Market analysis of fit preferencesof female boomers

Renee HowartonUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin, USA, and

Brenna LeeUnico Prezzo Italiano Milano Department Store, Milan, Italy

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to disseminate research findings that compared attitudesregarding apparel and fit preferences as well as actual buying behaviors for 229 female baby boomersemployed at a midwestern university.

Design/methodology/approach – Researchers created a questionnaire that examined purchasingattitudes, behaviors and identified valued apparel characteristics and garment fitexpectations/frustrations. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Findings – Results indicated that respondents were frustrated that the apparel industry did not caterto their apparel and fit needs more effectively. While they felt that they knew how to judge proper fit,they indicated that store personnel should be knowledgeable about products in general and clothing fitin particular. They also had distinct clothing design preferences and chose fit, product quality andprice considerations over designer and brand names.

Research limitations/implications – The population was limited by midwestern demographicand economic factors descriptive of employees working in a rural community. This may limit theapplication of results to more diverse baby boomer populations located throughout the USA.

Practical implications – Survey results provide the apparel and retail industry with data that canbe used to design and market clothing that is a more accurate reflection of boomer needs and wants,thus producing more satisfied consumers and maximizing industry profits.

Originality/value – This unique study is helpful in expanding an understanding of the apparel andfit preferences of the lucrative baby boomer generation.

Keywords Baby boomer generation, Market segmentation, Consumer behaviour, Clothing

Paper type Research paper

IntroductionThe massive postwar baby boom generation that has driven every significant culturaland marketing trends for the past 50 years – from Howdy Doody to the Beatles and theFord Explorer – is defying marketers’ expectations about how it wants to live andshop (Business Week, 2005). A total of 77 million Americans born between 1946 and1964 comprise the baby boom generation. Their sheer numbers and economic potential,necessitate that marketers produce products that meet and exceed these customers’expectations. Characterized by a spending power that exceeds $1 trillion, thisgeneration enjoys purchasing power unknown to previous generations (Met LifeMature Market Institute, 2003).

In recent years, several clothing manufacturers and retailers have begun marketing tofemale baby boomers in an effort to capture this $43 billion apparel market (Barbaro,2007). The more successful ones have included Chico’s, Coldwater Creek, J. Jill, Talbots,Lands’ End, Eileen Fisher, and Ann Taylor. Their success has been a direct result of

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at

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Received January 2009Revised April 2009

Accepted October 2009

Journal of Fashion Marketing andManagement

Vol. 14 No. 2, 2010pp. 219-229

q Emerald Group Publishing Limited1361-2026

DOI 10.1108/13612021011046075

combining good fit with an understanding of the tastes of this particular market segment.Now defunct retailers such as Forth & Towne and Gymboree’s Janesville painfullyrealized the need to effectively understand boomer needs and wants (Moroz, 2007).

While studies (Salusso et al., 2006; LaBat and DeLong, 1990) readily acknowledgefemale baby boomers’ frustration with a lack of well-fitted, desirably styled apparel,few have extensively researched their actual garment preferences and shoppingconcerns. As more and more designers, manufacturers and retailers set their sights onthis market, clothing characteristics and fit issues associated with the aging body mustbe effectively investigated.

Conceptual developmentFemale baby boomer psychographicsFemale baby boomers are the byproduct of a generation whose beliefs were shaped bybirth control, the women’s movement and greater educational attainment, resulting inan increased sense of empowerment and control. They are fulfilled by a combination ofwork, family, friends and personal accomplishments (Discount Store News, 1996). Infact today, 52 percent of women aged 55 to 64 and 77 percent of women aged 45 to 54work full or part-time (Francese, 2003). According to Rozhon (2004), forty percent ofwomen aged 45 to 54 are employed in a managerial occupation and are spending $23.3billion a year on professional apparel to maintain their appearance.

Apparel industry attitudesIn their youth, female baby boomers dictated fashions to the apparel industry.Whatever they wanted was created for them and marketed to them. However, when afemale boomer goes into stores today she seldom finds garments that she feels aredesigned for her body, attitude and lifestyle. This industry-wide lack of marketingattention was observed by Brown (2001) who noted that baby boomers have beennicknamed the “forgotten generation” since many marketers more aggressively targetother younger generational cohorts. Boomer dissatisfaction with the preponderance ofyouth-oriented clothing was reflected in a 13 percent drop in their apparel salesbetween 2000 and 2003 (Gardyn, 2003).

