Why did Nina complain about the hair?

I feel the same way whenever I watch it too. It wasn't like George did anything bad or expensive, it just made him feel better about himself. I figured she would've found it sexier. The only thing I can logically think of is that, even though they obviously loved each other and had a good marriage, maybe didn't want him to look younger/sexier, since it might've made her feel threatened if younger women might've given him more attention?

Same thing when George Costanza on Seinfeld got a toupee (which he actually also looked really good with, and much younger) and people gave him crap for it too.

This isn't being sexist, just a basic observation, that there's a harsher double standard with men changing their looks, while society thinks its perfectly acceptable and even encouraged for women to do that (sometimes too much so, which can damage womens' self esteem when TOO much emphasis and judgement is placed on their looks). While guys are seen as shallow and vain if they do, and people go "Oh just be a man" without really taking their feelings into consideration.

Thankfully, since metrosexuals have gotten more common in the last 10 years, I think its gradually becoming more acceptable for guys to care about their looks, fashion, and grooming. In the 90s that wasn't very common for alot of straight guys, especially (somewhat) older men like him. This was even BEFORE they had a new baby on the way, and he was already feeling self-conscious about getting older, and wanted to make himself feel better and turn back the clock.

If the movie was made now, I'm sure George coming home with dark dyed hair would've been well received and no big deal. Steve Martin always looked 20 years younger whenever he had dark hair for a role, like in Little Shop Of Horrors.