Where do you wish you could shop!?

I bought some grey linen trousers from Bon Marche at the beginning of the summer. Practically lived in them.

My cosiest winyter cardi came from Matalan. Washes like a dream, and sooo warm.

I have read this with interest.

I can only assume most of the posters on this thread are fortunate enough to have quite a lot of money to spend on their clothes.

I never shop in some of these places that have been mentioned. As lots of people mentioned for instance The White Company, I had a look on-line and saw the, for me, very expensive clothes.

As a size 18 - 20 with bingo wings, I feel more comfortable in tops with sleeves, short but coming just above the elbow, or 3/4 and the length that skims my hips. Dresses I wear rarely, but if I do I prefer them just below the knee and although I admire these very fitted dresses on others, they wouldn't suit me.

I am practically ashamed to mention where I buy a lot of my clothes, Bon Marche as no one has mentioned this at all. For me they fit the bill, yes I suppose they are for the older woman but they do big sizes and not always but sometimes like a week or two ago I went in there and found two evening type tops and a couple of jumpers for the winter which I liked.

Probably developing special sub brand for children between 0 - 30.

I think that Rebeka is long gone folks!

Irrespective of design, I find that my biggest issue is with fabric. I loathe polyester and viscose type stuff, always end up crumpled even if I could bear wearing it. No warmth in winter, all sweaty in the summer. just what is the point of it? Nasty stuff.

And then he went to Asda - I remember following him and shopping there for a few years, until they tried to make him go too cheap and shoddy and they parted company.

When Per Una was launched they used to do skirts and dresses in regular and long lengths. Of course that was in the days when George Davies was in charge and they had interesting designs and decent fabrics.

So do I actually Ana I was only joking about the funeral.

I have loads of black trousers left over from my working wardrobe. Smart ones, middling ones, baggy, tight, straight legged, velvet .....need I go on. They're all up in the loft somewhere apart from that one pair.

Oh, I do draw the line at jeans for funerals! I have a trusty M&S pair of trousers for those occasions (or sometimes navy, depends on what else I'm going to wear).

Trying to be adventurous and trendy I keep buying styles and colours that used to suit me. I try it on in the shop and it looks fine. Get it home and suddenly it looks awful. My DD or DDiL are happy to accept these brand new cast offs.
So I'm back to jeans and tops. I could kit out most of my town street in jeans and tops!

I have smart jeans to go out in, old jeans for the garden, middling jeans for the school runs and shopping. Tight jeans, baggy jeans, straight legged, boot cut, boy friend, indigo, pale blue, every shade between. In fact jeans for every occasion, even a black pair for funerals.

My main problem with clothes in the shops these days is getting trousers/jeans to fit me. I am pear shaped as oposed to apple shaped and always find the waistband hip ratios are far too large. I am a size 12 but still have a waist! Lands End are usually alright and I have stocked up on Zafiri trousers from John Lewis, but I fear they may not be stocking them anymore. I also found a pair that fitted me in Edinburgh Wollen Mill or EM as they now call themselves. Not a shop I would normally go into.

I also wear a lot of T shirts and have noticed that the sleeves are incredibly tight and too long for me. And I have slim arms.

So more variety in sizes please.

I had forgotten them. I bought a beautiful pinkish tweedy suit from them ten years ago. Just above the knee, quite floaty for tweed, lovely neckline, fitted short jacket, size 10... It's like a dream now!

I remember when Dorothy Perkins used to do different length skirts too -I used to buy most of my work clothes from them.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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