Age-related female physical changesWomen have an especially hard time with fit as their bodies vary greatly and changedramatically with age. Even if they maintain their weight and physical fitness, theirbodies change and the clothes that fit them last year no longer wear the same. Femalestypically grow 3-5 inches in the waist, 1-3 inches in the hips and 4-6 inches in the chestas they age, and during this time 58 percent of women state that they feel that they areoverweight (Sorkin, 2004). Because the hips widen so greatly in females their bodiesmay change from an hourglass figure to being predominately pear-shaped. Gina Pisut(2007) noted that recent research applying shape analysis techniques to 3D bodyingscanning found that the shape of the female body has changed from the 1950s, whenmost fit standards were set in the USA and that women today are in fact larger andmore pear-shaped than in previous decades.

Understanding consumers’ satisfaction with clothing fit is more complex than justproducing properly sized and fitted garments. There are psychological and socialimplications of size and shape for consumers (Entwistle, 2000) making it imperative that

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both measurements and consumer views regarding body size and shape evaluation andmeasurement be analyzed (Apeagyei et al., 2007). Heaton (2000) noted that changingbodies often affect a woman’s psychological, social and emotional-well-being. Thesatisfaction or dissatisfaction with one’s body is known as body cathexis and Jourardand Secord (1955) speculated that this cathexis could affect women’s self-image as wellas their garment fit assessment and preferences. Years later, LaBat and DeLong (1990)studied body cathexis for 107 females relative to garment fit and found that theirpersonal cathexis and perceptions of how well apparel fit their hips and thighs was lowerthan their assessment of their bodies and how items fit above the waist.

Female baby boomers’ knowledge of fitFit is an individual, subjective preference. Good fit enhances the consumer’s body,creating an illusion that the customer’s body is symmetrical and well proportioned(Hazen, 1994). The average consumer generally believes that good fit is found in agarment that is comfortable and looks good on her body (Heaton, 2000). Fit is one of thefirst things that individuals consider in evaluating a garment. It is also the number onecustomer complaint and reason for clothing returns. With regard to catalog purchases,more than one in three clothing items are returned due to bad fit (Gardyn, 2003).

The average customer has a very limited knowledge of the human body in terms ofevaluating it against industry sizing standards. According to Heaton (2000), manyindividuals cannot, or have never tried, to look at their bodies objectively in the mirror andrecognize deviations from the so-called average body shape. Different fabrics and trendsas well as a lack of customer-friendly product information complicate this issue even more.

SizingIn the 1990s the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) developedStandard D5586 to provide the apparel industry with appropriate sizing dimensions forthe 55-plus target market (American Society for Testing and Materials, 1994). While theuse of consistent sizing standards by apparel designers and manufacturers has beenslow to be adopted and current standards correctly fit a mere 13 percent of women aged35-55 (Clark, 1999), many researchers are actively exploring relationships existingbetween sizing, body shape, and pattern shape and how pants fit women aged 55 andolder (Schofield et al., 2006). Others are investigating the use of three-dimensional bodyscanning technology (LaBat and Bye, 2008; Petrova and Ashdown, 2008), the revising ofpattern grading techniques and even the proposal of an alternative approach to sizingapparel available to 55-plussers (Salusso et al., 2006). Known as the PCSS-55 þ , thismathematical calculation classifies subjects within 25 size categories as compared to the55 sizes contained within the current sizing standard (Salusso et al., 2006).

Actual design preferencesWhile a plethora of articles exist that herald the economic significance of the boomergeneration, few discuss this market’s specific clothing design and style preferences.Research and commentary that address apparel preferences usually focus on garmentfit issues or the boomers’ desire for comfortable, stylish clothing (Hobson, 2002).However, some research does indicate that female boomers like shirts to be able to betucked in and remain tucked in, but also able to be worn out because they do not wanttheir undergarments to show (Rozhon, 2004).

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Female boomers prefer their pants to drape rather than cling, and to have enoughmovement ease to sit comfortably and have a forgiving waistband. This marketsegment prefers that their tops have shape, but not cling; blouses must cover thederriere if meant to be worn outside of the bottom piece (Hobson, 2002). They wantlonger sleeves, more comfortable necklines, and knee-length skirts in well fitting andmore exciting clothes (Bettendorf, 1993). These consumers want more options in sleevelength, torso length and bust circumference measurements (Chun-Yoon and Jasper,1995). Many boomers also use fabrics, layering and tailoring techniques to achieve adesired image of proper fit.

