FASHIONS Over 50: All grown up, and nothing to wear

Fashion-conscious older women find matronly style distressing.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Judy Ratcliffe, 56, went shopping recently for a dress to wear to her stepdaughter's wedding -- something stylish, elegant.
But what she kept finding -- flouncy chiffon skirts with sequiny overblouses -- seemed better described with the dreaded M word: matronly.
"I had money to spend on a dress. I just couldn't find anything," she says. "I didn't want to come down the aisle looking like I was her grandmother."
Like many over-50 women, Ratcliffe, who lives in Tryon, N.C., often feels frustrated by fashion that's either too young or too old.
A few decades ago, a woman pushing 60 might have gone gently into polyester pantsuits and shapeless dresses, resigned that her fashionable days were behind her. No more. Age 50, current wisdom says, is the new 30. Older women want style.
And while that fact still hasn't registered with some designers, the good news is this: The fashion landscape isn't barren, if you're willing to shop around. Some designers and brands are shifting focus to older women and a wider range of body types. New fabrics with a touch of Lycra are also a boon, offering stretch and comfort for more mature figures. "Jeans can form to your butt. That was unheard of when our mothers were in their 40s and 50s," says Maddy Dychtwald, author of "Cycles: How We Will Live, Work and Buy," (Free Press, $26.)
Worth trying
At 60, Diane Wieland of Matthews, N.C., says her style has evolved as she's gotten older, and she's found clothing by trying new looks and different stores.
"I'm not the same person I was when I was 40," she says. She goes for softer colors, more subdued prints, simpler looks. And she doesn't fall for every new trend. Since she's on her feet in her work in a library, her priority in shoes is comfort. Naot, a brand from Israel, is one of her favorites. "I don't wear high Prada crap," she says.
But it may take work to locate clothes you love. Belly-baring tops and low-rise pants are still prevalent. In the last couple of years, sleeveless tops have also been the rage, to the dismay of many women who'd just as soon not display upper arms.
Dresses, too, are difficult, offering few options between "Sex and the City" and "The Golden Girls." Geila English, who for years owned the Kooler Boutique in Cornelius, N.C., says most dresses she sees can be divided into two types -- an "old-lady" style with a below-the-knee skirt and boxy jacket or "a skinny mini-dress" suitable only for women with negligible busts.
Some older women who've been lured by tight-fitting junior-inspired fashions have become fashion victims, says Betsy Matthews, owner of Charlotte's B Natural boutique. Dressing too young, fashion experts say, is one of the surest ways to make yourself look older.
Ratcliffe, who doesn't like to shop much anyway, says she has taken refuge in two retailers -- Talbots and Lands' End. "It's not extremely exotic or exciting or interesting, but it's dependable," she says. Eventually, she did find an outfit for her stepdaughter's wedding at a boutique -- a slim magenta dress with a bolero jacket.
One chain that's found success selling to fashion-conscious older women is Florida-based Chico's, which describes its core customer as 35 to 55.
Willing to pay
"The baby boomer is the woman who has the money to go shopping, and she needs clothes as much as the 20-year-old," says Lexi Winkles, the chain's publicity manager. With more than 400 stores, the chain features stylish, comfortable clothes. Waistbands are often elastic, and international sizes range from 0 to 3. A size 3 equals a size 12 to 14, but it sounds better.
"A lot of the top designers are beginning to realize it's the older women, not the younger women, who have money to spend on clothes," Dychtwald says.
But even when retailers and brands offer clothing for the older woman, they often don't advertise the fact, for fear that targeting boomer women will alienate younger customers, says Sherri Akers, a California-based apparel industry executive who's written about marketing to baby boomers.
Addresses the fact
Akers, 52, cites Banana Republic as a good example. The clothing chain "does a wonderful job of addressing the fact we have different bodies that need different fits," she says, though it hasn't targeted boomers in its marketing.
The chain now offers several fits of pants, some that sit higher or lower on the waist, some cut more generously through the hips and thighs. "There's a real buzz about Banana Republic. We all feel like they're back and they're dressing us," Akers says.
Akers argues that the fashion industry should do more "ageless" marketing, targeting a broad range of ages. "A lot of what needs to happen in fashion is you really should be dressing the lifestyle or body condition, not the age," she says.
Until that happens, you still might have trouble finding the right style for your over-50 body. To help in your search, Wieland suggests shopping with a friend whose opinion you trust.
Be open-minded, she says. Don't be afraid to try a new brand or style. Also remember that attitude is more important than any outfit.
"A smile you don't have to pay for. If you're happy within, it doesn't matter what you wear. You'll wear it well."