2021 predictions for women over 60: same, but better

Who wasn’t happy to see 2020 in the rear view mirror? Last year brought us coronavirus, which in turn ushered in so many changes to the way we live and work. As we enter a new year we look at the ways women over 60 adapted, and what we predict will carry over into 2021—including some we hope are here to stay.

1. Yoga pants and stylish loungewear

Women who never heard of warrior pose drove sales of yoga pants in 2020. (Lululemon flourished while formal-wear companies went into bankruptcy and overall demand for business attire diminished, according to The Motley Fool.) As the months wore on we felt the need to kick it up a notch, and the rush to nice-looking leisurewear began. (We’re living in these cashmere joggers.) This is one trend we predict will continue in 2021 and beyond.

2. Senior shopping hours

Once we discovered the pleasures of open aisles and cashiers beaming to serve us, of fully stocked shelves and clean carts and floors, there was no going back. It’s up to us, though, to persuade retailers to keep senior shopping hours after the pandemic.

3. Curbside pickup

Small food shops—butchers, bakers, sandwich makers—found a way to keep their businesses alive through phone and online ordering and curbside pickup. Oh, the joy! Curl up in a chair, make a list, pick up the phone, and a short while later drive your car to the parking lot. A masked employee opens your back door (hold onto the dog), deposits your wares, and off you go. Saves time and neighborhoods.

4. Face masks

One trend we’re not thrilled about, but are committed to upholding, is wearing face masks. Fortunately, good cloth masks are now available in a variety of colors and patterns. We consider them the new accessory so we’re building up an eclectic collection to complement our leisurewear. Must have style, even in a pandemic.

5. Outdoor entertaining

Patios and backyard barbecues became outdoor dining and living rooms last summer. Now with the Northern hemisphere in the midst of winter we are finding ways to meet outdoors with friends and family, gathered around firepits, bundled up in our warmest wear. Still need a firepit? Try Wayfair and Overstock. Both have a large variety in a range of prices.

6. Walking

Walking in the fresh air became the go-to way to exercise in relative safety. Those with dogs already knew the pleasures of walking outdoors. Now many others are walking their way through the pandemic and beyond.

7. Home-based exercise equipment

Women who miss the adrenaline rush of the gym are bringing the gym to them. According to estimates from JPMorgan, Peloton, the maker of stationary exercise bikes and complimentary exercise media, saw an astronomical surge in sales for 2020. Mirror, which enables users to participate in exercise classes at home, was acquired by Lululemon last year for $500 million as more people pivot to exercising at home.

8. Zoom

Suddenly we found ourselves living like The Jetsons in real life. As the coronavirus spread in early 2020 working, studying, and socializing moved from physical to remote. And we all learned about Zoom.

In January and February alone Zoom acquired 2.2 million new users – more than in all of 2019, according to The Verge. By April there were more than 300 million daily meeting participants, up from 10 million in December 2019. When enough people are vaccinated, we’ll be able to get together in person again. But for the first six to eight months of 2021 we will continue to hold video group chats and cocktail hour via Zoom.

9. DIY hair

We learned to touch up our roots, even apply all-over color, during our self-sequestering. Salons may be reopening, but our prediction for 2021 is that women will continue to find the cost-savings of the occasional home application tempting.

10. Revamped beauty routines

2020 was the year we hid behind our masks and “less is more” became the accepted norm. “With in-person work and socializing taking a backseat, so too did makeup, giving many the chance to re-examine their beauty habits and try something new,” as a January 4^th article in Forbes notes.

The other disrupter of beauty habits was Zoom, and the birth of “Zoom dysmorphia.” Staring at our faces up close and personal in less than flattering light is leading women to consider procedures to improve the way they look on screen.

Moreover, the backlog of products that have been in development will flood the marketplace this year. Look for more natural ingredients, injectables, high-tech devices, and “double-duty products” that cover and conceal but also deliver skincare benefits.

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