Freelance writer
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WINNIPEG – Women senior citizens, at least those who have not had face lifts, tummy tucks or a reduction by suction, can have a hard time finding good clothes these days.
Last summer I went shopping for a new dress for my daughter’s wedding in Victoria.
But almost all specialty stores cater to youthful, twiggy figures. What are the overweight and elderly to do?
I spent days going from store to store looking for a comfortable, colorful, tasteful dress. Not a typical formal mother of the bride dress, not a sundress, not a suit, not pants. I discovered it was an impossible mission.
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Specialty stores have a well-stocked inventory including many styles. But a lot of it consists of short, short, short skirts or ankle-length ones. There are shirts with bows and laces in the middle of the back and ones with revealing necklines. Materials are often see-through. Colors are generally not complimentary to the elderly with untinted hair and a figure that has not responded favorably to an on/off diet.
When I have observed a woman at a gathering who was wearing a becoming dress, it was due to one of the following:
- She had purchased it at a second-hand store.
- She had made it herself.
- She had it stored in the back of her clothes cupboard.
Somewhere there must be a manufacturer who understands a lot of adult women are over 60. According to the 1991 census, Manitoba alone has 108,595 women aged 60-80.
Manufacturers should also understand many of these women remain active, are not overly concerned with their weight and they continue to attend special functions.
It’s possible to buy an almost suitable garment at a department store, but it would be on a rack with countless others exactly the same. I am not interested in a uniform. My interest is a dress suitable for many events, to be worn many times over a period of a few years – something in a category between dowdiness and sleeziness.
There are stores that specialize in Plus sizes but I feel there is a need for manufacturers and retailers to specialize in all sizes of senior women’s clothing.
As a last resort I wore to the wedding a colorful pant suit purchased a few years ago. The colors were not in fashion or the style currently correct. However, it accommodated my figure, was comfortable and suited the occasion without emphasizing my less attractive body parts.
