Sartorial Appearance Management Strategies of Creative Professional Women over Age 50 in the Fashion Industry

Abstract

Women in the United States are often subjected to unrealistic standards of ideal appearance. These ideals are even more extreme in the fashion industry. Because professional women who hold creative positions in the fashion industry are in the business of creating style and beauty, there is a high level of expectation toward them to maintain their dress and appearance at a not explicitly stated, but anticipated, and often unrealistic standard. In this study, creative positions refer to design, color and trend forecasting, product development and merchandising related jobs. Older women working in these areas are in a double bind because when one is responsible for creating consumer products for the fashion industry, the perceptions of one’s appearance become part of one’s professional expectations, reflecting one’s esthetic values and creative capital. This qualitative study explores the complexity of age, dress, experience, and consumption needs of this professional cohort in today’s visual and youth-centric culture that pervades the fashion industry. The study addresses social and cultural views on fashion as it relates to the ageing body and self-image by analyzing the relationship between women’s personal style and the industry’s expectations for their workplace appearance.