried about greying. Sixteen years later, the tide seems to have turned. One look at the current crop of celebrities on the red carpet shows that it’s not just men in their 50s like Craig who are embracing their naturally grey hairs, but men of all ages, from the 38-year-old Wicked actor Jonathan Bailey to Chris Pine (45) and Steve Carell (63). 

With a younger cohort of men celebrating their grey hair today, the look is appearing like not just a style choice, but an expression of self-confidence; there’s no attempt to “cover up” the grey, in perhaps a tragic Rudy Giuliani way, but rather an effort to wear it well. Of course the great benchmark of grey hair elegance is George Clooney, who defined silver-fox style back in the Nineties, but that legacy continues and has made its presence felt on the catwalks too, at Zegna, Ralph Lauren and a myriad of other brands.

Chris Pine, 45, is among a growing number of famous under-50s embracing grey hair - Rocco Spaziani/Archivio Spaziani/Mondadori Portfolio/Getty

If you want to emulate Craig and embrace the grey, rather than fight the tide, here’s how to grow your grey so it looks sharp and refined rather than shaggy and unkempt.

Jonathan Bailey, pictured in October 2025, has allowed himself to go grey around the temples in his 30s - Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty

Why does this hairstyle work on Craig?

“On Craig, this shorter style of crop works because of his strong bone structure and fairly angular head shape,” says Joe Mills, silver-haired session stylist, founder of the Woolf Kings X salon in London and a man who has cut the hair of celebrities including Jamie Dornan, Martin Freeman and Josh O’Connor. “It brings attention to the jawline and eyes, and the grey adds contrast and character.” He tells me this sort of style tends to work best on those with straight to slightly wavy hair and a square or oval face, as it doesn’t rely on volume to create shape.

“As grey hair tends to be coarser and drier, it’s not always as pliable – this can make longer styles harder to control,” continues Mills. “Going shorter, like Craig, is a smart move as it keeps your hair looking sharper and it works with the natural texture rather than fighting it.”

Craig, pictured in October 2025, has since shortened his grey haircut - Karwai Tang/WireImage

What causes greys – and how does that affect your hair?

“Hair gets its colour from melanin, a pigment produced by specialist cells called melanocytes inside the hair follicle,” says Michael Lendon, creative director at Aveda in London’s Covent Garden. “After decades of producing pigment, those melanocyte cells gradually lose their ability to function.” That means after retirement, these senior cells generate no colour within the strand, meaning we see it as grey, silver or white. However it’s not just the colour that changes. “Grey hair is really different texturally,” continues Lendon. “Without melanin, the hair shaft becomes more porous and struggles to hold onto moisture, which is why it can start to feel coarser or drier than it used to. The outer layer of the hair tends to be more raised too, which explains why grey hair can look dull or frizzy.” That means grey hair needs more hydration than pigmented hair, so you’ll also have to reconsider the types of products you use.

How should a man care for his grey hair?

“The first thing I tell men is, treat your grey as an entirely new hair type, because it genuinely is,” says Lendon. When those grey hairs come through, it’s not only your style that you should think about shaking up – it’s the products you use on it. The first change he recommends is to switch to a moisturising shampoo and to avoid anything labelled volumising or clarifying, as these tend to strip out what little moisture the grey hair is clinging on to, making the hair more brittle. “And conditioner at this stage isn’t a nice-to-have”, he continues, “it’s a non-negotiable”.

Moreover, grey hair has a tendency to yellow, as these colour-free strands are inclined to become stained more easily by external factors such as pollutants or UV, hard water minerals or residue from styling products. “A specialist toning shampoo used every couple of washes, such as Aveda’s Botanical Repair Purple Toning Shampoo, will keep things looking sharp and cool-toned.”

Aveda

How can a man enhance his grey hair?

In years gone by, grey hair would have men reaching for the box dye to cover it up, but these days it’s more likely for men to use colour to enhance those grey tones. Hair colourist Wood says there has been a definite shift in men wanting not only to embrace their natural grey hair, but also to do this at a younger age. He offers his clients at the Josh Wood Atelier in London’s Holland Park techniques including microlights and baby balayage that subtly weave a mix of grey tones throughout to enhance the overall silver shade. “Grey hair has a tendency to look tired and dull, so actually putting in a bit more grey can make the hair look more dramatic and purposeful,” says Wood.

What about your grey facial hair?

While Craig is clean-shaven, you may not be. Just like the hair on your head, the grey hair on your face will also become coarser. “Remember for coarse-textured grey hair, moisturising is key,” says Michael Symons, master barber at Truefitt & Hill – a London barbershop that has curated the crops of nine British monarchs, including famously grey-bearded King Edward VII. The key is to invest in a beard product that will soften these wiry whiskers. “Our Highgrove Pre-Shave Oil not only offers moisturising qualities, but also helps alleviate itchiness – music to the ears of all those hirsute readers.”

Going grey in a refined way

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