Tuesday, January 03, 2006

The baby-boomer fashion crisis

Carol Hymowitz
Wall Street Journal

A friend of mine who can't reconcile himself to having recently turned 60 showed up at his birthday bash in a tie-dyed T-shirt he'd worn to rock 'n' roll concerts 35 years ago and a black leather jacket with lots of silver studs. He tried to conceal his bald spot by combing it over with hair he still has. He looked ridiculous - and older than he is.

With the first of the 78 million baby boomers now turning 60, a once-hip generation of men has a problem: looking younger and with-it - but not foolish - as they begin to use senior discounts. The women in their lives cover gray hair with dye and wrinkles with makeup, but those tactics are too girly for most guys.

What they need to do is change their eyeglasses to a smaller style and get a pair of brown leather shoes that go with almost everything. Wearing slimmer, less boxy suits also helps, as does a splash of color.

What today's men have going for them is that many are fitter and more youthful-looking than their fathers were at their age, thanks to hours of working out or doing active sports from mountain biking to scuba diving. Even with toned muscles, however, they know they will look silly in fashions aimed at college kids and aren't sure how to update their wardrobes. Heavier men have even more of a problem.

Not surprisingly, fashion designers and retailers are beginning to cater to middle-aged men's desire for clothing that is hip and sophisticated. Paul Stuart, a New York retailer, recently began selling a side-vented jacket with a gently sloped shoulder that isn't tight but has a stylish, lean look that can be worn by men who've added some extra pounds. And Under Armour, a Baltimore maker of stretchy exercise clothes, is doing a brisk business with boomer men, some of whom wear the company's shorts as girdles under trousers.

Even conservative Brooks Brothers sees a market in slimmer, more colorful styles for older guys. It now sells a line of $800-to-$1,000 suits that are cut narrower than its traditional boxy style. The pinstripes on some of its navy-blue suits are light blue, lavender and other colors instead of white. Its shirts come in two fits: standard and a slimmer model. And last spring, it sold polo shirts in 30 new colors, including light orange and apple green.

Boomers "want their clothes to have an attitude - and we want to address what's been a very untapped market," says Lou Amendola, merchandising vice president.

But what looks classy on one 50- or 60-something guy might look awful on another. Here's a look at how to stay stylish while growing older:

FIT
Shirts that are one or two sizes too big and have so much extra material around the waistline that they bunch up over your belt add weight to your middle. The same goes for oversized jackets and trousers. Clothing that is too large may feel comfortable but makes you look heavier.
Better way: Shirts that fit trimly across your chest and back but can be easily buttoned should be worn with jackets that narrow at the waist rather than looking boxy. You'll look taller and more youthful than in a boxier style. Similarly, flat-front trousers with straight legs are more slimming and flattering on most men than pleated pants.

FABRIC
Leather pants may work for Mick Jagger and other aging rock stars, but they're too young for most boomer men - and show every bulge you have. Leave them on the rack for 20-somethings.

Better way: Leather jackets add pizzazz to an older man's wardrobe, especially if they're tailored and cut like blazers instead of motorcycle jackets. They can be worn over jeans or trousers.

EYEGLASSES
Large lenses (24- or 26-millimeter size) were in vogue several years ago, but these cover most of your face and create a droopy appearance. That's the last thing anyone with a sagging jaw line needs.

Better way: Smaller, 18-millimeter lenses can instantly erase 10 years from your face. And thanks to new technology, smaller frames now can be fitted with bifocals. You should try rimless styles or lightweight frames in thin titanium or even a modish color such as red. "You don't want anything too wide, which can accentuate your nose, or too narrow, which doesn't cover your eyes," says Jeff Press, operations manager of Morganthal Frederick's, a New York eyeglass retailer.

SHOES
Penny loafers or oxfords with tassels on the ties can date you. "After people look at your eyes, they look at your feet, and if you're wearing the same style shoes that you've worn for 10 years, you're out of it," says Drew Sisselman, an Atlanta image and style consultant.

Better way: A slip-on or tie style that is contemporary can "freshen everything else you're wearing," says Mr. Sisselman. And Kenneth Cole and Nike's Cole Haan unit have trendy styles with comfortable, cushioned heels. Boomer men also can wear low-heeled leather boots or Western boots with jeans. A pair of black leather shoes, with leather soles instead of rubber soles, is essential, but so is a pair in brown, which can be worn with navy, gray and khaki.