Fabric preferencesFabric content is extremely important to the female baby boomer. This same groupsays that fiber content is more important to them than the brand of clothing (CottonIncorporated, 2000). A total of 71 percent prefer to know the fiber content of agarment and half always check the label, whereas only 17 percent of the youngergenerations (aged 16-24) check fabric content when purchasing apparel (CottonIncorporated, 1997).

Baby boomers express a preference for natural fibers; a possible subconsciousafter-effect from the synthetics stigma of the late 1970s and early 1980s (CottonIncorporated, 1997). Cotton, wool and silk have followed them from their yuppie days.A total of 63 percent of female boomers believe that apparel made of natural fibers ishigher quality and 81 percent are willing to pay more for apparel made from naturalfibers (Cotton Incorporated, 1997). Natural fibers are favored because they areperceived as comfortable, practical, breathable and easy to care for.

Boomers prefer textured fabrics for hiding figure flaws, however, this generationwill not purchase heavier, bulky, textured fabrics if the garment makes them lookphysically larger. Stretch and Lycra blends are welcomed as long as they do not hugthe body, but are used for ease instead (Yeung, 2002). The female baby boomer preferssofter colors and more subdued prints (Kelley, 2004).

Lifestyle and brand loyaltyWomen’s preferences in clothing are more affected by lifestyle than by age (SportingGoods Business, 2001). Their lifestyles are typically defined by their careers, leisureactivities, child-rearing issues, socio-economic and educational levels, and communityinvolvement. Researchers have found that boomers want to follow trends, but do notallow the trends to dictate their lifestyles. They want the classics, but with a twist,creating a challenge for designers to neither dress them like their teenage daughtersnor in attire appropriate for their mothers’ age group.

The biggest factor driving a woman’s store choice is cost, followed by ease ofmobility, fabric with fashion/style/color and functionality; the last thing they look for isa brand name (Sporting Goods Business, 2001). A 2002 AARP study found that adults45 and older are no more brand loyal than those 18-34, and about half of Americans age45-plus are “always looking for better products” (Parpis, 2002). According toYankelovich Inc., this limited brand loyalty possibly stems from the fact that thisgroup grew up in a time when novelty and experimentation were higher on the prioritylist than during previous generations (Business Week, 2005).

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PurposeThe study investigated shopping behaviors and attitudes of female baby boomersrelative to their actual clothing design preferences and the factors motivating theirgarment purchases. It also investigated the importance of apparel fit relative to theirknowledge of fit, its impact on purchase decisions, their ability to judge propergarment fit, and their inclination to request alterations.

MethodologyA questionnaire consisting of four sections and seventy-five questions was drafted,twice-piloted on female baby boomers and modified to ensure clarity, relevance, and toestimate length of time required to complete it. The final questionnaire tookapproximately 15 minutes to finish. As a result of the pilot testing and review byuniversity faculty and a research statistician, the survey was determined to be validbecause each question related to the topic under investigation, there was adequatecoverage of the research topic and directions were clear, unambiguous and appropriatefor the sample surveyed.

The final questionnaire was mailed to all female employees of a midwesternuniversity in February 2005. The total sample size was 547 female employees; 305 (55.8percent) surveys were returned. Of those employees who fell within the desired sampleparameters – females born between 1946 and 1964 – 229 (75.1 percent) submittedquestionnaires. Each respondent was asked to record her year of birth on the survey.For the purpose of this article, only questionnaire results pertaining to female babyboomers are discussed.

The first section of the survey consisted of questions regarding age, height, clothingsize, marital status, employment, retirement plans and income, while the second partexplored attitudes toward the apparel industry and how well it catered to theparticipants’ specific tastes and needs. This section consisted of fourteen statementsand using a five-point Likert scale where 5 ¼ strongly agree and 1 ¼ stronglydisagree, respondents were asked to circle the letter(s) that indicated their level ofagreement. The third section also consisted of fourteen statements regarding theparticipants’ apparel purchasing behavior including frequency of finding appropriateapparel, purchasing behaviors, spending on apparel, brand loyalty, and alterations.Each respondent’s self-reported behavior was measured on a five-point Likert scale,with “almost always” (5) and “never” (1) as the end points. Finally, the fourth sectionconsisted of 24 questions descriptive of factors impacting participants’ apparelpurchases. Respondents were asked to mark all answers that applied to eachstatement.

