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| Photo: Sartorialist |
The British retailer JD Williams has carried out the first major survey into 'fashion for women over-50'. A YouGov report questioned 2000 women on areas including: body confidence, shopping, style and the sense of ageing. The conclusion is that mature women feel more secure about their own style but have problems finding clothes to suit on the high street.That's funny because one of my friends came to stay recently and was practically haemorrhaging money in Zara...
There are some interesting facts and figures here; I'm pleased that 77% of mature women said they would never have any form of cosmetic surgery and slightly alarmed that 71% rate comfort over style. Believe me, I want to feel relaxed but I'm not ready for the towelling onesie, just yet. Oh and 97% said they would not post a bikini selfie. Did they even need to ask that question?
There's a full summary on the Guardian website.
Personally, I don't like the idea of age-appropriate clothes. I want garments that fit and flatter and look modern and chic. I want Ageless Clothes. How do you feel about age and style and shopping on the high street?
Surely comfort informs one's personal style - as opposed to fashion. I cannot bear tight-fitting clothing and so look to incorporate many ethnic-based items in my wardrobe which leaves me comfortable and also garners many compliments. I think using one's creative eye, doing interesting things with colour and accessories, and above all radiating confidence and a sense of pleasure in what one is wearing is thewinning ombination.
ReplyDeleteI second the preference for "ageless clothes!" Comfort is important to me, but I don't feel I have to sacrifice style to achieve it.
ReplyDeleteThere are stylish clothes that are ageless but some clothing is more age specific. Women dressing like their 18yo daughters or granddaughters...or in bikinis doesn't make a favorable impression and I interpret that 97% (or at least a vast majority)of Guardian respondents would agree.
ReplyDelete...wonder if there's any blowback re mature fashionista looking all glam with ciggie???
ReplyDeleteGlen - yes, I agree I want to feel comfortable and confident and stylish. The report drew a distinction.
ReplyDeleteGSL - that's my choice of image & someone did comment about the cigarette on Facebook, I just like her attitude. Agree about the mutton/lamb scenario.
As someone who is over 50 (at the age of 67 I'm heading rapidly towards being over 70!) I still enjoy fashion and yes, I do shop in Zara and Mango at times. Comfort is very important, especially so far as my feet are concerned, but I still try to look stylish as well. I'm expecting to still be interested in fashion when I'm in my 70s and 80s. So long as you avoid the mutton and lamb syndrome, I don't see anything wrong with wearing fashionable outfits.
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ReplyDeleteI want style, quality, comfort and a high level of modernity in my clothes, why can't I have it all just because I'm now 50?? Zara is one of my favourite shops for many of above reasons plus reasonable silk shirts, and I see all age groups shopping in there. Unlike a trip to M&S with my mother this summer, despite the ads depicting otherwise, only 'mature' women of a certain shape where shopping there. Sorry, gone off piste, I love the photo and the cigarette (wishful ex-smoker) the model has great style, and hair.
ReplyDeleteLike Alison says, why not hold out for having it all? Comfortable and stylish and flattering and modern. Oh, and can I have affordable too? xo
ReplyDeleteYes Patti you're right, I forgot to add affordable too!
ReplyDeleteI find that with becoming older I get the confidence to wear things I liked when I was younger but didn't dare to wear!
ReplyDeleteThe High Street is a great, wide, boulevard. UNIQLO, for example, does me just fine. As does the GAP, as does J. Crew, and so on. Almost seems like this was a study commissioned for the headline...
ReplyDeleteI just returned from London and shopping was part of my trip. I found really great pieces at Zara and Jigsaw which I feel are chic and can be worn at almost any age depending on the styling.
ReplyDeleteA perfect fit is most important for me and when in doubt (I mostly shop online) I go for a bigger size and take it to my skilled seamstress to take it in if necessary.
Annette | Lady of Style
Perhaps the women who were interviewed can't find clothes on the high street because they are above a size 14? I know I'm 10 years off being over 50, but I see lots of beautiful clothing on the high street that I can never wear due to my size and (pear) shape. Or maybe the women they interviewed just need someone to show them where to look for clothes? I kinda wish the research was more detailed.
ReplyDeleteLPC - most definitely
ReplyDeletelipsticklori - agree, there was no info on sizing and that could be the issue.
I confess to not having a clue as to what 'age appropriate' even is! I will never stop having an interest in fashion(German Vogue getting my vote at present). One (more) good thing about being 52 with a bit of a Trebus habit is that I can always find something lurking in the wardrobe that is ready to be worn again. I'll happily shop at New look and Child of the Jago in one day... funds allowing. Oh and I would SO post a bikini selfie if I could find the right filter he he.
ReplyDeleteIn my more mature years fit & comfort are top of the list, which doesn't mean style has left the room.....so many fabrics now have 'stretch' included; Hurray! Not everyone is quite as svelte as the lady with the cig.
ReplyDeleteAnd TG for the wrapover dress!
Hello Helen - agree, it's best to mix things up. And fantastic, you're one of the 3%!
ReplyDeleteOlderbutWiser - true, true, true - and I love a bit of stretch.
One of the reasons I am making my own clothes is to avoid the fickle trendy high street... I know what I like, and I hate having to wait for designers to come around to every four or five years or so.... So yes, Gap and Zara are my "keeping it up to date" stores... now if money wasn't an issue then Margaret Howell would be sold out!!