COLOR
Black sweaters are hip whatever your age, but black suits can look funereal on anyone over 35.

Better way: Navy and charcoal gray are more flattering on most men, but rather than sticking to the same tried-and-true solid colors, experiment with textured fabrics and unusual color combinations - gray with a subtle stripe, paired with a maroon, dark blue, green or lavender shirt.

HAIR
If you've got a full head of hair, flaunt it. But if you're going bald, don't try combing over your bald spot.

Better way: The thinner your hair gets, the shorter you should cut it. Short hair accentuates your features.

4 comments:

  1. What today's men have going for them is that many are fitter and more youthful-looking than their fathers were at their age, thanks to hours of working out or doing active sports from mountain biking to scuba diving.

    I wonder though if it is just a different kind of fitness. Their father's more than likely didn't go to the gym, but possibly still walked many miles a day (more than we might with our cars), lifted weights (though not from iron), and spent many hours working hard physical labor (that now has been replaced with machinery and technology). Its just a different lifestyle and world from before.

    I see my mother, who wouldnt be considered a baby boomer (she is 70) aging gracefully and beautifully. She wears stylish clothes that suit her, while not trying to look like a grandmother or a hip youngster way younger than her age. People would probably think she is 10-15 years younger than she is if they didnt know her. (though she isnt trying to look younger) She is active and makes sure she gets some exercise by going to the community center with friends to walk almost daily. I dont really understand this big need to look younger than one is, there is beauty in every age - and Im not talking about what is skin deep. Usually when someone is trying too hard to look younger-they just look foolish.

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  2. I’m glad your mom is staying active and fashionable. They say 60 is the new 30, so that would make her 39 forever! ;-)

    People in general are taller and more athletically-built these days. In my grandfather’s day, a man who was six feet tall was a giant. Now it's not uncommon to find women that tall.

    Modern medicine has increased our lifespans and better nutrition and fitness overall made our frames larger and stronger as well.

    Combining this with our less physically active, more socially connected and more stressful lifestyle and you've got people who live longer, weigh more and hang out with more people later into life.

    These people need clothes, and most of the clothing industry is still locked in a very 1950s view of the ready-to-wear market. With few exceptions, most clothes are either designed for the youngest and thinnest of us or decidedly fuddy-duddy and boxy.

    Baby boomers get stuck in the middle, like the article says. They're not young enough for Abercrombie and they're too cool for the Haband catalog, so they often remain stuck in limbo with almost nothing to wear.

    A few people are seeing the light and making clothes for people like you and your mom, but there is a large disconnect in how people live and what is being offered to them by the designers and retailers of America.

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  3. Being in my late 40s, my fashion statements range from dressing like a hippy or an old maid. I rather like dressing for the occasion. Why can't I wear my leopard print pants if my husband and I are going to a Motley Crue concert? They fit well, look great, and it's not like I'm wearing a midrif-bearing tank top (heaven forbid)!! And I must admit, I recently purchased those new Ultimate 5 Lee Jeans (bootcut) that come just below the bellybutton and they are fabulous! They're the first pair of comfortable jeans I've purchased in seven years. Both men and women should pay attention to their bodies on how to dress. For example, I couldn't find jeans, comfortable ones at least, due to a scar from surgery I had years ago. Since the Lee jeans sit below the scar, they're a perfect fit.

    Also, as much as I hate to admit it, I've learned fashion tips from watching shows such as Oprah and "What Not to Wear." Tapered jeans are not the friend of those of us with hips or junk in the trunk, I should say. Bell bottoms or boot cut even things out, and they're so comfortable just like I remember from the good ole' 70s.

    I must agree, when you try to look young, you usually end up looking old(er) or foolish. The same can be said when an overweight person wears tight-fitting clothing: it just makes them look heavier. I can say this because I'm a plus-size myself. So dress comfortably, sensibly, and most of all.. express your own sense of style.

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  4. I think dressing appropriately for the occasion is a good idea. My mom had a friend who would wear business suits to a nightclub all the time, and she wondered why nobody would hit on her. Another example is a lady that wore mini-skirts to a Pentecostal church and wondered why people looked at her funny. Clothes can send an image, whether it's a right or wrong one.

    I'm glad you found some jeans that work for you. So many times people wear the wrong things for their bodies and it makes them look horrible. Just a few simple changes can make a huge difference in how you look and feel, even if you learn the tips from Oprah. LOL

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