Where do you wish you could shop!?

PPS yes, I would buy a casual range targeted at over 65's , not on style but on fit, but you'd need to come up with a name that has good street cred and doesn't sound all and dowdy.

A dear friend who perhaps knows me a bit too well sent me a birthday card last month.
Woman standing in front of mirror, trying dress on, says to shop assistant:
"It's too tight, too short and too expensive - I'll take it"

Doesn't anyone else admit to sometimes making slightly unsuitable purchases and going out in them anyway ?

I am 65 and have no wish to have my age group 'targeted'. I buy whatever I like from wherever I like. I have shopped in New Look, M & S, Next, Debenhams, George at Asda, Tesco, Wallis, BHS, Primark. I am a size 14 (usually ) and I don't really think of any clothes as unsuitable for my age really, apart from very short skirts and too low tops.

KatyK yes agree we still want modern styles, but don't you have wobbly bits too?

What me? Wobbly bits? Erm.... yes I certainly have, mostly around my middle but I find the clothes I buy are usually fine. I avoid tight clothes and have a few 'helpful' undergarments if I am wearing a fitted dress or something.

But don't these 'helpful' garments just squash it all in? Where does it all go and isn't it a tad uncomfortable?

I am in my 70s, and nothing, but nothing would persuade me to shop in a 65+ dress shop, full of age appropriate clothing. It is my idea of hell.

I never have any problems finding clothes I like in the usual High Street stores. Where do I shop? Monsoon, Next, New Look, Sainsbury's, Lands End (the only company with trousers that fit me), very occasionally M&S, but only for dull things like black jeggings, BHS. I like my underwear frivolous and lacy, loathe polyester, cold in winter, sweaty and smelly in summer. I like clothes to be colourful. I have just bought a bright orange sweater in Next for this winter and cherry red short boots with a kitten heel in M&S. Not all older women put on weight or if they do they get rid of it so many of us can still get into sizes 10 - 14.

I get 'age appropriate' clothing brochures in the post and they drop out of newspapers, never seen anything in any of them that didn't make me shudder.

Why are you treating older women as something other? We are perfectly ordinary people who have been round for a bit longer than most but our tastes in clothes, food, home décor and everything else are the same as everybody else. People of all ages have widely differing tastes and there is no more variation in clothing tastes between older and younger people than there are between a group of people of the same age.

Please, please, please get real. Talk to real older women in the street. The ones dress smartly, with a stylish hairdo and make up, you probably wouldn't realise what their age is. What is your image of a woman over 65? I suspect it is very different from reality.

Well said Flick ! Anya - I don't find helpful underwear uncomfortable really. As for squashing it in, my control pants sort of pull me in. I only wear them occasionally. The only problem is when you need the loo, once you are in them, you are in them! I am only slightly overweight, I am 10 and a half stone and 5ft 6. Unfortunately any weight I have got is all on my middle.

The three things which have stood out to me from these posts are

Longer sleeves to hide or disguise bat-wings (which seem to develop even if you're quite slim!)

No silly embroidery, embellishments or motifs on the front of garments, especially tops, and

More vibrant colours, certainly not beige.

I wish more outlets would bear those criteria in mind if they're trying to appeal to any woman over the age of 50, never mind 65!

Online every time for every thing other than clothes & plants, would never trust that clothes would fit, style ??? who cares.

Most other stuff comes from ebay/amazon, no parking to pay, hunting around etc. A trip to our nearest town costs me at least £5 in fuel/parking, plus lunch etc. not to mention the hour or so I could have used more fruitfully.

Flik, I agree with you just being 65+ does not mean everyone suddenly wants the same clothes or anything else. I have just been visiting my 69 year old sister in law in Italy. She has a wardrobe full of Prada, Gucci, Balenciaga, Marni, Dries van Noten etc - bags and shoes for every outfit. I would aspire to this if money was no object. I have a few modest designer pieces as well as high street, my own vintage ( old) stuff and my own made clothes as well. I am a bit of a seamstress so I do think I can make clothes better than some of the cheap stuff you can find in the shops.

this task has been given to me to create a range that appeals to a market that might currently find it difficult to find something she likes on the high street due to the lack of garments with a specific fit or feel

There's the rub, most of DON'T find it difficult to find something we like on the High Street. What is more your tutors should not be setting you a task that is based on a niche market that MIGHT exist. They should be setting you a task based on a niche market that they KNOW exists and where they have the survey evidence to prove it, surveys, which should tell you clearly what the group in the securely identified niche wants.

I believe that Mary Portas identified older women as a niche market and established a shop to serve them - with a resounding lack of success.

Just saw a Mary Portas dress in a magazine priced at a mere £85! Not sure how many ladies on a state pension will be rushing out to buy it.

Rather than targeting a particular age group it would be more useful if shops organised their clothes according to the body shape they would suit. Most of them do a petite range but they could go much further.

I can't find a range that I like in the High Street. I have to shop around more than I'd like.

IMO it's a great topic. Why are you assuming Flick that the range is going to be dreary and dowdy? Perhaps you're the one making assumptions?

Go for it Rebeka

I don't think the designers will be targeting those on a state pension. Rather those who have more disposable income than any other time in their lives.. No kids to support, no mortgage and maybe still working or with husband working or with decent pensions and still interested in buying stylish clothes that are good quality. There is definitely a market there but there are plenty of clothes available, for those that fall into that category. We don't want a specific " oldies " range that's for sure.

