Stop Selling Every Woman Over 50 the Same Pair of Leggings

By Joanna Stone, Founder of Bunny Ruffle Tail

Key finding: 62% of women voters ages 50 to 64 said their finances fell short of expectations, compared with 39% of women voters 65+. Source 19

If I want casualwear, I don't automatically want a crop top, a tiny jacket or skin-tight leggings. I don't need a wardrobe designed around yoga or Pilates, either.

And I don't believe paying more for premium athleisure brands automatically solves the problem. What I want is better fit, good proportions, interesting materials and clothes that look current without making me feel as though I'm dressing for somebody else's life.

This is what brands miss when they think women over 50 is a complete customer description.

An age setting isn't a person.

The Women 50+ Advertiser Briefing notes that Meta's oldest selectable advertising age setting is 65+. Source 10 It's a platform setting, not a portrait of the women inside it.

Even within the broader 50+ market, circumstances differ. That finances gap alone shows why treating a wide age range as one economic or lifestyle group is careless.

One woman may be building a business. Another may be retired. Both might want great casual clothes. Neither necessarily wants the same outfit, price point or pitch.

The product gap is as interesting as the advertising gap.

I believe there's untapped potential in casualwear and sportswear for women over 50. The market offers plenty of trends, but the trends aren't always designed around the fit and silhouettes I want.

That doesn't mean women my age want conservative clothes. It means we want choices: jackets with more useful lengths, flattering shapes that aren't dependent on compression, and pieces that earn their place in a wardrobe after the trend has passed.

A brand that listens could make something genuinely desirable. A brand that merely changes its ad targeting while selling the same narrow assortment may still miss the customer.

Ask what she wants before you decide who she is.

Better campaigns start with the actual buying problem. Is she looking for comfort? A polished outfit she can wear all day? A fabric that performs without looking like gym equipment? Show the product answering that need.

Then test the message with the people it's meant for. Don't use an age bracket as a substitute for curiosity.

Further reading: Women 50+ Advertiser Briefing · Sources and Methodology

Published October 31, 2026 · Last updated October 31, 2026