Clothing for Boomer Women

As I came in to work this morning, I stopped to visit with a couple of co-workers. One of the main topics discussed was the seemingly inevitable change our bodies have undergone as we have passed each birthday. When I got to my desk and checked today’s woman-centric news, I found some interesting related information.

Apparel sales among women in their 50s enjoyed the biggest gain of any age group between 2001 and 2006, according to data from market researcher NPD Group. Those sales jumped 40 percent to $2 billion in 2006 from five years earlier, while sales of teen clothing fell 3.5 percent to $1.1 billion, and sales to twenty-something women rose just 4 percent to $1.3 billion.

To gain increases in revenue from Boomer customers, clothing retailers must find the right balance between style and comfort, reports Canada’s Globe and Mail. Citing examples from both Canadian and American retailers, strategies include adding more stretch to garments to give a fitted look without compromising the comfort of a loose feel and offering clothes with hidden support panels in the midriff and seat areas to accommodate and camouflage physique changes of aging.

To read more about findings from NPD Group and the latest trends in marketing clothing to the lucrative Boomer-women market, go to http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070418.RTABI18/TPStory/Business

Rump Roasts and Cardigans

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, there’s a growing trend in the grocery business. Or is it the fashion industry? The article reports that buying cardigans and comfy shoes at the same place you buy your peanut butter brought in $211 million last year. In fact the trend is growing so quickly that the market research firm NPD Group shows a 76 percent increase in women’s clothing sale at food stores from January 2006 through January 2007. Since that figure was only 8 percent the previous year, it seems like this trend is not just growing, it’s exploding.

While supercenters like Walmart and Target account for the largest part of the increase, Whole Foods and Safeway have gotten in on it too, expanding their lines of women and children’s clothing as well as adding selections for men. Designer brands like Prada and Gucci aren’t available, but basics like sweaters, shoes and shirts are easy to find, with the selections offering an added measure of convenience to shoppers. Whole Foods is focusing their clothing on organic fibers and dyes in keeping with their overall message and commitment.

To read more about this new market strategy, read the Trib article at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/living/chi-0703190327mar21,1,364479.story?coll=chi-living-hed