Fashions for Elderly Women

Special Fashion Needs

Senior and retirement living often means a change in fashion needs. As a woman continues to age, several factors may affect her fashion needs and might cause the need for more revisions in her wardrobe:

• Health issues – Changes in energy levels and reactions to medications can make it difficult to dress and perform personal care activities.
• Cooler body temperatures – Older women often find it harder to stay warm and they look for warmer clothes.
• Movement challenges – Arthritis, muscle weakness or medical issues can make it complicated, if not impossible, for a woman to get dressed and to operate bra closures and buttons.
• Mobility challenges – A woman may need clothes that are easy to get on and get off from a seated position.
• New environment – Activities in an active adult or golf retirement community require a wider range of fashions than if a woman has health or mobility issues that require her to be in an assisted living or nursing home situation.
• Change in peer group fashions – Often a woman wants to make changes in her wardrobe to more closely follow the styles worn by a new peer group.
• Downsizing a living situation – Less closet and storage space might cause a woman to want to reduce her wardrobe.
• More leisure time – A woman may find that she needs wardrobe changes to accommodate her increased involvement in casual activities such as travel, classes and exercise such as chair exercising, strength training or Tai Chi.

Selecting Fashions for Elderly Women

It is important for a woman to feel that she is maintaining her independence and that her personal needs are being met with her attire, even if she is not personally selecting the fashion items. If selecting clothing for someone else, continue to seek her input and pay special attention to her comments about what she enjoys wearing and fashions worn by other women with whom she has contact.

Look for fashions that:

• Match her personal style. – She will probably want to wear the same styles and colors that she has worn for many years. If she liked classic styles when she was 50, she will probably still want to wear classic styles. If she was proud of her avant-garde style when she was younger, she will probably not be comfortable in soft colors with teddy bear appliqués.
• Are her correct size. – As women get older their overall physical stature often shrinks, and they may need smaller sizes and shorter garments. Oversize clothes may be comfortable but the extra fabric might cause the wearer to stumble and fall. Measure clothing that fits her well to determine what size to purchase if you are unsure of her size and the size tags are no longer readable in her clothing.
• Are easy on/off styles. – Small buttons, snaps and small zippers are all difficult for some elderly women to maneuver. Look for pull-on and wrap-around styles of tops and pants. Front-closure bras may be significantly easier for a woman than having to twist her arms in order to reach around her back.
• Are made from easy care fabrics. – Look for fabrics that can be machine-washed and -dried in either a home or care environment. Avoid fragile fabrics that cannot stand up to the potentially rough handling of an industrial washer in a care environment. Also avoid fabrics which will require special care such as hand-washing, hang-dry or ironing.
• Are comfortable to wear. – Avoid closures and seams at the back of the top or on the back of the legs that would become uncomfortable during prolonged sitting. Fabrics should be soft against sensitive skin.
• Provide layers to stay warm – Look for wraps and shrugs that can be worn over tops and dresses to ward off a chill. Layering is particularly important when the woman is in a group environment where she cannot change the thermostat to meet her particular needs. Wraps and shrugs are particularly good gifts for a nursing home resident.

Shoes should have non-slip soles to minimize the risk of falling. Look for easy-on, easy-off styles that help a woman change or remove her shoes. Athletic styles with Velcro closures can provide a steady, firm base for the feet and are easy to put on and remove.

Adaptive Clothing

Several manufacturers have designed special clothing, called adaptive clothing, to make dressing and personal care easier. The clothing lets the wearer be comfortable and it makes it easier for a caregiver to assist a woman into her clothes or to help her with her personal care:

• Side-zip pants with long, wide-tabbed zippers down both side seams.
• Open back dresses and tops with large snaps or Velcro-type closures.
• Pleats in the front of dresses and skirts to allow fabric to spread over the knees while seated.
• Slip-on style shoes or athletic shoes with Velcro-type closures.

Online Resources For Fashions For Elderly Women

• The Tog Shop – Comfortable casual styles.
• Nice 'n Cozy – Shawls, jackets, capes, wraps and ponchos.
• Buck & Buck – Adaptive clothing for home health care and nursing home residents.
• Silvert's – Elderly women's apparel, bras, shoes and adaptive clothing.
• Golden Wear Clothing – Adaptive clothing for nursing home and home health care residents.
• Foot Smart – Shoes designed for sensitive feet.