Results and discussionDemographic informationAlmost 48 percent of respondents were average height (5’4-5’6) while 29 percent wereover 5’6 and 23 percent labeled themselves as being petite (under 5’4). The two mostpopular clothing sizes were large/12-14 (31.4 percent) and medium/8-10 (26.6 percent).

Nearly 74 percent of these boomers were married and 86.9 percent worked full-time.A total of 137 (59.8 percent) boomers indicated that they did not plan on retiring for thenext ten years or more. With regard to income, over half (55.5 percent) of the boomers’indicated that their personal annual income after taxes was $25,000 to $49,999. The

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largest (45.4 percent) reported household income category was $50,000 to $89,999. Justover 23 percent of households reported earning $25,000-$49,999 annually. Possessingdisposable income, the largest number of respondents (28.4 percent) shopped forthemselves at least two to four times a year, with 24.5 percent shopping five to seventimes a year. Going shopping once a year or less was the least commonly reportedanswer (5.2 percent). On their average shopping trip most respondents (60.7 percent)spent $51-$200. The second most common amount spent was less than $50 (25.8percent).

Baby boomer attitudesTable I shows that 99 percent of the female baby boomer respondents did not agreethat the apparel industry currently catered to their needs (M ¼ 2:54). They did agreehowever that it was important for salespeople to be knowledgeable about productsthey were selling (M ¼ 4:51) and about proper garment fit (M ¼ 4:41). They also ratedfit (M ¼ 4:45), ease of care (M ¼ 4:26) and style (M ¼ 3:87) in order of decliningimportance when deciding whether to purchase apparel. Respondents also agreed(M ¼ 4:09) that clothing was overpriced. In a later question, participants clarified thatthey waited for sales to get quality apparel at cheaper prices.

Respondents agreed (M ¼ 3:92) that they were able to tell whether a garment fitthem correctly and indicated (M ¼ 3:91) that it was important to always look theirbest. They (M ¼ 3:54) also valued others’ opinions when assessing whether a garmentfit their bodies well.

BehaviorRespondents were asked how often they participated in certain shopping behaviors.Table II shows that respondents (M ¼ 4:47) hold on to clothing for three or more years.However when they do shop, their most common shopping behaviors included lookingfor clothing that concealed specific parts of their bodies (M ¼ 3:66), spending moremoney on garments that are of high quality (M ¼ 3:65), and refusing to purchase

Attitudes toward the apparel industry M SD n ¼ 229

I feel that the apparel industry currently caters to my preferences 2.54 1.078 227I feel that it is important for salespeople to be knowledgeable about theproduct they are selling 4.51 0.626 229I feel that it is important for salespeople to be knowledgeable about fit 4.41 0.673 229I believe that I am physically fit 3.10 1.103 229I feel that my clothing preferences have become more conservative 3.46 0.945 228I feel that it is important to always look my best 3.91 0.856 229I feel that the majority of my clothing fits me correctly 3.50 0.963 229I feel that the majority of clothing that is available to me needs to be altered 2.73 1.094 229I value others’ opinions when assessing whether a garment fits me or not 3.54 0.991 228I know how to tell whether a garment fits me correctly or not 3.92 0.730 229I feel that fit is a major factor when purchasing apparel 4.45 0.685 229I feel that style is a major factor when purchasing apparel 3.87 0.908 229I believe that ease of care is a major factor when purchasing apparel 4.26 0.767 229I believe that clothing is overpriced 4.09 0.909 229

Note: Rating scale was strongly agree (5) to strongly disagree (1)

Table I.Female baby boomers’attitudes toward theapparel industry

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clothing that would require alterations (M ¼ 3:61). Less common behaviors for boomerrespondents involved altering at least four clothing items per year (M ¼ 2:32),spending more on designer label apparel (M ¼ 2:21), and following clothing trendsclosely (M ¼ 2:21).

Factors impacting apparel purchasesRelative to factors that appeared to impact baby boomer apparel selection, respondentswere asked about their willingness to emphasize or de-emphasize certain body parts,decision-making factors influencing apparel purchases, fit knowledge, desire forinformation regarding fit, clothing expenditures, apparel style preferences, work attireand fabric preferences. For questions where there was a possibility of multipleanswers, an additional blank was provided.

