Late to Inge's thread...older models - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Late to Inge's thread...older models

Aquamarine

Veteran

I thought I could still add this to Inge's links thread, but I guess it's closed. Anyway, this link was relevant for me. I'm late to Pinterest, but have recently started using it for outfit inspiration. However, I've become a little frustrated when searching for certain outfits featuring over 50 (heck, even over 40!) models or bloggers or whoever uses Pinterest. It makes me question if I should even be wearing a certain item when I can't find anyone around my age wearing it (I'm 53).

https://www.theguardian.com/fa.....ing-models

Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from Suz

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Yes, it IS frustrating Aquamarine. I think it also may be at least part of the reason why so some clothing retailers are failing. The younger (under 40) crowd doesn't seem to be spending as much on clothing while the more middle aged crowd seems completely ignored by the marketing. I'd like to see what X outfit looks like on a few different ages/body types and this could be done at least in some online catalogs you would think. But maybe people DO prefer buying some imaginary vision.

Anonymous

Texstyle - I'd also like to see things on models somewhere in the middle. Sadly, some testing is done on models and sales, and younger and thinner usually win out even when the audience purchasing is older and/ or plus sized.

One of the reasons I like YLF WIWs is to see clothing on lots of different sizes and ages.

JAileen

Veteran

“Part of the problem is that people who create the ads don’t look like the people who buy the products,” adds Lavery. “The average age of an ad agency account executive or creative is 28. It’s the same in marketing departments and, believe me, a 28-year-old can’t think like a 50-year-old. Unconscious age bias is a proved academic fact.”

When I've talked to younger people, they haven't been able to tell the difference between my age and someone 20 years older. They see grey hair and think "grandma".

I'm speaking of specific people, not everyone.

Anonymous

JAileen - yes, this. I found this especially true in email images based on who was selecting them.

Aquamarine

Veteran

Yes JAileen. I have kids in their 20s and it's hard to imagine their age group understanding the unique clothing challenges, wants, and needs of my generation.

Over at Midlife Chic, Nikki Garnett talks often of this. I believe she was a fashion exec when she was younger, and now at age 50 has made it her mission to make clothing designers understand what our age group wants. She has also touched on the issue of the "token" older, gray-haired woman as not really representing the rest of us.

rachylou

Veteran

That's so true JAileen. Actually, I don't know how well any of us guess anymore. My Uber driver last night had to ask my age: he couldn't tell and was a bit surprised. And then there was *the old guy* at work - all of us from 20 on up acknowledged him as that. Who knows what his age was. It was just his creaky attitude, lol.

I kind of like Harpers mag because they designate trends by age. It's pretty random. I think mostly we all want our own trends, lol.

I'd search by activity/occupation. I think fashion is more dictated by that.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Thank you for the link. Here in NZ we have one fifty-something model Mercy Brewer getting a lot of work. But again, she is still tall and thin and totally grey. Being short, plump, and salt-and-pepper there is just no-one to represent me. They trumpet having plus size but I'm not plus size either, those models tend to be tall and big all over and the plus size clothes drown me. And I have money! It's annoying but given I'm wanting to be sustainable and spend less I tend to shrug and think OK, I'll keep my money then if you don't want it!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

BTW Aquamarine could you put a tiny bit in your profile? You could still remain anonymous. You've just told us your age...

Liz

Veteran

This is fascinating. I hadn't thought about the inherent barrier the "youth" of the ad / marketing / fashion industry creates. It's really hard to create something for people who are inherently outside your "zone."

(Side note about profiles -- I like the freedom to fill them out or not, depending as we are comfortable with revealing ourselves on the internet. I'm sure that varies a lot from person to person.)

Carla

Veteran

Thank you for the link to the interesting article. I think the Dove advertisements came pretty close to the ideal with the assortment of women they chose for their campaign a few years back.

Maybe that is part of the appeal of celebs? Even though many have access to help when it comes to their presentation to the world, there is still more diversity (I believe) than in the pool of models where height and weight requirements are applied, and sometimes we see someone relatable.

Aquamarine

Veteran

Jenni, I never felt the need to fill out the profile to participate (as Liz says)....and whenever I thought about maybe doing it, it always fell to the bottom of my to-do list

I've never been shy about posting my age and other relevant-to-the-discussion pieces of information, however. Occasional photos, too, with my head cut off

cindysmith

Veteran

It does irk me that I don't see 'middle aged" models. I've gotten inspired by the women featured in that advanced style documentary; they just wear what they like, so I started doing that too.

I like this forum because Angie makes sure to include all kinds of body types, all kinds of styles, and all kinds of budgets in mind when she does her picks and roundups; and because I see so many styles and body types and budgets here in the forum.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Yes I have noticed this also. Celebrities my age often look much younger because they can afford lots of help. I have no idea what is normal anymore.

Inge

(website)

Great article, thanks Aquamarine. If it's alright with you, I'll save it for our next Link Love post (in two weeks time).

And I agree, I'd like to see this age group represented better, just like I would also like to see more body shape variety among models of all ages (e.g. it's briliant that we have been seeing a few women in their 70s modelling clothes, but they are mostly all very slim and tall).

Aquamarine

Veteran

Of course, Inge.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Actually Inge it's kind of on a similar theme to your Sali Hughes article in this week's Link Love don't you think? One is about seeing representation in models and one about seeing representation of clothes that may suit real women 30 and above in stores. It's like a whole demographic is invisible.

Inge

(website)

Oh absolutely, Jenni, they are very much interconnected, I agree.

Thanks, Aquamarine.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Interesting article -- thanks!