Red carpets of late have felt fresh—and it’s not just because of a slew of new creative directors designing the dresses. There’s been a vibe shift when it comes to beauty, starting with hair. Dame Helen Mirren and Andie MacDowell rule the Cannes Film Festival carpets, ushering in a very welcome era in the world of celebrities: Famous women are embracing the aging process and having fun while they’re at it (just check out those wide smiles for proof).

In the past, a female star with even a hint of gray hair was a rare sight on the red carpet. Now many are making it a focal point of their look, embracing silver with confidence and ease. MacDowell went gray during the COVID lockdown, but confessed that she struggled to find other famous women to serve as inspiration as she made the transition. Instead, she turned to Instagram. “I was looking at real women out there who were transitioning to gray, as well as younger women in their 50s who were choosing to go natural,” she told Vogue. “I think that [going gray] is a power move, and that’s what I kept telling my managers.”

Below, revisit some key red-carpet moments when silver hair took the spotlight.

Salma Hayek

Stacey London

Queen Letizia

Sarah Jessica Parker

Kelly Hu

Dame Helen Mirren

Sharon Stone

Gwyneth Paltrow

Maye Musk

Whoopi Goldberg

Andie MacDowell

Emma Thompson

Rita Moreno

Jane Fonda

Kristen McMenamy

Meryl Streep

Dame Judi Dench

Jamie Lee Curtis

Diane Keaton

Jodie Foster

Erin O’Connor