Clothe the Aged Workforce

Smart marketers have noticed that older Americans control about 70% of the disposable income in the U.S. Many of the initiatives to get seniors to spend those funds are being devoted to products and services designed to ease the health problems of aging and enhance the pleasures of leisure time.
     Researchers at San Francisco State University, University of Minnesota, and Iowa State University point to a niche that is easily overlooked in those efforts: Seniors who need clothes to wear to work. People of all ages spend more on clothes when they are employed. This is both because employers expect staff to dress to fit the position and because being employed gives the consumer more to spend. The researchers found that holding a job is a stronger determinant of clothing purchases by the elderly than is having the money to spend.
     Along with the senior population growing in size, the percentage of seniors who choose to continue employment is high, now approaching 32%. Old age does bring health problems, and those should be accounted for in the design of apparel and of store dressing rooms. But in general, the health problems are not frequent or severe enough to hamper most seniors from seeking the social, intellectual, and economic benefits of staying on the job or seeking a post-retirement job. Based on their literature review, the researchers estimate that fully 25% of the total U.S. part-time and full-time workforce consists of people aged 65+. Many who don’t seek employment do volunteer in settings requiring a fashion cut above retirement-community casual.
     Compared to younger consumers, seniors are more willing to pay for quality, comfort, and safety. The researchers point to particular opportunities for marketers to profit from featuring women’s footwear dressy enough for an office setting while avoiding the tripping dangers of shoes acceptable to younger women. In all apparel categories, seniors prefer classic to trendy brands and styles.
     Compared to middle-aged consumers, the elderly are likely to want to refresh their wardrobe regularly in order to maintain good fit as body dimensions change. As we age, we tend to shrink in height and width, fat and muscle reconfigure themselves, and the shape of the resting posture changes.
     A need for regular updates paired with the ability and willingness to spend money and time on apparel can be a formula for success for those choosing to clothe the aged workforce.

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