We make more.  We spend more.  We want more.  And we are willing to do what it takes to get it. We are also experiencing more life shifts that cause us to rethink ourselves... and our wardrobe...than our younger counterparts.  We are women over the age of 35 who like to buy clothes, many of us online, and yet companies still focus their energies on women under 34. 

I just don't get it.  And neither does Wall Street Journal writer Christina Binkley.  She wrote a great article on the subject appropriately titled, "The Forgotten Market Online: Older Women."  In it she talks about how odd it is that while statistics show that the most frequent purchasers of clothing online are women age 55+, apparel companies and fashion sites still chase after youth.  Why is that? One clue came from one of Christina's sources, David Grant, founder and CEO of fashion site ShopFlick.  He was the former president of Fox TV.  He said he was targeting youth because, "it just felt right because I've been doing it all of my career."  Seriously?

You know what I think? I think people in positions to affect change in products and marketing approaches don't want to face the fact that they are getting older themselves.  They want to keep chasing youth because they think it will keep them youthful.  I can appreciate that to a certain point.  I enjoy working with my younger colleagues on Jane Nation.  Lord knows I learn as much from them as I teach them most days.  And while I love their fashion sense and their fashionable wardrobes, I am smart enough to realize I can not wear what they do nor look like they do wearing it. I'm more interested in finding out what will look good on me.

Why do you think it is so hard for companies to change their product line and marketing approach?