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Invisible Women: The Relationship Between Satisfaction with Fashion Clothing Choices and Well-Being in Middle-Aged Women

Jekaterina Rogaten & Viviana Rullo

Journal of Macromarketing2026https://doi.org/10.1177/02761467261429834article
AJG 2ABDC A
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Fashion is an important aspect of life, and impacts people's sense of belonging, well-being, self-esteem, behaviour, cognition, and emotions. However, there is a lack of understanding of how current “youthful” fashion impacts the well-being of middle-aged female consumers. This study examined the mediating role of ageing anxiety, appearance anxiety, and the moderating effects of an interest in fashion, as well as fashion spending power and age on the relationship between satisfaction with fashion clothing choices and well-being. Survey responses were collected from 252 middle-aged women residing in the United Kingdom (UK). The results showed that satisfaction with fashion clothing choices was a significant predictor of well-being, and this relationship was partly mediated by social avoidance behaviour. The model explained 19% of the variance in middle-aged women's well-being. The content analysis of open-ended responses asking about challenges middle-aged women face when shopping for clothes revealed that size, fit, and style were the main areas of concern. This cohort, overall, felt overlooked by designers, manufacturers, and retailers. Pushing middle-aged women from the market or hoping they will just fit into the “young” or “mature” category can lead them to disengage socially and from mainstream fashion brands. Therefore, it is important for the industry to reconsider its current provision and cater to the needs of this important consumer group.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/02761467261429834

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@article{jekaterina2026,
  title        = {{Invisible Women: The Relationship Between Satisfaction with Fashion Clothing Choices and Well-Being in Middle-Aged Women}},
  author       = {Jekaterina Rogaten & Viviana Rullo},
  journal      = {Journal of Macromarketing},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/02761467261429834},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.