I keep seeing that awful advert for Cotswold clothing in the sidebar - I have to avert my eyes. I'm sure they have some good, well-made basics but the adverts contain clothing that my grandmother wore on Sundays for church as a farmer's wife. I have several friends now of around 60 and over who are farmer's wives - and one of my sisters is about to marry a farmer - all in nice jeans, Joules, Boden, Celtic and Seasalt, with the odd Brora cardigan.

Yes Anya I said I wanted to shop at M&S because I have moved around a lot, and it was good to know that there was always one not too far away.

I'm one of the gardeners who also have to go to a lot of dressy events. So lots of natural materials with some stretch during the day. But in the evening yes, longer sleeves now, all of a sudden I can no longer bear the sight of my bare arms that looked ok in photos last year. I keep seeing dresses and thinking, if only they had sleeves/longer sleeves. I don't know anyone over 60 who wears sleeveless tops, when I thought hard about it. Only as vests under other tops, usually.

I hesitated to put this one because they are quite expensive, but I buy an outfit from James Lakeland every year. We do a lot of socialising, far too much I think but OH is younger than me and it is the price I pay! Most of their dresses have sleeves, they are made in Italy and although some are a little OTT they are well-made and lovely to wear. They are aimed at the older Italian woman.

Every time I see that Cotswold advert I think the same Jane. Maybe they will appeal one day!

I am not assuming the clothes will be dreary and dowdy, I am merely assuming that they will be age appropriate, which is not the same thing. Why am I assuming they will be age appropriate? Because as the market is defined as 'over 65s' I am assuming that the clothes they will stock will be styles that they think women over that age will wear. I am assuming they will be a tinkered with version of the type of clothes Cotswold are advertising on Gransnet. Perfectly pleasant clothes for the more conservative older woman, but not clothes I would choose to wear.

janerowena, I have hit 70 and I wear sleeveless tops in the summer, not spaghetti straps, away from the beach those look hideous on anyone of any age, but in the really hot weather I wore sleeveless cotton tops. The only reason I prefer long sleeves is because I feel the cold and hate wearing cardigans, I want something I can hide another layer under. My upper arms and front can still stand scrutiny and there are plenty of other women of my age who are the same.

Me too. I am 60+ and like sleeveless tops and dresses. Much cooler and feel less bulky when you put on a jacket or cardigan. My arms are Ok as I swim, do pilates and yoga. What this shows is that women over 65 can't all be lumped together as automatically wanting certain types of clothes.

A second email for a change of subject, which is aimed at Rebekah and her tutors.

By talking about an 'over 65' market you have assumed a market that is amorphous, even though it covers an age range of up to 40 years. Your tutors have failed to realise that, as with any other product, such a huge market sector needs to be segmented.

I would suggest that the over 65s can be divided into at least 4 segments (other posters may suggest more).

These are
1) PASTEL PEOPLE: More likely to be over 80, they are the more conservative dressers and have a liking for paler colours and skirts. There is a double page M&S advert in the sunday papers, three sweaters are featured, all are in a pastel colour, one has embellished shiny flowers on the front, one is cowl necked and one has a boat neck. M&S has this market more or less sewn up.

2)COUGARS: Older women, who always vamped and continue to do so, very slim, high maintenance with a liking for animal prints, décolletage and gold bling. Not comfortable with admitting that they are getting on a bit.

3) COMFORTABLE DRESSERS: Live in track suit bottoms, leggings, T shirts and fleeces. Probably would be hard pressed to find a skirt in their wardrobe.

4)AGELESS DRESSERS: probably the majority. They wear the same clothes women aged 30 - 65 wear. Can, and probably do, swap clothes with their daughters.

Obviously each segment can be sub-segmented and others may suggest a major segment I have missed. You need to identify which segment will be most likely to shop in the location (sub brand within a store) given to you and focus on their specific needs.

Might have missed it in reading through, sorry if so, but one thing that drives me nuts is length. I buy lots from High Street shops like White Company, Hobbs, Phase Eight, East etc but way too often the skirts finish above my knee (I'm 5'6" so not THAT tall). I really don't want my knees on show so I also send back lots from etc etc etc. Rebekah , it's not a specific store I want, it's an awareness that there are some bits (upper arms, as well as knees) that some people want to cover up, so more design variations needed for the same basic idea. It's something US companies like Landsend and Crew seem to do better.

Oh, I agree, Icyalittle! I rarely wear skirts or dresses, but sometimes one catches my eye in a shop or on a website and I know I couldn't wear it because it would be too short.

I'm 5'7" and not only do I not want my knees on show, but a slightly longer skirt looks more in proportion.

I often think I will wear a dress, but in the end I nearly always go back to trousers.

I am only 5'3" but find if I try on a dress and it shows my awful knees. I used to have quite nice knees, I don't know how they have got into the state they are now.

Yep NanKate mine too And I keep forgetting ....

For those incredibly lucky things with nice arms, you have a wider choice than we do - apart from the length thing of course.

So, how about a selection of nice dresses that come in different lengths? Nightingales, in the 80s, used to do that. In the 80s their clothes were fabulous. Sadly, they didn't move with the times and now they are one of the stockists, I have just discovered, for Fifty Plus! They used to have several branches of very nice shops. Looking at their website now, they have a few nice things but I used to like everything, not just a few. And being able to buy dresses and skirts in different lengths was lovely. The jackets came in different lengths too.