All over the world, women look for inspirations from celebrities in terms of their style. UK fashion retailer Bonmarche has completed a study to determine which women were particularly inspirational for those in their target demographic, being women aged over 45. They found that, consistently, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Anniston, Meryl Streep, and Joanna Lumley ranked in the top 4 across all age groups and geographical locations.
It is a universally accepted fact that woman always want to look their best. Often, women develop their personal sense of style by looking towards celebrity women for inspiration. UK fashion retailer Bonmarche has completed a study across women from all over the United Kingdom, aged 45 and over, to determine which women were their greatest inspirations. The full results of their study were:
- That 19.2% of women were inspired by Helen Mirren.
- That 16.3% of women were inspired by Jennifer Anniston
- That 14.5% of women were inspired by Meryl Streep.
- That 13.5% of women were inspired by Joanna Lumley.
- That 10.3% of women were inspired by Nicole Kidman.
- That 10% of women were inspired by Elle McPherson.
- That 8.1% of women were inspired by Julie Walters.
- That 5.9% of women were inspired by Jane McDonald.
- That 5.4% of women were inspired by Salma Hayek.
- That 4.8% of women were inspired by Ruth Langsford.
Breaking these numbers down into different age groups, they found that women between 45 and 54 followed them exactly. 19.2% of women cited Helen Mirren in first place, 16.3% picked Jennifer Aniston, 14.5% picked Meryl Streep, and 13.5% picked Joanna Lumley. When asked why, women said Helen Mirren’s sophisticated style was what they wanted to emulate, whereas it was Jennifer Aniston’s golden tan, lustrous hair, and healthy living habits.
Looking at the 55 to 64 age group, there were some changes. Mainly, Helen Mirren was cited as favorite by 20% of women, a slight rise. Jennifer Anniston held on to her second place position, but only 15.5% of women mentioned her. Meryl Streep and Joanna Lumley stayed in third and fourth place respectively.
A real change was noted in the over 65 age category. Here, 28.4% of women cited Helen Mirren as their favorite, and Jennifer Anniston made a dramatic drop to fourth place. However, the exception was seen in woman in Scotland, where the over 65s placed Jennifer Anniston in first place, with a whopping 27.8%.
According to Bonmarche’s online marketing manager: “As women grow older, their tastes and influences change, but one thing remains constant: a desire to look great”.
Bonmarche has been very impressed with the results of their study. For them, it shows that, once women reach the age of 45, they are quite consistent in terms of which women they feel look good. While there are some fluctuations in the top 4, the same four women are mentioned again and again. This information is invaluable for them as it helps them to drive their own stock. By monitoring the clothing of these icons, they can ensure that they have relevant items in store.
What they found particularly interesting, however, was that it was not just the clothes that made the woman. Women consistently mentioned their celebrity inspiration’s hair, skin, and healthy living habits. This would suggest that, for the modern woman, lifestyle is as important as fashion. This is something that Bonmarche feels should be celebrated, as it also demonstrates that women want to live long, healthy lives and not just look good from the outside, but from the inside as well.