The majority of respondents indicated a use of color (72.1 percent) and layeringtechniques (64.2 percent) to emphasize or de-emphasize select body parts. Tworespondents said that they specifically layered their longer tops and used black to hidefigure flaws. Texture was the least common tactic used to emphasize or hide bodyfeatures (21.4 percent).

Respondents were most comfortable showing their forearms (85.2 percent), lowerlegs (79.0 percent), and neck (78.6 percent). They were least comfortable showing theirupper legs (17.9 percent), breasts (10.5 percent) and stomach (4.8 percent). In fact, whenasked which body parts they most wished to hide when naked, 90.4 percent wanted tohide their stomachs.

With regard to factors that directly influenced their actual apparel decisions,respondents valued care instructions (82.5 percent), followed by fabric content (75.5percent) and construction of the garment (56.8 percent). They placed the least emphasison the clothing brand (31.9 percent) and the cut of the fabric (27.1 percent).

When respondents were asked how they determine whether a garment fits well ornot, the boomers replied that they checked to see if there was enough room formovement (89.5 percent) and if the fabric draped well on their bodies (83.4 percent).

Shopping behaviors M SD n ¼ 229

When shopping for apparel, I find what I went shopping for 3.11 0.756 229I look for clothing to emphasize specific parts of my body 2.45 1.028 229I look for clothing that conceals specific parts of my body 3.66 1.046 229I am influenced by salespeople’s opinions when deciding whether or not topurchase a garment 2.45 0.919 229I will spend more on a garment if it is of high quality 3.65 0.909 229I will spend more on a garment if it is stylish 2.89 0.916 228I will spend more on designer label apparel 2.21 0.952 229I tend to be brand-loyal when making clothing purchases 2.62 1.084 229I follow clothing trends closely 2.21 0.900 229I prefer to shop for others rather than myself 2.83 1.078 229I enjoy shopping for clothing for myself 3.17 1.130 228I keep clothing for three years or more 4.47 0.747 229I refuse to buy clothing that needs to be altered 3.61 1.193 227I have to alter at least four items of clothing per year 2.32 1.343 228

Note: Rating scale was almost always (5) to never (1)

Table II.Boomers’ shopping

behaviors

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They were least likely to evaluate whether seam lines followed the lines of their bodies(30.6 percent) or if garments were cut on the grain of the fabric (17.9 percent). Whenasked how respondents prefer to receive fit information, 47.6 percent indicated thatthey wanted it on garment hangtags while 33.6 percent stated that they did not needadditional information regarding fit.

Respondents were asked to indicate clothing styles they preferred to wear. The mostpopular styles were slacks and a blouse (77.3 percent), while 71.6 percent opted forjeans and a T-shirt. These two styles were followed closely by their preference for jeansand a blouse (62.4 percent). Many respondents also clarified that their preferencedepended on their environment; professional attire for work, but athletic/casualclothing for home. The least preferred style of clothing was the skirt and blouse (53.7percent) followed by the skirt/dress suit (50.7 percent) and wearing of dresses (45percent). This lack of enthusiasm for more formal attire was interesting given that allrespondents were university employees and all were in jobs classified as being“professional.”

Most respondents preferred to wear round/jewel/crew necklines (73.4 percent),turtlenecks or mock turtlenecks (69.9 percent) and/or V-necklines (58.5 percent). Theleast preferred necklines were off the shoulder (73.4 percent) and Queen Anne (56.8percent) styles. A close third in unpopularity was the Sweetheart neckline, which wasdisliked by 48 percent of the boomers.

Survey participants’ indicated a preference for full (79.5 percent) and short sleeves(76.4 percent). Spaghetti straps (78.6 percent) and/or sleeveless or strapless garments(72.5 percent) were disliked by the majority of boomers.

With regard to skirt lengths, the preferred lengths were those that hit at the lowercalf (42.8 percent) and just below the knee (41.9 percent). Only 4.8 percent of theboomers desired skirts that were two inches or more above their knees. One respondentindicated that she would like to purchase more skirts, but she did not feel that thelengths available to her age group were flattering and she had gotten burned outwearing miniskirts in the 1970s.

The largest number of respondents (69.9 percent) stated that they did not have apreference as to whether their garments were made from knitted or woven fabrics.However, at least 39.3 percent preferred that fabrics be constructed from blended fiberswhile 36.2 percent indicated a preference for all-natural ones.

