An exploration of how mature women buy clothing: empirical insights and a model

Abstract

Purpose

Despite mature consumers' monetary power and their growing share of many product markets, research especially on mature women's buying behaviour and attitudes is still scarce. The purpose of this paper is to explore and analyse mature women's buying of clothes.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical material consists of observations made in a department store and of interviews with a sample of ten Finnish women aged 50 to 63 years.

Findings

The study yielded empirically grounded elements of mature women's buying processes: the need for clothing, fashionability, clothing fit preferences, brand preferences, retailer preferences, shopping style, and price. Based on an analysis of the findings a new model of mature women's buying patterns was developed.

Research limitations/implications

Albeit limited in size, the study provides a starting point for further research on mature women as well as on buying clothes in general.

Practical implications

Based on the found preferences, the study offers useful suggestions to clothing designers, manufacturers, retailers, and marketers on how to target mature women more effectively.

Originality/value

The paper opens up a hitherto neglected research topic by presenting empirical findings and a model specifically developed based on mature women's garment buying processes.

Citation

Holmlund, M., Hagman, A. and Polsa, P. (2011), "An exploration of how mature women buy clothing: empirical insights and a model", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 108-122. https://doi.org/10.1108/13612021111112377