ReplyDeleteI like the insouciance of this woman, but wish there weren't a cig involved. Like other posters, I take both comfort and fashion into consideration in my clothing - I think Lisa would have some sort of equation on a law of diminishing returns for us, if she doesn't already. Margaret Howell or La Garconne would be a primary source, if I could afford them more, and I love DVF dresses as they feel like wearing pajamas and getting away with it.
ReplyDeleteOne of the main "fashion" things I've noticed as I've gotten older, is that I enjoy wearing the same thing receptively, don't always need or want a new outfit or look. For me, that's a kind of "comfort" and ease.
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ReplyDeleteI'm all for comfort AND style. No more painful stilettos, circulation stopping skinny jeans and hobbling pencil skirts for me. It's all about flowing elegance and lovely flats now that I'm 60. Sigh of relief....finally relaxed!
ReplyDeleteSo what about women of over 60, 70 and so on - according to a recent Woman's Hour programme, we're not expected to die until our late 80's. For me at 68, that's another 20 years of wearing clothes, hopefully reasonably fashionable ones, with style, comfort and affordability. My most recent purchase was a grey jacket, very like the one in the photo from M & S Autograph collection. Hope I look as stylish as the photo above!
ReplyDeleteI am 60 years old, and style has always been important to me. Of course, comfort is important to feel confident in an outfit. I shop for both classics as well as updated pieces. I love COS, Zara, J Crew, and occasionally Boden.
ReplyDeleteSqueeze-tight vertiginous stilettos are the one thing I can't muster enthusiasm for any more. Love the look but when I see how crippled and deformed older friends toes are from a life in stilettos I'm happy to look for slightly less harsh options - and that doesn't mean orthopaedic flats either!
ReplyDeleteThe problem with clothes for the maturer women is that manufacturers think they're all fat. A lot of them are. I'm 60 and I'm not. I'm a size 6. I'm 5ft 5, so I'm pretty slim. But it's impossible to find clothes that size in the 'older women' shops. Sorry about the use of that phrase but I don't know how else to describe them. Not that I'm overly bothered by those kinds of shops because I find the styles ghastly. I still shop in Oasis/Zara/Warehouse/H&M, not just because the styles are more up-to-date (but don't worry, I DO NOT wear mini skirts, body cons or jumpers that end just below my boobs) AND because they FIT. Marks and Spencer do do a limited amount of Size 6 clothes, but they think such a sized woman is shapeless. I find it totally exasperating. I don't anticipate being any other size, as I'm very, very careful about what eat, but in ten years' time, I probably won't be skipping out of Warehouse in my skintight skinny jeans. Nor do I anticipate being any less interested in fashion. So where I will be shopping for my Size 6 modern cloths, I just don't know.
ReplyDeleteHi! I've read your blog many times but never posted before. I just wanted to say that this particular subject makes me think of what happened the other day. I had a pair of black leather ankle boots and they are sort of "motorcycle" style with straps and buckles. I wore them once and decided that they were too "youngish" for me. I brought them over to my daughter and asked her if she wanted them. She said "why? Don't you want them?" I said "well, I feel weird in them because I think they are too young of a style for me". She had the most puzzled look on her face. I realized how ridiculous that sounded. I always said I wasn't going to worry about age appropriateness when it came to style but I guess I've fallen into that trap. I do want to find age appropriate clothing and shoes/boots but I don't want to trap my style into something someone else deems age appropriate. How do you manage?
ReplyDeleteThat lady in the photo is just fabulous - adore her style!
ReplyDeleteI'm having the best time ever high street shopping at almost 50. Seriously. I know what I'm looking for because I know my style, what works and so it's easier in that sense. I've no more hang ups about things having to be the 'best' quality because I've done my investment buys - they have been and are being worn year in year out - the rest must stand up to maching washing because I no longer adding to the dry cleaning pile. Luckily my choice is varied, I shop in the kids and mens departments too depending on what I'm looking for. So age has not dampened my love for the high street, if anything I'm embracing it more. But ask me about accessories and it will be an entirely different story. Entirely.
I love that I'm in the 3% of older birds who'd post a bikini selfie.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen the stuff in the JD Williams catalogue? I'd rather age disgracefully than dress like that! xxx
Hi, I agree totally with Vix, I was looking through a JD Williams leaflet left on a train, oh my goodness, how insulting are they! I am 52 and would not be seen dead in most of the stuff they had, I dont think many 80 year olds would either let alone 50 plus! When I got home I promptly sent them a scathing E mail letting them know exactly how rude and insulting I thought they were. And trust me, lorraine Kelly is NOT my style icon either!
ReplyDeleteThe woman in the photo is Renata Molho---journalist, fashion stylist, icon of Italian fashion. Think Jane Birkin in Milan.
ReplyDeleteOne other thing: I love that bag. Is that an Italian horse blanket? Anybody able to identify a maker? Source? Barn?
ReplyDeleteYou can have both stylish and comfortable clothes, especially when there are so many great flats these days.
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud at "I'm not ready for the towelling onesie." I'm not either!
ReplyDeleteLet's hope that by the time we need them they'll be chicly designed....