Clothing for Older Women: Why Not Design Based on Lifestyle, Not Age?
Summer is finally here and, like many women, I am ready to refresh my wardrobe. There’s only one problem. Most clothing for older women is just plain, well… plain.
I’m honestly not sure why designers have such a hard time creating clothing for women over 60. It seems like, instead of trying to understand our lifestyle goals, they create clothes based on stereotypes. They believe that all we want is comfy flat shoes, longish skirts, baggy sleeves and stretchy pants with elastic band waists.
This is neither accurate nor fair. Older women still love fashion. We want to express our dynamic and vibrant personalities with new designs in beautiful colours, shapes and textures. However, we are also making clothing choices that reflect a dynamic and active lifestyle.
We are living longer, traveling, staying fit and looking great well into our 80s and 90s. We want clothes that are individual, interesting and reasonably priced. Our lifestyle is adventurous, curious and bold.
Designers need to respect our intelligence and life experience. On trend marketing cannot seduce older women who just know better.
Where is the Flattering, Comfortable Clothing for Older Women?
Perhaps part of the problem is that designers live in a world of trend development. Most teenagers care more about what other people think about their clothes, than whether the clothes themselves serve a purpose. Older women want to look elegant and stylish, but, not necessarily trendy.
They want clothing that supports their lifestyle, but, not necessarily clothing that communicates their lifestyle. It’s a subtle, but, important distinction and one that designers would do well to pay attention to.
Simply put, older women no longer care about conformity. Our desire is to look great in clothes that are comfortable yet stylish. We want styles that flatter our changing body shapes and reflect our true selves.
In my recent article, “Why Are There No Fashion Weeks for Older Women,” I asked why the fashion industry is so oblivious to the fashion opportunities for older women. After all, we represent a huge, and fast growing, market. The truth is that designers will eventually figure out how to create clothing for older women that we genuinely love. We just need to give them a push in the right direction.
What’s your take on this? Do you feel that designers and retailers should be creating clothing for older women based on lifestyle not age? Please leave your comments below.
I’m a fit (though not rail thin) 72-year old. I love fashion and make few mistakes in what I buy.
I do have three pet peeves, however; I wish designers, even when creating a shorter dress, would include a two inch hem that can be taken down. I am not only 72, but am over 5’8″ and have to pass up most dresses that are shorter than 38″ from shoulder to hem, unless there’s a hem to take down. The other issue is that waist seams are made for shorter waisted women, so I rarely get a shirtwaist unless it’s offered in a tall size, allowing for more length above the waist seam. So many of them otherwise look like an empire waist on me! So I stick mainly with shifts and two piece outfits. Finally I SO wish designers would create a capsule transition collection between summer and fall. With so many people moving southward in the US, you’d think they’d come up with some sleeveless/short sleeved tops and dresses in fall colors. Where I live, it can stay hot until mid to late October, and then I’m sick of spring/summer colors.
I also dress for my retired lifestyle. When I worked in the Washington, DC area it was suits and tailored business dresses with heels for the office and sales calls. I am now living in the Deep South as a community volunteer, singer in two groups, gym rat, and supportive grandmother to our oldest and her husband, who are busy attorneys with three adorable little boys. I like a tailored but feminine style, so most of the time in the VERY warmer months it’s skorts, shorts, tee shirt dresses, some knit maxis, polos, pima cotton tees, embellished jeans, and cute cardigans. I’m proud that my daughters think I still dress with style.
I do not believe people who are 60 are older women. I am almost 83, now I AM
an older woman, but I certainly wasn’t in my 60s and 70s. Now, yes, I like to have capris or dresses long enough to cover my funny knees, sleeves long enough to cover my old arms, no big V necklines for me! My mastectomy scars might show. However, I have an 87-year-old boyfriend and we go on a cruise every now and then and we both like to look nice. Sure, I’d love styles that cover the things I want to cover but still look good!
Thank you for that comment, Louise! It was needed.
I have a 94-year-old friend and she says the thing that makes you always look young is …..a cute haircut and cute shoes! lol And she looks fabulous all the time! You would never believe she is in her nineties.
I love heels myself, often I will wear heels and an older lady will say,” I just can’t wear those anymore. I don’t know how you wear them!” Is there a shoe police? lol I like clothes that I think look good on me and are somewhat fashionable. I try to choose colors that highlight my white hair. If I think that I am looking great ….. it really helps my attitude all day long.