Baby Boomer Message: "Show us you know us!"

Hallmark has become the latest major retailer to stand up and take notice of the demographic with the most spending power. The company is launching a new line of greeting cards called Journeys. These cards are supposed to be designed with baby boomers in mind. Their slogan is: New cards with real words for real life.

Does this mean Hallmark has finally figured out that like isn’t hunky dory all the time and that we, as baby boomers, may want to express our sentiments about issues like divorce, depression, job loss, aging parents, etc with empowering messages of hope and encouragement? All they would have to do is read my book Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age and know that we go through many journeys as we age. Another thing--Has Hallmark finally realized that baby boomer women love to buy cards and will buy them for any and every occasion?

The Maxine Cards, introduced by Hallmark, do serve some purpose but I don't think the vast majority of baby boomer women want to be depicted with that image. Some of us as classy divas and should have cards representing OUR IMAGE.

I have been invited to visit the Hallmark Headquarters next month to take a sneak peak at the new card lineup and to offer feedback and input. Am I going? Absolutely! And I’m taking you with me. Well, not literally. But I will take your ideas if you want to share them.

Hallmark now joins Ann Taylor in making an effort to reach out and show us that they really do know us.

Can Ann Taylor Save the Day?

In a recent article by the New York Times, it was announced that Ann Taylor is going to take a stab at designing a clothing line specifically for baby boomer women. That would be for women like ME.

Forth & Towne (a division of Gap, Inc.) tried it a couple of years ago but failed miserably. It was hard for me to associate the Gap with anything but jeans that I could NEVER fit.

I don't understand what's so hard about coming up with a clothing line for boomer women. No, we're not trying to let it all hang out anymore but we're also not ready to be sent into the convent. We have come into our own and the clothes we wear should reflect that. We're classy, some of us are a little sassy and we're sophisticated. If we're in the boardroom, there's a certain type of look we should have with clothing material that won't have us sweating like pigs during a hot flash.

We are not a "one-size/one-style fits all" generation; therefore the clothes should reflect that fact. What may be appealing to a 60-year-old boomer may be way off the mark when it comes to trying to dress a 45-year-old. Keep that in mind, Ms. Taylor.

The New York Times also indicated Boomers spend $43 billion a year on apparel. So it would stand to reason that if Ann Taylor gets it right, she will be handsomely rewarded by the millions of baby boomer women who are eager to look good from head to toe....especially those of us who are Divas.