Born to dye
Silver gray, bright yellow and electric blue — these aren't hair colors typically associated with middle-aged Chinese men. But salons across China are seeing more male customers in their 40s experimenting with vibrant shades, a trend internet users have jokingly called "the post-80s generation's collective rebellion".
For those born in the 1980s, dyed hair was once a teenage badge of defiance. A man surnamed Yang, who was born in 1987, told Qilu Evening News that he secretly dyed his hair blond as a teen, only to be scolded by his parents for looking "improper" and forced to cut it off within days.
Now 39, Yang saw the online buzz and decided to try silver gray. This time, his parents simply laughed. His three children said he looked handsome, then burst into giggles.
Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Qilu Evening News that the phenomenon is a form of social "catchup" centered on self-compensation.
In his view, this isn't just about appearance. Many parents born in the 1980s feel less pressure to assert parental authority and are more willing to share their tastes and interests with their children.
"Family relationships are gradually shifting from 'authority and obedience' toward 'teammates and partners'," Wang said.
The colors may fade, but for a generation once told exactly how respectable adults should look, choosing for themselves may be the real rebellion.