Respondents were asked to identify the type of fabric design they preferred. Solidswere preferred by 55.9 percent of the respondents while prints were the sole preferenceof only 7 percent. Approximately 37 percent indicated no preference. Some respondentsclarified their answers by saying that they wore solid suits with print tops, solidbottoms and patterned tops or jackets as well as solids enhanced with the use ofcolorful accessories and/or scarves.

From a list of choices, participants were asked to identify reasons why theypreferred certain garments over others. Findings indicated that almost all (91.3 percent)of the respondents preferred apparel that was comfortable. Next they preferredgarments that fit well (79.9 percent) and were flattering to their figures (76.9 percent).The least important reasons given for garment preference were “it was versatile” (52.8percent) and “it was a timeless piece” (44.1 percent).

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DiscussionThe results of this study reiterate what baby boomers and researchers alike havebeen saying for several years. While in the past a woman approaching 60 mighthave gently resigned herself to the idea that her fashionable days were behind her(Kelley, 2004), these respondents clearly indicated that even though they had noticedsigns of aging, they still cared about their bodies and always wanted to look theirbest. However, they questioned whether or not the apparel and retail industriesunderstood them and were really trying to cater to their clothing preferences.Survey results indicated that they rarely found what they wanted when they wentshopping and that often the garments were either too trendy or too dowdy,reiterating Gardyn’s (2003) point that the sale of women’s apparel has decreasedbecause boomers are not finding apparel that appeals to them. This also reinforcedRozhon’s (2004) observation of industry’s ineffective efforts to target middle-ageconsumers by offering generation-inappropriate designs.

This study provides designers, manufacturers, retailers and consumers beneficial,applicable data. Identification of specific garment preferences: knee-length or longerskirts, pants rather than dresses or skirts, specific types of necklines, certain sleevelengths versus sleeve-less styles, solid over patterned fabrics, and natural fibers oversynthetics directly benefits designers and manufacturers. Converting these surveyfindings into specific garment designs could result in boomer apparel that is betterfitting and more stylish.

Retailers can use the survey findings to better understand boomers’ preferences forcomfort, fit, clothing styles that flatter their figure types, garments that can hide figureflaws, as well as versatility and timelessness of apparel designs. Interestingly, resultsindicated that designer preference and brand significance were less desired byrespondents. These findings are important because retailers often believe that boomersare extremely brand loyal and slow to try new products. This myth has been difficultto eradicate and has sometimes dissuaded retailers from actively marketing to thisgeneration of shoppers.

From a consumer perspective, respondents indicated that garment fit was animportant determinant in making personal apparel purchases. They felt that theyknew how to judge proper fit and that store personnel should be knowledgeable aboutproducts in general and clothing fit in particular. Possessing middle-class incomes,they believed that they should be able to find garments that appropriately fit andflattered their aging bodies, especially since they were willing to spend more onapparel than other consumer groups. The study also revealed that if a garment did notfit in the store, respondents were not likely to request alterations, but would continuelooking for better fitting garments elsewhere. These results have significantimplications for retailers and manufacturers, reinforcing a critical need for them tolearn more about female boomers’ clothing preferences and to transform their activelifestyles and product desires into age-appropriate, well-fitted garments. Since babyboomers are completely changing the American mindset of aging and are activelyrejecting the past fears, stereotypes and caricatures of middle-age and advanced age, itis imperative that garments and our market environment be a more accurate reflectionof boomer needs and wants.

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About the authorsRenee D. Howarton earned her doctorate from Texas Woman’s University (Denton, Texas) inFashion Retailing and has been teaching in the field for 25 years. She has integrated her retailand entrepreneurial experience within a wide range of apparel, promotional and marketsegmentation coursework. Through the years, she has advised numerous graduate students inthe study of product and marketing preferences especially related to baby boomers and seniorcitizens. Renee D. Howarton is the corresponding author and can be contacted at:howartonr@uwstout.edu

Brenna Lee received her Master’s Degree in Home Economics in 2005 from the University ofWisconsin-Stout. During her college career, she pursued coursework that specialized in appareldesign and manufacturing. On graduation, she lived in Italy for a while and worked for theItalian department store UPIM. She worked for the men’s division in design and productmanagement. Currently, she is an associate designer for girls’ clothing at Target Corporation.

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