Vibrant Nation Free Report Gives Expert Advice on What to Wear and Where to Shop for Women Over 50

Louisville, KY, November 30, 2012 --(PR.com)-- In recent years, marketers and businesses have become increasingly aware of the large and important demographic of women over 50. But awareness does not equal getting it right. With a few notable exceptions, the fashion industry has been slow to address the clothing needs of the healthiest and wealthiest generation of women in history. At VibrantNation.com, the leading online community for women over 50, members frustrated by limited options at the mall have been turning for style solutions to the real fashion experts - other women over 50.

"I go to the mall with money to spend, and have lost over 50 pounds," one member of Vibrant Nation said recently. "I want new clothes to celebrate and flatter this rediscovered body of mine — but all I can find is ‘skank wear’ (I’m a little old for the hoochie momma look), and ‘polyester Granny wear.’ What about all of us women in between? Where are the nice clothes for women in our demographic?"

"Sometimes the fashions seem to be designed for a size 6 and then just graded up," says another Vibrant Nation member and woman over 50. "Look at me, folks! I have a bust. I have hips, and a bigger waist. I need clothing designed to look good on me."

Their message to clothing designers and retailers is clear: Fashion for women over 50 should be comfortable but still stylish and flattering, rather than dowdy.

"I don’t feel that I need ‘age-appropriate’ clothing," says Vibrant Nation blogger Lynne Spreen. "I think we women over 50 can wear the same stuff as the younger women. Currently, I’ll look around at almost any store, but there’s no point in going into a teenybopper store, where everything is skimpy, ragged, or designed for the perfect minus zero. More than that, older women are built differently. Our hips may be broader and our waists thicker from having produced those kids who now seem to dictate fashion. Even if we’re in great shape BMI-wise, our bellies might be rounded into what some of us call the ‘menopot.’"

"As a style consultant and former film/TV costume designer and stylist, I have clients of all ages across the U.S.," says Sherrie Mathieson, Vibrant Nation contributor and author of the book Forever Cool: How to Achieve Ageless, Youthful, and Modern Personal Style. "But it’s the Boomers whom I’ve noticed need special attention (and I’m one myself, at age 62), often because of the difficult physical changes they need surmount, some psychological attitudes, and the incredibly unfriendly style atmosphere that surrounds them, thanks to the youth-obsessed media, the absurd and slavish mimicry of celebrities, and the lack of obvious good fashion for aging physiques."

"But," adds Sherrie, "good style options exist for women who are willing to education themselves and make an effort."

Among these great options are six clothing lines that do get it right for midlife women: Eileen Fisher, Chico’s, White House/Black Market, Coldwater Creek, Soft Surroundings, and Talbots. These are the clothing brands most recommended by real women over 50 and are featured in the brand new free special report from Vibrant Nation, What to Wear after 50: 15 inspiring makeovers, 6 best places to shop, and style strategies that flatter the body you have now http://www.vibrantnation.com/?p=130292. This new special report collects style and shopping solutions across the Vibrant Nation community and includes inspiring makeover photos as well as style strategies that really flatter a midlife physique:

• Stylish strategies for dressing the body you have now
- Rethink your wardrobe: 12 ways to start
- How to dress a pear-shaped body
- The truth about cropped pants: Do or don’t?
- Longer skirts after 50: 10 tips
- How to pull off a cardigan and pencil skirt without looking matronly - even if you’re petite
• Where to shop after 50: 6 clothing brands we love
• Before and after: 15 makeovers of women over 50

Download the free special report, What to Wear after 50: 15 inspiring makeovers, 6 best places to shop, and style strategies that flatter the body you have now http://www.vibrantnation.com/?p=130292 to learn what to wear (and not to wear) after 50 according to the real fashion experts - the midlife women of Vibrant Nation.

About VibrantNation.com

Vibrant Nation is the leading online community for women 50+ - the safe place where midlife women can connect with other women like themselves on issues unique to their stage of life. And it’s a community for vibrant women only. In addition to Special Reports, Vibrant Nation publishes conversations and weblogs about a variety of topics, from work & money, to fashion & beauty, from love & sex, to family & relationships. VibrantNation.com is the reliable online source for information, inspiration and peer support for 50 million women over 50.

Everything about a woman’s life after 50 is part of the ongoing conversation at VibrantNation.com, including love, relationships, and sex for women after 50. Because Vibrant Nation members and contributors look to their peers for information and support about the things that matter most at midlife, Vibrant Nation editors produced this helpful Special Report to share the community’s best advice on reviving a sexless marriage - advice that has been demonstrated to work.