The Research

The infographic below displays a taste of the background research that inspired Grandma's Closet. I first stumbled upon the National Eating Disorders Association's (NEDA) website when I knew I wanted my topic to relate somehow to body image and its associated disorders. So, I began digging through the Internet for such inspiration. I found my angle when I saw on NEDA's website a link on the sidebar to a page dedicated to "Older Populations." Interesting, I thought: Are older women also affected by western hegemonic beauty standards? And do they, too, suffer from body image issues and eating disorders? These questions, I knew, would lay the foundation for my project, and so my research continued.

Interview with Robin Staples

Zumba Gold Istructor

1. As a Zumba Gold instructor, what do you see is the primary motivation for older women taking your class? Older women like women of all ages want to obtain or maintain a quality of life that they understand is more easily achievable when they are in shape. Zumba Gold allows women who are older, are just starting a workout or returning to working out, or who need a lower impact option, to be able to dance and have fun and get in shape. For older women, Zumba Gold affords them a lower impact workout in a class where everyone is doing a lower impact workout.

2. What role do you think the fashion industry plays in creating body image issues/eating disorders in women? The fashion industry continues to define beauty in terms of age and size. While we are now seeing more middle and older aged women in advertisements, these women continue to be very slight in size. The fact that "plus size" models are now becoming popular is great but these models are really not "plus sized" as much as just normal or average sized.

3. A recent study found that 13% of women age 50+ suffer from bulimia or anorexia, and 70% do so because they are trying to lose weight. What is your reaction to this? Discouraging. The conversation should be about being healthy and eating healthy especially as we age. Restrictive eating is especially dangerous as we age, as we are not getting important nutrients needed to remain healthy.

4. Do you think older adults are often left out of the conversation concerning body image and beauty ideals? Or do you think our society has become more inclusive in including this generation? Slightly more inclusive, especially as beauty icons such as former supermodels, actresses, etc. are getting older and are becoming spokespersons for fashion and beauty companies.

5. What do you think are the longer-lasting impacts of ignoring older women’s voices in relation to this issue? Quality of life will diminish, which is sad since life expectancy is increasing.

6. Do you think the fashion industry—or the U.S. in general—supports an anti-aging society? In other words, that our society sees growing older as a negative thing? I think we are starting to see aging in a more positive light. People are living longer, working longer, staying in shape and focusing on health. As such, these people are spending money and creating an economy around senior aging. Society in general and advertisers in particular who ignore this segment of the population are missing an opportunity.

From the experts:

Aside from the information and research I gathered from online journals, news sources, and websites, I also had the opportunity to interview professionals who work closely with the elderly population. In this section are two brief interviews with Robin Staples and Ruth Garrod.

For nearly four years, Ms. Staples has been an instructor of Zumba Gold: a popular dance workout fusion designed specifically for older adults. Ms. Garrod, on the other hand, currently works with the elderly as a caregiver.

Interview with Ruth Garrod

Caregiver for the Elderly

1. How do you think the fashion industry, or America’s standards of beauty for women in general, has affected women ages 60+? The fashion Industry, and standards of beauty, affects this generation most definitely. As women age they are beginning to experience things like arthritis and other joint related issues, so applying make up, lotions, etc. becomes increasingly difficult due to limited use of their hands. They tend to not bother due to the effort involved in removing caps, or the smallness of applicators (like for eye shadow). How these women look is very important to them. As far as clothing goes, they become limited in what they can wear, too. It becomes pants and a top, mostly in dull colours. Colour brings vibrance and feeling good about one's outward appearance. Skirts are not practical, or long dresses, due to them being at risk for falling and tripping on them. I have found women who have a few floral or patterned tops or blouses have more confidence. Being able to put them on easily too makes a huge difference.

2. A recent study found that 13% of women age 50+ suffer from bulimia and anorexia, and 70% of these women do so because they are trying to lose weight. What is your response to this? What do you think are the impacts of ignoring such statistics among older women? All women want to look and feel good about themselves; this often starts with the outward appearance. Just because we are aging there is no need to look old and frumpy. Elegance and practical wear clothing make a difference. Some styles of clothing help cover our extra pounds whereas others enhance how we look and feel, therefore boosting confidence.

3. Do you think older adults are left out of the conversation surrounding beauty ideals/body image issues, or that their voice are in fact heard in relation to this issue? Why or why not? Yes! Older adults are totally left out! The variety and sizing is very limited. What is the point of creating products to “retain your youth” when you cannot use them? Or clothing that is manufactured for those who are of a smaller frame? Some of these women are struggling with ailments that prevent them from being thin and small—more acceptable to society.