Being older doesn’t mean fashion gets ignored
A woman’s desire to look her best, does not end at 50 or 60 or even beyond.
“Age is just a number. Women in these age groups are wanting to look and act younger than ever before,” said Tammy Thomas, manager of ladies’ clothes at Dillard’s Department Store.
Women’s needs in clothing and fashion change as they age, but they still want to look stylish.
“Older women are more into trends now and a lot of it depends on their lifestyle,” Thomas said.
She said Dillard’s sells a lot of clothes by the brands Democracy and Vision 155 that can add style to a woman’s wardrobe.
Democracy is a casual lifestyle collection that offers a diverse range of fabrications in novelty denim, non-denim, and stretch knits, as well as iconic lifestyle tops, sweaters and jackets.
She said items by Antonio Menali and Calvin Klein add a professional and sophisticated look to a woman’s wardrobe.
When it comes to jeans, Thomas said NYDJ (Not Your Daughter’s Jeans) are extremely popular.
NYJD are designed to be slimming and make the woman wearing them appear one size smaller.
“We can’t keep them on the selves,” she said.
Melinda Lee, manager of BonWorth in Central Mall, said 99 percent of the shop’s customers are in their 50s or older.
But these women are still active in community and personal activities and want to look their best.
“Most of our ladies are retired or are volunteers. They still go to meetings and church and places. They want more than jeans and Tshirts. They want something more structured,” Lee
“Women just don’t need to give up. There is a lot of fashion that will help them look their best.”
said.
Some of the structures items include shells with jackets.
“Something dress casual,” Lee said.
Lee said BonWorth has numerous, loyal, repeat customers who know what they are looking for while shopping.
“Ladies like to look nice and that’s why we are here,” she said.
Gayles Hines, owner of Gayle’s Cosmetics and Abby Gayles, has been helping local women look their best since the 1960s.
And she believes age has very little to do with a woman looking and dressing her best.
“Women just don’t need to give up. There is a lot of fashion that will help them look their best. They just can’t say, ‘I’m 50, and I’m going to go into a different mode or personality,’” she said.
Gayle’s sells everything from jeans to formal wear along with cosmetics.
“Women don’t want their jeans to look to young, but they want them fashionable,” she said.
When it comes to tops, Hines said many of her customers prefer long sleeves or wraps because they are conscious of changes to their upper arms.
Makeup can help brighten a woman’s look, but it needs to applied in a flattering way.
“She (the customer) has to watch how heavy she gets it. Her makeup should be softer,” she said.
The store carries her own mineral makeup and fashion lines by Brighton, Sharon Young, Crabtree and Evelyn and Elizabeth Arden.
Ladies 50 and above are also taking advantage of local resale shops.
“Who isn’t looking for a bargain?” said Robyn Kennedy, owner of Paper Dolls, a resale and consignment shop located in Summerhill Square.
Kennedy said her customers range in age from 18 to their 80s.
She said they are looking for fashionable clothes that cover them in all the right places, such as their upper arms.
She said the older ladies like the trends just like everyone else. And they have complaints about some of the same things younger women do such as the continuing popularity of lowrise jeans and pants.
“The problem with trends is that they originate in Hollywood where everyody is stick thin,” Kennedy said.