Visibly ageing: Online clothing consumption and the older woman

Franklin, Alex

Abstract

This paper will outline the findings of the author's 2016 study examining the online clothes shopping practices of female consumers aged 65+ in the UK; this age group is one which is growing significantly in the UK [1] but remains at best largely overlooked and at worst actively marginalised by the fashion industry itself.

It will argue that with a rapidly growing aging population, a clothing industry that promotes only a limited image of what constitutes a desirable, fashionable female identity - one that is overwhelmingly predicated on youth and slimness - is at risk of alienating the older consumer and contributing to an environment which actively restricts the socially sanctioned identities readily available to older women.

It will also argue that offering greater variety in feedback options for individuals using online clothing retail sites potentially offers industry an inexpensive and effective way of making these consumers both visible and valued.

[1] In the next 17 years the number of people aged 65+ in the UK is expected to rise by 40.77% to over 16 million and by 2025 online sales are expected to account for around 25% of all sales for the fashion industry in the UK, thus making a garment’s digital presence increasingly important in determining its material future.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: The Asian Conference on Aging & Gerontology 2016 [AGen2016]
• Start Date: Jul 9, 2016
• End Date: Jul 12, 2016
• Acceptance Date: Mar 1, 2016
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2016
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: clothing consumption, digital retail, identity construction, embodiment, ageing, women
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/918898
• Publisher URL: http://iafor.org/conferences/agen2016/
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : The Asian Conference on Aging & Gerontology 2016 [AGen2016]